Make Believe Melodies Logo

New Happy Kuru Kuru: Good Morning Tokyo

Posted on by

Ehhh, screw it, let’s lean in on this “kawaii” thing for today.

Via Attack The Music, idol duo Happy Kuru Kuru shared a new two-song set called Good Morning Tokyo. The pair themselves are quite in line with what most people think of Japanese idol music — cheery vocals that are far from polished, songs about relatively upbeat and low-stakes subject matter — and aren’t really the hook for this release. Rather, that would be producer Yunomi, whose cuddly-meets-breakneck electornic sound has slowly been creeping into the mainstream. The two songs here are mostly a reminder of Yunomi’s approach, the title track in particular being a bit boilerplate in exhibiting the merger of helium voices, traditional touches and big jackknife drops. Which, nothing wrong with that when one is that consistently solid. “Green Green” offers something more playful — the first half of the song is basic idol schlock, all bright-day melodies and now-together singing approaching the obnoxious. But then Yunomi rolls through and rips it apart, transforming the song into something I haven’t heard from him before…a hard-edged dance number actually working in tandem with the idol parts. It’s a strange new manifestation, and a fun one here. Get it here, or listen below.

New Snail’s House: Snö

Posted on by

Over at Bandcamp Daily, I wrote about the new wave of “kawaii” artists who are helping expand the sound often associated with that word. Think of it as a continuation of this piece looking at the history of “kawaii” music, and one that tries not too simply settle (the fact is, each artist I talked to had a different take on the classification, from enthusiasm to rejecting it). Snail’s House definitely stands as this community’s biggest name, and in a bit of nice timing he released a new album called Snö late last week. As the title implies, it takes on a winter vibe, finding Snail’s House embracing sparser formats and a sonic palette that’s actually a bit frostier than his usual choices. Warmer moments creep through — “Thaw [interlude]” adds some familiar playroom pep that makes the bouncy “[whiteout]” all the livelier — but the best instances here find the producer using space in ways they haven’t before. See “[covered in white]” and it’s Junior Boys-esque synthesizer work, or the skittery “[snowdrift].” It’s not the kawaii you’d expect, but again that’s the whole point. Get it here, or listen below.

New Metome: Shibboleth

Posted on by

Metome has been consistently active over the last few years, and now some of the more left-field highlights of recent times have been gathered together on new set Shibboleth. This comes from a period where Metome was interested in texture, and how different sounds could sound as they weave in and out of one another. Opener “Itch Stopping” (originally from 2015) takes familiar Metome sounds and warps them, eventually letting a soothing piano wash over it all. “Exotic” matches sharp synth notes up against what sounds like slime slipping down a wall to make an unnerving cut, while “Lady Mondegreen” plays around with tempo and cooed vocal samples. And it all ends with a 2016 experiment in crinkling ambience, “50 Minutes,” serving as a bit of a chaser after the skipping preceding it. Get it here, or listen below.

Future Shift: Takaryu’s Resources

Posted on by

Producer Takaryu’s first full-length album Resources doubles as a snapshot of the many ways electronic music in Japan has gone over the last five years. Takaryu has been around since about 2014, though the bulk of work they’ve shared in that time has been remixes alongside one mini-album. So Resources gathers songs that have appeared over the last few years alongside new ones, partially explaining the mish-mash of sound. There’s fidgety IDM intersecting with filtered singing on “Null (version)” and straight hip-hop beats (“Relationships/Reprise” and “Rain”), with fidgety future bass even popping up via “Refusal.” Takaryu works wonders when guest vocalists appear on his tracks. My gateway into this album was the appearance of Megumi Wata, an artist I hadn’t heard from in quite some time. The album peaks a little early with the dizzying “Left-field,” a number that makes great use of Wata’s slower delivery…and isn’t afraid to warp it into something totally different come the hook. “Static Thought” leans closer to Wata’s own releases, featuring a sparse backdrop for her to deliver her sing-speak. Nobody quite matches her style, but Annabel adds a nice pop to the springy title track, while Evo+ brings energy to the 808-centered “F.W.P.” Listen on your preferred streaming service, or check some samples below.

Modern Groove: New Songs From HiRO.JP And Frasco

Posted on by

Funk, boogie, acid jazz, city pop, even a little disco — all these styles have come back into vogue in some way or another in Japan. It has mainly been spurred on by young bands, some raised on Jamiroquai and others smelling an opportunity. Yet plenty of smaller acts have come around to it as well, and tonight let’s spotlight two. The first is producer HiRO.JP, who offers up a crystalline vision of ’80s boogie on “L’amour Disparu.” More so than most, HiRO.JP really goes for the retro feel, to the point this feels way closer to the actual instrumental struts lining ’80s Japanese boogie albums than the imagined versions of today. Listen above.

Next comes the latest from duo Frasco, who really need to get an album out. “Folding Chair” locks into a groove and chooses to ride that out rather than explore busier corners, as they did on their last couple of songs. Yet it proves to be a solid choice, as Frasco find a nice, sparse drive that builds up to a busier hook, featuring a slight electric hum around the singing and some woozy touches. Listen below.