I recently had a chat with someone about music in Japan. One takeaway – and an observation I’ve heard many times before in bars up to Retromania – is that some fans in Japan get super into a niche sound, and become experts of it. And that’s true! And can lead to great music! But let us take a moment to appreciate artists not afraid to explore all sorts of musical terrain, the sorts who want to try out as much as they can. Like Kindan No Tasuketsu, who is not afraid to try on new styles.
Her latest release, the try-to-say-it=fast Illuminations, Satellite Heart/ Chill Sounds Series Volume 1, serves as a good example of her flexibility. As the title hints at…and as song names like “Flights To Ibiza” and “Sunset Beach” imply…this is a summer album, one meant for “chilling” out too. And it features a lot of sonic details associated with other albums from the last few years forever tied to “chill” – the first two songs here feature no vocals, just synths melting over one another and hip-hop-inspired beats. “Cafe Del Mar” comes close to even being “chillwave,” at least in regards to nostalgia – Kindan No Tasuketsu includes samples of kids playing, which give it a cheerful-memory vibe. An all-sounds album probably would have been cool too, but when her voice pops up on album-highlight “Pina Colada,” it’s a very welcome addition. Over a slow, whirring collection of electronics, she unravels her voice over all of it, and it adds a hypnotic effect. “Sunset Beach” even adds some rapping. The first installment of this series is a varied collection, but constantly enjoyable. Get it here, and listen to “Pina Colada” below.