The general chillness of Japanese rock over the last two years appears to have gotten so laid back as to drift off into stranger places. The past month saw Tempalay put out their zonked-out opus With Love From The 21st Century and Half Mile Beach Club’s first stab at a bigger audience with their alien beach tunes. Even the new Sakanaction dabbles in it. Worthy of being mentioned with all of the above is Vivid by singer/songwriter Kiki Vivi Lily, which might be the best example of in-no-hurry melodies being taken to more interesting places than just something to play over a car commercial. “Copenhagen” is a highlight, and slightly livelier, finding the artist singing about a whirlwind trip to the city over music provided by Tomita Lab. It’s bouncy and sunny, but also allowed to be a little twisted around the edges, giving this reflection of time spent in the European city a little more unpredictability than simple nostalgia. Listen above.
