I’m trying to finish (errrrrr, start) the official Make Believe Melodie’s “our favorite songs” feature, so in the meantime, enjoy this new song courtesy of Osaka’s Seiho. “Clipping Music” starts off quite sensual – some lovely, lounge-ready electronics playing over the sound of waves reaching the shore – but soon enters territory we are more used to from Seiho, albeit with a rapid stream of hand-clap noises this time around. Listen below.
ここ２年ほど前から、CUZ ME PAINレーベルのアーティスト達が暖めてきた、幻想的な空気感を持つダンスミュージックが、東京のシーンで注目を集めています。 このようなテイストは、Sapphire SlowsやLLLL等、同じように海外のブログで話題になっているアーティスト達からも見受けられるかもしれない。でも、CUZ ME PAINが放つJesse Ruinsの海外から受けている賞賛が大きな原動力となり、東京のインディーシーンを活性化させているのは確かです。 この夏にDead Funny RecordsからデビューEP、”Wisteria”をリリースした埼玉のデュオ、Fancy Booksのバイオグラフィーにも、CUZ ME PAINの名前が上げられています。 確かにオープニングトラックの”Twilight Memory”や”Ermine”では、シンプルなビートの上に温もりのあるシンセサイザーが渦を巻き混ざり合っていて、この比較も納得できるな、と感じます。 具体的にFancy Booksが、CUZ ME PAINのアーティスト達とどう違うかというと、”Wisteria”等で聴ける、ポップで楽しいボーカルがフィーチャーされている所でしょう。また、今回の目玉ともいえる”Sister Carry Stars” は、電子音やベースなどだけでも美しく表現できていただろうけれど、女性ボーカルが加わる事により、温もりのある、暖かいトラックへと見事に変貌しています。 CUZ ME PAINの中でもダントツにポップで聴きやすいJesse Ruinsでさえ、ミステリアスな世界観を演出する為にボーカルに工夫を加えています。しかしFancy Booksは”Sponge Boy”等で聴けるように、あえて自然なボーカルを導入する事で、新鮮さを出してきています。 “Wisteria”はCUZ ME PAINからの影響を上手く取り入れ、新しい可能性を追求した作品と言えるでしょう。 Fancy Books EPの視聴はこちらからまた、購入はこちらから:
The vocals found on Elen Never Sleeps’ songs are always an interesting confrontation – they are not traditionally “good” but the relatively ragged delivery are charming in their own way. They are pushed further than ever before on new EP Rum which finds Elen Never Sleep crafting his most vocally daring collection yet. It opens…
1. Man, Especia better be breakout J-Pop stars in 2014 or I will be hyper sad. 2. LUVRAW is one half of LUVRAW & BTB, a goofy rap duo that coat their rhymes in copious amounts of talk box. They have, for me at least, always been too cheesy, the vocal manipulation coming off as…
Sometimes a bunch of good electronic music comes out all at once in Japan, and it ends up being easiest to feature it all in one nice post. Today is one of those days. Osaka’s Cloudy Busey is no stranger to making heavy-feelings dance music – his Only Devotion mixtape under the moniker Bobcat showcases…
Old Lacy Bed – Coastlands from Old Lacy Bed on Vimeo. “Coastlands” has been out in the wild in a different form for about a year now, but Old Lacy Bed recently posted a new video for featuring a fresh take on the darty song. You can watch the indie-pop-lifestyle clip above. Weirdly enough, “Coastlands”…
Indie-pop label Ano(t)raks plans on releasing a new compilation album in February, and have already revealed a list of artists who will be contributing to the sequel to the excellent Soon comp. The forthcoming release features a lot of familiar names – Post Modern Team, Boyish, The Paellas and many more…but also features a few…
今必死にMake Believe Melodieの2012年ベストソングリストを終わらせようとしてます（というか始めようとしてます…）。なので今は大阪のアーティスト、Seihoの新曲をお楽しみ下さい。曲はレイドバックで穏やかな気持ちにさせてくれるエレクトロ・サウンドと波打ち際の音から始まります。そこから我々の知っているいつものSeihoサウンドに突入するのですが、ノイズのような手拍子が軽快で魅力的です。試聴は以下から。
Masahiro Araki is a member of the Nagoya-based band Remigai, an outfit who released a very good album last year and who are very much worth keeping an eye on. He also records electronic music as Fredricson, and his latest song “Salaam” finds the producer playing around with half-second syllables, laser-like sounds and skittery percussion….
It’s an easy come down for a Thursday, but one that’s also a touch more clever than it might initially lead on. Feather Shuttles Forever offer a very easy-going number in “Croquette Nanoni,” one mostly focused on pleasant acoustic guitar strums, soft vocals and whistling. It’s a soothing number with just enough of a lift…
Given how common this beach-adjacent sound has become in recent years, it is…weird (?) hearing Before I Go and being transported back to the first half of the decade. This is basically a Teen Runnings album, maybe a little less fuzzy (well, save for inclusions like “Unconsciousness” which go big on feedback) around the edges…
Celebrate Christmas a little early…or, in Japan, right on time…with a new bit of minimalistic bedroom pop courtesy of NITES. “Fall In The Seduction” features a great vocal sample, a slight new twist from a dude who usually keeps the words buried under all his synth-play. Merry Christmas ya’ll, listen to this great new track…
Tokyo is still thawing out after a big ol’ snowstorm, so a high-energy like this feels fitting on a day where a little heat would work wonders. Capchii falls into that nebulous “kawaii” zone a handful of Japanese electronic artists have crept into, but “Let’s Build A Snowman” matches fluttering synths and shiny chimes with…
First, because this blog doesn’t really do album reviews — especially of releases that require either a physical purchase or access to streaming (a whole different pitfall regarding coverage, but I digress) — let’s set the stage by showering Pasocom Music Club with more praise. Their debut full-length Dream Walk came out at the end…