Intend keeps things soft on “Kyu Ji,” but doesn’t get too quiet over the course of the song. This number, featuring a sparse piano-accented beat, approaches whisper rap, but the MC at the center of it makes sure to prop up her words with a blast of energy to avoid letting it get overly sleepy. While the space afforded by the production goes a long way to making the song work, it’s the energetic but not over-the-top delivery that really seals it. Listen above.
New Metoronori: “Yoru No Hitobito”
Metoronori is back with a new song, her first of 2019 and a welcome return to the off-kilter pop world she has been constructing this decade. “Yoru No Hitobito” strikes a good balance between the unsteady and the hooky, opening (and weaving in throughout) with samples of what sounds like Italian set against synth starburst and some electronic squiggles. Metoronori’s own voice sneaks in soon after, trying to find space among all the conflicting elements. But, as she often does, she crafts some catchy vocal melodies from all of this. Listen above.
Electronic Round-Up: Fa-mi, Oyubi And House McGwire
— The latest from Omoide Label comes via Fa-mi in the form of the quick hit Oriental, a tropical-leaning set of body-moving dance tunes. “Thank You” sums it up pretty well, letting sunset-ready synth notes play out over strums of acoustic guitar and a persistent but never pushy beat. “Hallo” and (especially) “Flower” bring a little more energy, flashing moments of outright release, but without ever tumbling over completely. A good starting point for the artist, though here’s hoping they add a bit more to it going forward — maybe a little too chilled. Get it here, or listen below.
— The year isn’t even a month old and Oyubi just keeps bringing the heat. “Oh F” offers a high-energy run punctuated by some sampled yelps and a bob-and-weave rhythm that lends to the sweaty feel the track maintains for its playtime. And, as the young producer has done so much in the past year, the song moves through various passages while always maintaining the same energy. Get it here, or listen below.
— Now for something with a retro edge to it. Stones Taro and Lo-Max team up as House McGwire for “New Old School,” which is far closer to the last two words of the title than the first. It’s a nice bit of slow-burning dance for those enamored with yesteryear, and while it lacks the blurry out-of-time vibe of other NC4K offerings so far, it does serve up a very groovable nostalgia. Get it here, or listen below.
New Kissmenerdygirl: Harbour Promenade EP
Let’s not get too twisted — plenty of artists have used “future funk” as a sandbox to play around in and come up with compelling takes on the familiar over the years. Kissmenerdygril has been teaming up with singers and rappers for a bit now, so Harbour Promenade leaning into this isn’t a shocker. But, seeing as how 2019 has so far seen internet micro-genre in Japan’s indie scene mutate away from boilerplate to something more intriguing, I don’t think it’s wrong to point to this release as further evidence of a trend. The six song set features familiar sample-heavy instrumentals — from the ho-hum bounce of “Sweet Pain” to Halfby-invoking title track — but the highlights come from the collabs. Kou-kei fits in just fine on the faded funk-hop of opener “Cycle,” a reminder of how effective samples can be when used as bedrock for something new rather than easy nostalgia blasts. Better still is the more relaxed, vocally manipulated delivery of Sola The Luva on “Michiteiku.” Even team ups with other producers result in a mish-mash of ideas that elevate numbers (see the shimmer of “Chiba City Blues”). Get it here, or listen below.
New Puni Puni Denki: Mirai Addiction
Puni Puni Denki makes stylistic shifting look easy on Mirai Addiction. Released near the start of the month, this four-song collection marks a big jump forward for her, showing off her range and ability to hop-scotch over whatever her and guest arrangers come up with. It’s also another 2019 entry into the “kawaii-bass has mutated into something far more interesting than that name would imply” category. The title track features a spitfire of vocal samples and breakbeats crashing over one another, chaos that Puni corrals into something resembling pop, albeit fractured. “Rotten Candy” re-imagines Shibuya-kei for 2019, moving away from the whirlwind of “Mirai Addiction” in favor of jazz-accented strolling music. Pasocom Music Club swings by for closer “Silent Kiss,” helping Puni create some laid-back disco, but better still is “Imaginary Boi” featuring an assist from Mikazuki Bigwave. Fresh off their own triumph, they help turn Puni into a real-life future funk sample, her voice skittering off and hinting at a potential for the style that has been constantly teased but in 2019 feels closer to actually happening. That’s a fitting way to sum up Mirai Addiction in general. Get it here, or listen below.