fitear1590

Even though this is "kinda" breaking the rules, I thought I would post this here, since it may have bypassed many of the indie fan's radars.




Yeti, although formed from the members of 4 VK bands, sounds like no other VK band out there. They have a very strong indie/math rock influence.  Check em out!

Even though this is "kinda" breaking the rules, I thought I would post this here, since it may have bypassed many of the indie fan's radars.




Yeti, although formed from the members of 4 VK bands, sounds like no other VK band out there. They have a very strong indie/math rock influence.  Check em out!

Nice Augie, I really like the pier picture!

_______________________

Here's some more point-n-shoot-tastic pictures (taken with my iPod touch, haha):

This one is from my recent trip to the futuristic Valencia, Spain


Inside Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, Spain. Unlike any other architecture I've ever seen!


And here's a church in my current city in Germany. Basic, but I like it!

7 songs? That's gotta be a mini-album, haha.

Anyway, here's a video for track 1.

Release dates, bitrates, and moods are interesting concepts for tagging! Never considered those, but I think that'd be a cool idea.

And this is more of a question than a suggestion, since you oversee the tags.  Do you notice a problem with hyphenation when it comes to tagging?  For instance, "post-rock" or "post rock"?  I assume that would appear as two "different" tags.  Are people consistent enough that this isn't an issue?

 

Release dates, bitrates, and moods are interesting concepts for tagging! Never considered those, but I think that'd be a cool idea.

And this is more of a question than a suggestion, since you oversee the tags.  Do you notice a problem with hyphenation when it comes to tagging?  For instance, "post-rock" or "post rock"?  I assume that would appear as two "different" tags.  Are people consistent enough that this isn't an issue?

 

Congratulations to DIV!  Having just formed last year, this is HIGHLY impressive for a debut album.  In fact, it’s just a good rock album, period!  And this is coming from someone who started off with a very lukewarm impression of the band; I didn’t care for their debut mini-album much.  The following singles showed progress, even if it was a bit inconsistent.  But this album is a totally different story.

Early on in their career, I remember thinking DIV had some composition issues (夏の行方 and its B-side had almost identical choruses; unacceptable, especially on a three song single!) and that their electronic arrangements were uninspired and lacking (especially when compared to labelmates, UNiTE).  Both of these problems seem to have been addressed over time and I can say that the band is in top form on this album.  From start to finish, it’s a pretty cohesive listen.  There’s plenty of variety with well-composed, bright pop-rock tunes like “ZERO ONE” and “Place,” as well as heavier, more melancholic tracks like “ASTERIOS” and “VANISH.”  Unlike many other VK bands that make it to the full album stage, DIV didn’t feel the need to pad their tracklist with the obligatory “experimental” mainstays we all know like out of place “jazzy” track or “heavy-repetitive-track-with-growling/screaming-throughout.”  I honestly congratulate that restraint, haha. 
 
Regarding the electronic arrangements, they’ve shown some massive progress!  Whereas their mini-album featured a totally pointless “SE” track with aimless chiptune bleeps, there’s a lovely “galactic” synth sound that permeates most of this album. Sometimes, it lends an “epic” quality to the music, while other times, it creates a fun, light atmosphere like in “Chocolate Prayer”.  As Shanethvarosa mentioned, the way “interlude” leads into “ASTERIOS” is beautiful and the subsequent chaotic screeching and “wub wub” dubsteppy sounds are actually quite nice, mainly because it's used very sparingly.  That and the autotuning (another thing I generally find obnoxious) in “Teddy” are tastefully done.
 
One of the things that really sets DIV apart from most of the VK world is Chisa’s voice.  He’s not your typical, nasally, whiny, over-exaggerated VK singer.  He has a very “normal” (yet capable) voice and somehow that works for the band and keeps them grounded.  He’s able to serenade us with dramatic ballads like “I swear,” get us moving to catchy tunes like “Chocolate Prayer,” and bring some emotion out in heavy tracks like “VANISH.”  If there’s one thing that could still use work, it’s his growling.  He sounds like he’s straining himself a little bit, sometimes like he’s “barfing” out his words, haha.  But once again, the band doesn’t overuse these screaming/growling parts, so it’s hardly a problem.

If I have any real complaints about this album, it’s the choice of old singles to include.  夏の行方 is a solid enough choice (though as unrealistic as it is, I would’ve absolutely preferred B-side 蛍火 [hotarubi]), but I find SEASONS and ANSWER to be the band’s two weakest single tracks.  “SEASONS” has so much that I should love (the twinkly, soft piano throughout), but the “hooo-oooh” background voice annoys me and I find the bouncy guitar riff that leads us into the verse (starting at about :38) to be so meh.  As Shaneth said, “TASTE OF LIFE” might’ve been a better fit, since there were some other poppy songs on the album and they worked just fine.  “ANSWER” is a track I find decent at best.  It could’ve benefited from an arrangement overhaul, considering the band’s newfound mastery of the synths, but alas… This rerecording doesn’t sound much different.  In fact, none of them really do…  The only major difference I could detect was the background arrangement of "SEASONS" sounded (unfortunately) more subdued in certain parts.

But if the album’s biggest weakness is its old songs, that’s probably a good sign of the pure progress the band is making!  

Review Breakdown:
+Great compositions; restraint shown when necessary
+Almost all of the new songs are better than the three old songs
+Cohesive sound throughout album, but with enough variety
+Chisa is a highly capable vocalist
+Wonderful improvements in the synth/electronic arrangement department
 
-Chisa could work on his growls
-Old singles are the weakest tracks; shame that two of these songs end the album

   
An extremely solid debut! Certain to make an appearance on my my Album of the Year list!

Really enjoyed their first album! The samples for this one don't have me as excited, but I know short samples can often be deceiving, haha.

Looking forward to it!

Congratulations to DIV!  Having just formed last year, this is HIGHLY impressive for a debut album.  In fact, it’s just a good rock album, period!  And this is coming from someone who started off with a very lukewarm impression of the band; I didn’t care for their debut mini-album much.  The following singles showed progress, even if it was a bit inconsistent.  But this album is a totally different story.

Early on in their career, I remember thinking DIV had some composition issues (夏の行方 and its B-side had almost identical choruses; unacceptable, especially on a three song single!) and that their electronic arrangements were uninspired and lacking (especially when compared to labelmates, UNiTE).  Both of these problems seem to have been addressed over time and I can say that the band is in top form on this album.  From start to finish, it’s a pretty cohesive listen.  There’s plenty of variety with well-composed, bright pop-rock tunes like “ZERO ONE” and “Place,” as well as heavier, more melancholic tracks like “ASTERIOS” and “VANISH.”  Unlike many other VK bands that make it to the full album stage, DIV didn’t feel the need to pad their tracklist with the obligatory “experimental” mainstays we all know like out of place “jazzy” track or “heavy-repetitive-track-with-growling/screaming-throughout.”  I honestly congratulate that restraint, haha. 
 
Regarding the electronic arrangements, they’ve shown some massive progress!  Whereas their mini-album featured a totally pointless “SE” track with aimless chiptune bleeps, there’s a lovely “galactic” synth sound that permeates most of this album. Sometimes, it lends an “epic” quality to the music, while other times, it creates a fun, light atmosphere like in “Chocolate Prayer”.  As Shanethvarosa mentioned, the way “interlude” leads into “ASTERIOS” is beautiful and the subsequent chaotic screeching and “wub wub” dubsteppy sounds are actually quite nice, mainly because it's used very sparingly.  That and the autotuning (another thing I generally find obnoxious) in “Teddy” are tastefully done.
 
One of the things that really sets DIV apart from most of the VK world is Chisa’s voice.  He’s not your typical, nasally, whiny, over-exaggerated VK singer.  He has a very “normal” (yet capable) voice and somehow that works for the band and keeps them grounded.  He’s able to serenade us with dramatic ballads like “I swear,” get us moving to catchy tunes like “Chocolate Prayer,” and bring some emotion out in heavy tracks like “VANISH.”  If there’s one thing that could still use work, it’s his growling.  He sounds like he’s straining himself a little bit, sometimes like he’s “barfing” out his words, haha.  But once again, the band doesn’t overuse these screaming/growling parts, so it’s hardly a problem.

If I have any real complaints about this album, it’s the choice of old singles to include.  夏の行方 is a solid enough choice (though as unrealistic as it is, I would’ve absolutely preferred B-side 蛍火 [hotarubi]), but I find SEASONS and ANSWER to be the band’s two weakest single tracks.  “SEASONS” has so much that I should love (the twinkly, soft piano throughout), but the “hooo-oooh” background voice annoys me and I find the bouncy guitar riff that leads us into the verse (starting at about :38) to be so meh.  As Shaneth said, “TASTE OF LIFE” might’ve been a better fit, since there were some other poppy songs on the album and they worked just fine.  “ANSWER” is a track I find decent at best.  It could’ve benefited from an arrangement overhaul, considering the band’s newfound mastery of the synths, but alas… This rerecording doesn’t sound much different.  In fact, none of them really do…  The only major difference I could detect was the background arrangement of "SEASONS" sounded (unfortunately) more subdued in certain parts.

But if the album’s biggest weakness is its old songs, that’s probably a good sign of the pure progress the band is making!  

Review Breakdown:
+Great compositions; restraint shown when necessary
+Almost all of the new songs are better than the three old songs
+Cohesive sound throughout album, but with enough variety
+Chisa is a highly capable vocalist
+Wonderful improvements in the synth/electronic arrangement department
 
-Chisa could work on his growls
-Old singles are the weakest tracks; shame that two of these songs end the album

   
An extremely solid debut! Certain to make an appearance on my my Album of the Year list!

Congratulations to DIV!  Having just formed last year, this is HIGHLY impressive for a debut album.  In fact, it’s just a good rock album, period!  And this is coming from someone who started off with a very lukewarm impression of the band; I didn’t care for their debut mini-album much.  The following singles showed progress, even if it was a bit inconsistent.  But this album is a totally different story.

Early on in their career, I remember thinking DIV had some composition issues (夏の行方 and its B-side had almost identical choruses; unacceptable, especially on a three song single!) and that their electronic arrangements were uninspired and lacking (especially when compared to labelmates, UNiTE).  Both of these problems seem to have been addressed over time and I can say that the band is in top form on this album.  From start to finish, it’s a pretty cohesive listen.  There’s plenty of variety with well-composed, bright pop-rock tunes like “ZERO ONE” and “Place,” as well as heavier, more melancholic tracks like “ASTERIOS” and “VANISH.”  Unlike many other VK bands that make it to the full album stage, DIV didn’t feel the need to pad their tracklist with the obligatory “experimental” mainstays we all know like out of place “jazzy” track or “heavy-repetitive-track-with-growling/screaming-throughout.”  I honestly congratulate that restraint, haha. 
 
Regarding the electronic arrangements, they’ve shown some massive progress!  Whereas their mini-album featured a totally pointless “SE” track with aimless chiptune bleeps, there’s a lovely “galactic” synth sound that permeates most of this album. Sometimes, it lends an “epic” quality to the music, while other times, it creates a fun, light atmosphere like in “Chocolate Prayer”.  As Shanethvarosa mentioned, the way “interlude” leads into “ASTERIOS” is beautiful and the subsequent chaotic screeching and “wub wub” dubsteppy sounds are actually quite nice, mainly because it's used very sparingly.  That and the autotuning (another thing I generally find obnoxious) in “Teddy” are tastefully done.
 
One of the things that really sets DIV apart from most of the VK world is Chisa’s voice.  He’s not your typical, nasally, whiny, over-exaggerated VK singer.  He has a very “normal” (yet capable) voice and somehow that works for the band and keeps them grounded.  He’s able to serenade us with dramatic ballads like “I swear,” get us moving to catchy tunes like “Chocolate Prayer,” and bring some emotion out in heavy tracks like “VANISH.”  If there’s one thing that could still use work, it’s his growling.  He sounds like he’s straining himself a little bit, sometimes like he’s “barfing” out his words, haha.  But once again, the band doesn’t overuse these screaming/growling parts, so it’s hardly a problem.

If I have any real complaints about this album, it’s the choice of old singles to include.  夏の行方 is a solid enough choice (though as unrealistic as it is, I would’ve absolutely preferred B-side 蛍火 [hotarubi]), but I find SEASONS and ANSWER to be the band’s two weakest single tracks.  “SEASONS” has so much that I should love (the twinkly, soft piano throughout), but the “hooo-oooh” background voice annoys me and I find the bouncy guitar riff that leads us into the verse (starting at about :38) to be so meh.  As Shaneth said, “TASTE OF LIFE” might’ve been a better fit, since there were some other poppy songs on the album and they worked just fine.  “ANSWER” is a track I find decent at best.  It could’ve benefited from an arrangement overhaul, considering the band’s newfound mastery of the synths, but alas… This rerecording doesn’t sound much different.  In fact, none of them really do…  The only major difference I could detect was the background arrangement of "SEASONS" sounded (unfortunately) more subdued in certain parts.

But if the album’s biggest weakness is its old songs, that’s probably a good sign of the pure progress the band is making!  

Review Breakdown:
+Great compositions; restraint shown when necessary
+Almost all of the new songs are better than the three old songs
+Cohesive sound throughout album, but with enough variety
+Chisa is a highly capable vocalist
+Wonderful improvements in the synth/electronic arrangement department
 
-Chisa could work on his growls
-Old singles are the weakest tracks; shame that two of these songs end the album

   
An extremely solid debut! Certain to make an appearance on my my Album of the Year list!

美空結び (misora musubi)
2013.10.09


美空結び (misora musubi) is UNiTE's latest release, compiling the three songs from this summer's "serial story CDs" and adding one new track.  On to the review!

1. small world order (composer: guitarist Shiina Mio)

The CD opens up with some "mysterious" riffs and then leads into the bright pop-rock mode that UNiTE is known for.  The tempo of the song is dynamic, with slow chuggy-riffed verses and a catchy, upbeat chorus.  After a quick, simple solo, it's back to a final chorus and Yui sings a soft outro, as the main guitar riffs play.  This is a very "nice" track with solid songwriting, but nothing about it particularly grabs the listener's attention and it doesn't bring much new to the table for long-time UNiTE listeners.
7/10

2. 色即是空 -イロスナワチコレソラナリ- (composer: guitarist LiN)

This song brings a fairly oldschool VK energy and a dark, yet playful atmosphere that's completely different for UNiTE, no doubt thanks to UNiTE's less productive, but (dare I say) more creative guitarist/composer, LiN.  The whimsical/wacky lead guitar riffs lead into a verse featuring some distorted vocals.  Meanwhile, the guitar screeches along with some occasional pinch harmonic action.  After a catchy chorus, we're treated to some good ol' gang vocals/growls, before proceeding to the solo.  During the second part of said solo, there's some muffled "fast talking" by Yui (something I strongly associate with oldschool VK).  Afterwards, the song takes a very different turn, slowing down the pace; this shake up in composition is exactly what "small world order" was lacking, imo.  After building back up to the second/final chorus, the song begins to fade out and a "countdown"-like synth beeps along, until a fuzzy bass lick closes out the track.
9/10
 
3. ハートレス クラシックメモリー (composers: vocalist Yui, guitarist Mio)

This song also marks the treading of some pretty uncharted territory for UNiTE: super mellow (synthless) ballady rock.  The extremely "natural" (okay, natural for VK!) look is mirrored in the music; for this song, it's a very welcome change.  The song begins with Yui singing softly over some riffs, before exploding into delicious mellow-dic riffs.  On the chorus, Yui sings his heart out and I love it!  Afterwards, an all-too-short dreamy guitar interlude brings us to drum-tastic bridge, leading us into a slightly more amped up verse.  We get one more awesome extended chorus (I love that extra melody from 2:43 to 2:50), before the beautiful outro.  I really enjoy this track and UNiTE performs quite well in the "stripped down" quality (if you can call it that) of the song.  Plus, this is Yui's best vocal performance on the release.
9.25/10

4. 美空結び (composer: guitarist Shiina Mio)

The new song 美空結び begins very delicately with Yui singing a slow/soft version of the chorus.  Afterwards, some plucky synth piano plays some very Mio chords, haha.  Yui starts the verse off with a slightly awkward holding of a note (the "NAAAA-nimo" etc), but the speedy stacatto-y rhythm of this verse is fun.  The distorted vocals of the "pray for you" part are also interesting.  The following chorus is bombastic with a semi "Japanese" synth arrangement propelling it along (not as obviously "Japanese" as Kiryu or Kagraa, though). The only thing I dislike is the synth ends the chorus (1:37-1:39 and its repeats 2:35-2:37, etc).  I don't know why, but something about this little section sounds very "generic anime theme song."  After that second chorus, there's a simple, but powerful guitar solo.  It follows with a slow, slightly more "Japanese" synth section.  With a final chorus, the song finishes by reintroducing the piano and a few strums of the acoustic guitar; shame this guitar wasn't a bit more audible throughout the song (though that's what the "off vocal" version is for)!
8/10
__________________________________________________
 
Overall, 美空結び is a catchy compilation that lets listeners hear four fairly diverse sides of UNiTE's "single" songs.  The fact that all four are singles of a pop band is reflected in the structure, I think (which may be to its detriment).  The songs are all about the same length (right at about 4 minutes) and besides guitarist LiN's track 色即是空 -イロスナワチコレソラナリ-, there's not much of a departure from standard song structure; everything is pretty "single-ready".  So why do I still enjoy it so much?  Because Yui is a killer vocalist (imo) and guitarists Shiina Mio/LiN are extremely talented.  I don't think I've heard so much technical "riffing" from a pop-rock group before.  They take great melodies and enhance them!  Constantly, they're layering sound onto the melody, rather than simple playing power chords or something.  I'm very much looking forward to the band's third full album, which will feature rerecordings of the first three tracks of this release.

OVERALL: 

I made this translations using materials kindly provided by fitear1590
Enjoy and comment!
 
 
 
Enjoying views of the moon, I fixed my gaze on the scarlet starry sky
Quietly making wish upon the shooting stars, though I know that they will not come true
 
And suddenly gentle breeze enveloped me
 
When we parted, you said, smiling, that [One day we will be here]
You said, smiling, that it is impossible to know anything for sure in this fragile world
 
Gentle breeze caressed my cheek, but pain still accompanies me
If this gap cannot be filled, this pain cannot be stopped, and I cannot start my path...
 
In the down pouring moonlight, there was your silhouette
And then I stretched out my arms to you
In a limited future and infinite past
You're so lonely ... In the heavens flapping your wings
 
In reality, any loss is felt [Thee here no more]
Quietly watching the disappearance of the stars, I wanted to hear your voice
 
The last quarter of the moon have filled, how it was many times before
How many times it has been repeated, I can hardly remember
However, this one I will not forget
 
In the down pouring moonlight, there was your silhouette
And even now I cannot stop my doubts
My mood couldn’t be changed, and I’m smiling
However, now...
 
How do I hate this world where you do not exist!
 
In the down pouring moonlight, there was silhouette of your back
And I 'm just telling you "Goodbye"
You showed me the path, and I will go on forever
Forever I will sing a song...
 
Enjoying views of the distant moon...

Yikes, this is a lot to keep up with, but exciting nonetheless.

It doesn't seem like too much brand new material, but I like the idea of rerecorded songs (and getting fan input on the tracklist).

Also, regarding the extra "L" and "M" type songs:
-Excited to hear the Yui version of Invit'!
-I believe "scenes" might have also been a track planned for the Canzel's canceled "Invit SP" album.
-"ポロメオノワ" is actually an old "LeMpicka?" song (LiN's old band, where he was the bassist "aki").  Once again, it'll be really cool to hear Yui's interpretation of it.

Yay!  Always down for more Scarlet Valse.

The new version of "No.6" sounds better.

Im Großen und Ganzen kann man eigentlich sagen, dass es eine Glückssache ist, ob man Zoll bezahlen muss, da der Zoll nicht jedes Paket überprüft.
 
Die offizielle Zollgrenze liegt bei 23 €, aber wie gesagt, es ist einfach unterschiedlich. Ich musst auch schon bei Paketen über 100€ kein Zoll zahlen.
 
Wirkliche Tipps gibts eigentlich nicht. Zumindest nicht, wenn du Shops wie cdjapan oder brandx benutzt, die von selbst ins AUsland versenden. Bei fromjapan kann man den Betrag ja ändern und das mach ich auch immer.
 
Edit: wo wirst du denn wohnen? AUslandsstudium?

Received the 2-disc compilation live DVD "spark of FLOWER" and I'm loving it!

First of all, we've got some creative packaging again.  "spark of FLOWER" has to be THE biggest piece of music media I own; definitely top of the hierarchy.  Compare its size (left) to the LP, DVD, 7 inch, CD, and tape.


Also, I uploaded some songs from the DVD.  They're really good live so, check it out!  Lots of variety here.



Tracklist:
1. week...end
2. nameless
3. ふわりのこと (fuwari no koto)
4. NO
5. greatwall

Sorry to continually revive this topic, but I found another one in our favorite location:

TD_KalVcT-I
This one is actually from 2009, so I apologize for letting it slip through the cracks.
This brings us to at least 9 PV's in this location so far, hehe!

I have some issues with 摩天楼オペラ (Matenrou Opera)
I've expressed this before in reviews and stuff, but in my opinion, vocalist Sono and keyboardist Ayame are dragging down the band.  Starting with Sono... when the band first debuted, I was very excited for them.  He had a unique and capable voice and a "high pitched" one at that (something I tend to lean toward in male vocals).  There was the occasional hiccup (I didn't like his performance in songs like "悲哀とメランコリー" or "Last Game"), but overall his voice held out for me, that is UNTIL the release of the Murder Scope single.  Ever since then, I've noticed he has the tendency to affect his voice in a very nasal, obnoxious "squeaky" way and he also applies some of the most exaggerated VK-brato I've ever heard (see "ニューシネマパラダイス" among many others).  There's also other instance of just plain "WTF?!"-inducing filth (see the "Hoooooooooooo-ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" session at the end of the song "Justice"). Not that I don't enjoy his vocals every once in a while, but before Murder Scope, it seemed like his singing was maybe 90% hit and 10% miss and now it's just the opposite.  I want to like Sono's voice, but with each and every release, it seems like he's going further down a path that just isn't for me.  Now for Ayame, I'm going to copy/paste something I wrote in a previous review. "This has been something I've felt for a while with this band. I find myself rarely complaining about the guitarist, the bassist or the drummer so much. It always comes back to Ayame. Tbh, I don't know how much he actually plays himself, and how much is just the studio arrangement, but man does this band overuse the "hah" choir thing. And cheap synthy strings. The fact that the album opens up with midi-sounding keyboards in Justice is already a bad sign. Maybe I'm just bitter since "風の鳥" by the first keyboardist is one of my favorite MO songs... I think Ayame's probably the weakest member of the band. His keyboards hardly bring anything special to their sound and they'd probably just be better off with a second guitarist (since they could add extra synths and stuff in the studio arrangement anyway, to maintain their "symphonic" quality)."  I still feel this way.  At best, he's adequate and at worst, he's a song-ruiner.

Liphlich and A (エース) are not the greatest/most creative "new" VK bands
I'm going to preface this by saying, I don't "dislike" either of these bands, AT ALL.  I'm thankful they are part of the new VK scene as they do bring something that is fairly new and refreshing.  The bands just haven't "clicked" for me personally.  I find Liphlich's sound a bit repetitive and the vocalist is a little too exaggerated for me.  Rookie Fiddler from "A (エース)" deserves a medal, cause that guy can play!  He really is the core of their sound.  Unfortunately, I feel like the guitarist falls short (at least from what I've heard; I still need to check out their most recent stuff).  His playing hasn't really wowed me ever.  And the vocalist is also just decent; I don't think he's "epic" enough to take the band to the next level that Rookie Fiddler is obviously ready to go to.  But like I said, I'm still very excited for these bands and I hope I'll eventually become a bigger fan of them.

Love this thread idea!  I'll try to think of some more...

Finally, some samples from the upcoming mini-album.

Sounds like Icchi's vocals are a little more emotional this time around.  Looking forward to it!

Video announcement for their 2nd anniversary oneman and upcoming 3rd single "Rebellion"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayA95GWr3Iw

Just reposting the LONGER and HIGHER QUALITY preview that came out in late May, cause it seems like quite a few people missed it.  As Sened mentioned, it seems the reaction to the lower quality preview is a LOT more negative, haha.




I still think ZIN sounds good, but the PV preview does seem quite bland.

First of all, I’ve never really listened to DOLLY (but I’ve heard great things about them!), so I don’t have much to compare DOPPEL to.  This was one of those rare “blind purchases” for me, where I wasn’t familiar with the band members or their previous work, but I went on my gut feeling of really liking the PV preview and some song snippets on Amazon.jp.  In any case, I’m thoroughly enjoying this release!  “-胎瞳-“ is a pleasant little SE track.  Nothing to write home about, but it does set the mood well.  “エッグノック” starts off like an old Moran track (the style that I love): prominent basslines, airy piano, lovely violin.  I don’t know how much to attribute to the compositions or the great guest musicians, but the music is beautiful.  I’m also enjoying Mitsu’s voice!  Like I said, I’ve never listed to DOLLY before, but Mitsu has one of those highly exaggerated "VK" voices, but in the good way.  “Anemθne” has a great funky beat to it and some cool guitar riffs.  Once again, some great musicianship.  “Till” amps up the electronic elements.  It’s a combination of a very dance-y beat in the foreground, with some beautiful twinkly bleeps and bloops in the background (kind of reminded me of the group neue nahel’s take on electronic).  However, I’m not AS keen on Mitsu’s singing in this song; sounds a bit strained (or restrained?)…  Still a very solid track.  “-朔剥-“ is another SE track, this time combining heavy beats and some faint piano chords.  “MOONLIGHT xxxx” is a worthy closing track.  It opens with a very video game-y synth line, before going into some pretty piano.  As the song builds, it introduces all kinds of elements like some string arrangements giving it a “grand” feel, as well as a beautiful acoustic guitar solo. 

My favorites are definitely “MOONLIGHT xxxx” and “エッグノック” and they exhibit a kind of feel-good, yet mature, well-composed pop.  The songs are very pretty, “pleasant,” and easy to listen to in a “pop” sense, but there are also creative compositions with many layers of piano, strings, and synths.  I’m looking forward to what this group will do next and I feel like I also need to peruse the DOLLY discography in the meantime.  Also, from a purely visual perspective, I think the band has a unique aesthetic, from their costumes to their booklet design.  DOPPEL is definitely a band to check out!

 

First of all, I’ve never really listened to DOLLY (but I’ve heard great things about them!), so I don’t have much to compare DOPPEL to.  This was one of those rare “blind purchases” for me, where I wasn’t familiar with the band members or their previous work, but I went on my gut feeling of really liking the PV preview and some song snippets on Amazon.jp.  In any case, I’m thoroughly enjoying this release!  “-胎瞳-“ is a pleasant little SE track.  Nothing to write home about, but it does set the mood well.  “エッグノック” starts off like an old Moran track (the style that I love): prominent basslines, airy piano, lovely violin.  I don’t know how much to attribute to the compositions or the great guest musicians, but the music is beautiful.  I’m also enjoying Mitsu’s voice!  Like I said, I’ve never listed to DOLLY before, but Mitsu has one of those highly exaggerated "VK" voices, but in the good way.  “Anemθne” has a great funky beat to it and some cool guitar riffs.  Once again, some great musicianship.  “Till” amps up the electronic elements.  It’s a combination of a very dance-y beat in the foreground, with some beautiful twinkly bleeps and bloops in the background (kind of reminded me of the group neue nahel’s take on electronic).  However, I’m not AS keen on Mitsu’s singing in this song; sounds a bit strained (or restrained?)…  Still a very solid track.  “-朔剥-“ is another SE track, this time combining heavy beats and some faint piano chords.  “MOONLIGHT xxxx” is a worthy closing track.  It opens with a very video game-y synth line, before going into some pretty piano.  As the song builds, it introduces all kinds of elements like some string arrangements giving it a “grand” feel, as well as a beautiful acoustic guitar solo. 

My favorites are definitely “MOONLIGHT xxxx” and “エッグノック” and they exhibit a kind of feel-good, yet mature, well-composed pop.  The songs are very pretty, “pleasant,” and easy to listen to in a “pop” sense, but there are also creative compositions with many layers of piano, strings, and synths.  I’m looking forward to what this group will do next and I feel like I also need to peruse the DOLLY discography in the meantime.  Also, from a purely visual perspective, I think the band has a unique aesthetic, from their costumes to their booklet design.  DOPPEL is definitely a band to check out!

 

A big fat update for their second release in the series: 色即是空-イロスナワチコレソラナリ-(iro sunawachi kore sora nari)

Regular Edition (CD) cover art:


Limited Edition (CD+DVD+booklet) cover art:


New look:



Also, here is the short teaser from the "small world order" DVD:

I've only been a listener of THE NOVEMBERS and Tam Tam since their supposed "better" periods, but it's nice to hear they're steadily improving.  I definitely enjoyed Tam Tam's newest mini-album more than their album.  Really excited to hear how these bands continue to develop.
 
Fellow UNiTE fan
 
Glad to hear, because I was NOT impressed with the first single either.  I'll have to check out Oasis and Afterglow when it's released.  I see they have a show coming up with Dear L'Novel AND Scarlet Valse, both bands that I enjoy, so maybe I'll become an AO fan too.