“Restraint”(制御)という単語をDe De Mouseと結びつける事などないと思っていました。彼の音楽は通常、ボーカルを切り刻み、その切れ端をスピード感のあるビートの上に乗せるようなスタイル。任天堂DSの音楽ゲームだったら最大級の難易度ですね。ドラムンベースの影響が薄い曲に限っての話ですが。新作Sky Was Darkからの曲、”Floats And Falls”は何と9分もあるのですが、今回はただ速いだけではありません。逆にスローなこの曲では、シンセが上手く曲を展開させて行きます。ボーカルのみにスピード感があります…というよりは、跳ねるようなスタイルがそう聴こえさせるのかもしれませんが。 “Floats And Falls”は5分が経過したその時点で既に完成された曲なのですが、それだけで終わらないのが今回の注目点。曲は不意に展開し、ビートが消えてボーカルとシンセのみのパートになります。その後も次々に新しい音色が加えられ、曲を終わりへと導きます。長くも飽きのこない、優れた工夫が施された作品だと感じます。De De Mouseの曲の中でもダントツで平和な、広々とした空気感を放っていて、彼の新しいスタイルを象徴した、新しい始まりを感じさせる曲になっています。ビデオは以下に。
東京のデュオ、LLLLの新しいビデオ”Because Of My Eyes”は、まるで週末に夜遊びしているかのような光景。眩しいライトやビデオエフェクトは酔っぱらっているような気持ちにさせてくれます。全て白黒で撮影されていているこの作品では、街を散歩したりクラブで踊ったり、気づけば女性がこちらを眺めていたり。J-Popからの影響が強いものの、LLLLらしい少しダークな雰囲気で日本のパーティーライフを体験できます。ビデオは上から。
Nanba Shiho’s back in good form with her new single “Music.” It pretty much had nowhere to go but up following Shiho’s last single, a song about getting your hair cut set over some snore-inducing piano. “Music” returns to the more energetic pace of her earlier singles, this new number anchored by the forceful beat that switches up into different patters throughout the song but always remains attention grabbing. Unlike the still-excellent “Shoujo, Futatabi” from the start of 2012, the electronics aren’t as commanding, hanging out in the back of the mix to add a cushion to a song that is otherwise quite pounding. Shiho herself moves with the beat well, her chirpy voice adding a touch of sweetness to the whole number. Coupled with a good video…one not featuring Shiho at all…this is a nice return to form for a promising J-Pop personality.
At long last the worlds of J-Pop and heart-tugging CGI movies collide – Tokyo Hive reports a song by Hiroshima techno-pop trio Perfume will appear in Pixar’s Cars 2 both in the actual film and the soundtrack. The group’s track “Polyrhythm” will apparently appear in a scene where the main characters…who, if you haven’t been…
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSm2uafZq-8″] When SCANDAL transformed from high-school-aged rock band capable of hitting on a really good pop-rock hooks into boring AKB-lookalikes holding guitars, it was a sad day for Osaka rock bands and the idea that a group can make the leap to greater visibility without turning into marketing gimmicks. JinnyOops’! recent stylistic change – from…
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7pH8YSL_ac”] Doubt this will cheer up the dudes in MGMT as they brace for a month of year-end lists conveniently lacking Congratulations…potentially ironic geniuses Vanilla Beans went and covered “Kids.” Watch the video above which features nearly all the Vanilla Beans trademarks…though they seem to be smiling more. It’s a pretty straight-ahead-captain version, making the…
YouTuber and apparently Internet famous guy (check those stats!) Hyadain recently released the 2009 edition of his annual “Japanese Song Battle.” It’s a six-minute mix of Hyadain covering snippets of popular J-Pop tracks from the recently retired year. The first thing you’ll probably notice about it is the brain-pummeling volume – turn the noise way…
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJWoJ0yVwtc”] Tweegaze? Google tells me I’m not remotely the first person to come up with that Franken-genre…looks like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart ushered it in…but originality be damned because that’s easily the best way to describe PLASTIC GIRL IN CLOSET’s “Tiny Tambourines.” The group wash the whole thing over with subtle feedback…
It’s probably about time to do a “stuff we missed: 2013 edition,” and one album I didn’t write nearly enough about is Kiko by Madegg. He’s still one of the most prolific electronic artists in Japan today, but also one able to backup all the output with talent. Kiko is his best full-length album yet…Kashiyuka…