Frasco’s new tune ‘Dance’ glows in its seductive production, blending the mainstream appeal of city pop, the futuristic imaginations of electro pop/house styles and the nostalgic vibes of soul and disco. It is sure to allure the listener’s senses in a magical sonic world filled with a groovy bass line, an array of dazzling synth leads and pads, sweet harmonies and feathery female vocals adding to the track’s delicate nature.
© Isaku Takahashi
The conceptual background that lies beneath synth-pop band パスピエ Passepied is perhaps the key to their success. With a band name that refers to the final movement of Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque, the all-female five piece blends the musical aesthetics of impressionism and the retro but modern grooves of synth-pop/new wave/electro-pop to mould an entrancing sound world unmatched by peers.
Passepied plunged into the music scene with tracks like フィーバー ‘Fever’ from their debut album 演出家出演 Enshutsuka Shutsuen (‘Director who appeared’). Although one may argue that this is one of their modest numbers in terms of sonic interest, there is plenty to engage the listener’s audible senses. A quirky, exotic melody from the laser-coloured synths gets the motor going alongside an energetic rhythm section. The undeniably infectious marmite-quality of 大胡田なつき Ogoda Natsuki takes the driver’s seat for the greater part of the song, particularly the colourful chorus enriched by a wacky harmonic progression that exudes a slightly narcotic effect. (Perhaps the tonal ambiguity captures their interest for impressionist ideas).
Passepied’s sound has progressed dramatically from their debut. Attuned to the likes of Sakanaction, ‘MATATABISTEP’ glorifies in an unashamedly retro sonic universe. From beaming synth oscillations, rich harmonies, the rhythmic kick from the guitar, bass and drums, and the nostalgic-sounding melody from Ogoda’s sugar-coated voice, this track absorbs the colouristic qualities of 70s disco and new wave and radiates a sparkling and seductive musical explosion.
Equally enticing is the multi-coloured effects oozing out of とおりゃんせ ‘Toryanse’, named after the traditional Japanese nursery song. Delay-filtered guitar chords, a celeste-like hook, a ticking clock pulse and woozy synth harmonies cast a magical sonic cosmos until the incredibly kitsch vocal melody (infused with Japanese melodic inflections) and the rich rhythm section (that includes guitars, organ and drums) elevates the song’s catchy personality.
With an overriding interest towards impressionism, Passepied has built a strong relationship between the syrupy character of cutesy pop and the varicoloured overtones of synth, new wave and electronic styles to produce an inventory of fetching tunes.
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© Isaku Takahashi
As a fan of Japanese pop group AAA, it was only natural that I would join the bandwagon of 西島隆弘 Nishijima Takahiro (‘Nissy’ as his solo artist name) enthusiasts. Bringing back glimpses of previous hits like どうしようか？ ‘Doushiyouka’ (‘What should I do?’) and ‘DANCE DANCE DANCE’, the high spirited 1/7th of the avex-born group takes it up a notch with his new single ‘Playing With Fire’.
The track and music video exists within a similar sphere as Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo or Austin Mahone. Crossing over between R&B flavours, electro-pop and dance beats, it has all the fundamental qualities to pierce every fan’s heart and lure them into sonic ecstasy: bright brass bullets, sumptuous backing vocals, foot-tapping beats and the seductive vocals of Nishijima that extends towards his falsetto range.
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© Isaku Takahashi
Japanese techno-pop trio Perfume released their new single ‘STAR TRAIN’ this late October as part of their 15th anniversary. Known for their relentless, energetic synth-laden dance pop, this song conveys more of their delicate personality, while retaining some of their musical character that made them popular in the first place.
Among the characteristic android-tinged vocals of the trio and the vibrant synth patterns, the presence of pounding piano chords and guitar strumming in the verse conjure up subtle glimpses of Munford and Sons-esque anthemic expressions. A sparkling chorus lifts the mood instantly with a chorus melody (evocative of an anthemic Coldplay or U2 number) powerful enough to conduct a sing-along with an audience. The word play Perfume makes between ‘Star Train’ and ‘Start Line’ in the lyrics adds a nice personal touch, perhaps conveying the message that although they have been in the business for 15 years, this is just the beginning and there is more excitement to come.
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© Isaku Takahashi
On the surface, perhaps one may not imagine hip-hop having a considerable impact in a culture like Japan. However, since the 80s when the genre transcended cultural boundaries, Japanese hip-hop has been a major commercial and artistic force in the country’s musical landscape. DAOKO, an 18-year old female rapper from Tokyo is emblematic of the new identity changes hip-hop has acquired and undergone in its history.
What is instantly noticeable is the sweet and delicate voice of DAOKO, something that a conventional hip-hop track would perhaps not come to terms with. ‘Fog’, from her debut album in 2012 provided audiences an introduction to a unique, fresh take on a genre that was traditionally associated with images of aggression or conflict. While the foot tapping drumbeat, celestial synth patterns and the hazy tone of DAOKO’s vocals stirred up a catchy and cute pop atmosphere, one cannot help but feel a subtle sense of mystery from the track. To sum it up in a convenient phrase, it is delicately disturbing.
DAOKO has often featured alongside other artists in similar musical fields, including with ESNO in the song 夕暮れパラレリズム ‘Yugure Parallelism’ (‘Evening Parallelism’). Reminiscent of the hip-hop/nu-jazz vibe of Nujabes, this track has many of the qualities of a chilled, feel-good tune: a seductive hip-hop beat, sparkling jazz piano ornamentations, warm synth patterns and above all, DAOKO’s velvet voice whispering at the listener’s ears.
Glimpses of futurism and feelings of nostalgia socialise with each other in 水星 ‘Suisei’ (‘Mercury’). The vocoder-filtered voice of DAOKO fits nicely with a dreamy electro-pop production that reverberates with retro-tinged synth timbres. The familiarity that one may feel through the clear pentatonic inflections makes the track instantly accessible and recognisable for the mainstream audience.
The latest fresh and original artist to lay a statement on the Japanese music scene, DAOKO epitomises the idea that hip-hop in today’s generation has changed from its essentialised African-American image to an abstract hub of new and exciting mutations.
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© Isaku Takahashi
80KIDZ, consisting of duo Ali and Jun (formerly a trio when Mayu left in 2009) have caught the attention of various global musical hubs with their exhilarating music that pertains both to the conventional principles of electro/dance/rave styles and the ever-growing interest and appetite for original and innovative musical personalities.
Their first album This Is My Shit back in 2009 is a seminal work of the Japanese duo, most notably for attracting the eye of Pete Tong from BBC Radio 1 leading to a segment of his radio show In New Music We Trust dedicated to a closer exploration of 80KIDZ’s music. ‘She’ and ‘Miss Mars’ were two of three tracks to feature in the segment. ‘She’, featuring the fluid vocals of AutoKratz is a piece of seductive electroclash, motored by a powerful four-on-the-floor drumbeat, recapitulating piano arpeggios and a dazzling array of synth patterns and textures. ‘Miss Mars’ induces a similar irresistible foot-tapping groove, but is tinged with shades of chiptune timbres in the choppy synth lines. Both of these tunes would be equally harmonious in a laser-filled rave atmosphere.
Weekend Warrior, their second album has a captivating quality that is equally impressive as their previous effort. Subtle contrasts in character between individual songs gives a fine variation when one is navigating through the musical labyrinth. As a comparison, ‘Prisma’ with its neon-tinged synths perpetuating through a bright melodic phrase coordinated with an equally infectious squelchy bass line and bustling drum rhythms and samples provoke a rhapsodic sensation. One track later, ‘I Wish’ intrudes the album with a much more contorted, dizzy affair with quirky vocal samples manipulated tonally and texturally stirring up a spectral undertone, and seesawing synth layers, bass lines and fluctuating drum patterns making the listener endure a more volatile sonic experience.
Some of 80KIDZ’s most recent material has seen the duo occasionally venture into introspective territories, such as ‘Apollo 80’. A ghostly ambience from the piano figure laced with quivering echoes in the backdrop introduces the track, and this sense of long-windedness stretches through the whole journey with a gentle propulsion hardly associated with the duo’s trademark electro-pop aesthetics. Perhaps this piece is emblematic of their different creative intentions surrounding the album TURBO TOWN, in which this piece features.
The appeal of 80KIDZ’s intoxicating music has not only enriched the Japanese electronic music landscape, but transcended cultural boundaries as audiences of various cultures look forward to the Japanese duo embarking on more fresh and exciting sonic adventures.
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© Isaku Takahashi
J-pop Through My Looking Glass 