Valentine’s Day Specials: Neon Cloud, HNC, The Eglle, A Bunch Of People Covering Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”

ByPatrick St. Michel

Lots and lots to love today…so lets dive into all of it. Way better than chocolate, yeah?

The biggest news of the day comes courtesy of Flau, who’ve released the follow up to mysterious outfit Neon Cloud’s stunning debut Knit. Scar finds the group…and it is becoming more and more clear Cuushe is involved somehow with this…expanding a bit with their songs, pushing tracks beyond the six-minute mark. Some of the numbers come off like Knit cuts stretched out and filled with more depth – the previously heard “22” being a great example. Yet elsewhere, this one finds them trying a few new sounds out. “333” is the Cuushe-est track yet, utilizing space well before building up to a crowded and disorienting conclusion. Opener “1,” meanwhile, casts Neon Cloud in a Bjork-ready song. Get it here, or listen below.

In either a great bit of timing or a really productive use of a Friday, HNC has put together a song for a snowy day (it is pretty darn white here in Japan right now). “Yuki No Furu Hi” finds her messing around with electronic vocal effects (plus waves of synthesizers, and the most urgent beat she’s messed around with in some time). And she shifts things up wonderfully midway through. Listen below.

Tokyo outfit The Eglle have something a bit more shadowy for the weekend. “For Him” is sharper, seemingly delivered through gritted teeth (that final stretch, geez). Probably good for those not privy to today.

Finally…do you like Black Sabbath? Do you like Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid?” Welp, Call And Response Records boss Ian Martin (who also is a great writer for The Japan Times) has recruited a bunch of artists in Japan to cover “Paranoid,” with all sorts of different interpretations (“featuring Hatsune Miku” oh yes). This is how I’ll be spending my Friday night…please join me. Get the collection here.

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