Featured Review #6: clepsydra by chouchou merged syrups.

[CAT5 9075]

Artist: chouchou merged syrups. Mini: clepsydra Score: chouchou merged syrups. is back in the game and playing for keeps.

Having reigned the latter half of the 2000s as Japan's "go-to" female-fronted indie-rock band, MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS left a huge void in the scene when they disbanded back in 2012. Many acts have sprung up in an attempt to claim that abandoned spotlight, but few have managed to distinguish themselves. Bands like Tricot and MAMADRIVE, while competent, still suffer from forgettable songwriting, while other groups are still trying to find their sound (Cö shu Nie, THE★komesuduo), focusing their talents solely on pop efforts (negoto, akai-ko-en), or simply not consistent enough in output (itsue) or quality (uchuu conbini). One band that fell into the trap of inconsistency is chouchou merged syrups., but on their latest mini album "clepsydra", they've managed to patch up the holes in their sound and present themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

Formed in November of 2010 in Kyoto, the quartet quickly garnered interest by signing with the indie-powerhouse label Zankyo Records (cinema staff, People In The Box, mudy on the 昨晩, té, early 9mm Parabellum Bullet) and released their first track "針中察するに" on the label's 3rd compilation subtitled "-brightest hope-". This song alone was enough to grab the attention of indie-heads, as it introduced a refreshing take on the emo-rooted, indie-rock styles played to perfection by bands like 9mm parabellum bullet and Cinema Staff. The intrigue surrounding chouchou swelled into hype as it was announced that their first mini album "since" would be produced by none other than Cinema Staff's bassist, Souhei Mishima. Unfortunately, that hype quickly fizzled out with the mini album being an utter disappointment. "Since" sounded dull and soulless, as if the band were handed blueprints to unreleased cinema staff songs and forced to play them at gunpoint. Even vocalist Chiaki Kawato gave a timid, almost fearful-sounding performance - one that was further marred by her constant straining to hit notes that she either couldn't or shouldn't have attempted to; this is a common, but contemptuous trait amongst Japanese indie-rock vocalists. Because "since" didn't live up to it's expectations, prospective interest in the band diminished and the release of "clepsydra" nearly went unnoticed. Thankfully, chouchou took note of their defects and improved upon them in every aspect.

Contrasting "since" from the get-go, "clepsydra" opens with a 40-second instrumental titled "月光" - a guitar riff that's melancholic, menacing, and shrouded in atmosphere. This piece sets the tone for the first half of the mini album as chouchou delves into a darker, more emotionally-driven sound than they've done previously. The first 2 songs "斜陽" and "白昼夢は色彩の無い" not only showcase this new direction, but they also boast a vast improvement in the band's songwriting. There's plenty of intense, emo-inspired instrumentation to rock out to, but this time it's more precise and colorful. Chiaki's vocal melodies are more congruent with her skill level and there's more power behind her delivery. The gloomy pseudo-ballad "踊る、そして" slows things down to a post-rockish crawl, but fails to reach a substantial climax. This is perhaps my biggest grievance with "clepsydra" - they missed an opportunity to catapult this track into the stratosphere, and instead, ends up sounding like a 4 minute interlude. Subsequent tracks "Havfrue" and "風のように" move the album in a brighter direction and expand on those undeveloped post-rock tendencies by employing a fine balance of twinkly guitar interplay and emotive choral passages. "橙鳴る" brings the album to a brilliant finish. It's intense but delicate, melancholy yet uplifting - the perfect symbiosis of sounds represented in the first and latter halves of the album.

As a whole, "clepsydra" makes it clear that "since" was just a hiccup and the initial hype surrounding the band was warranted after all. With performances lined up at MINAMI WHEEL 2014 and Zankyo Matsuri's 10th Anniversary events, in addition to a brand new track featured on the latest Zankyo Record compilation, the future is looking bright. chouchou merged syrups. may very well solidify themselves as the next female-fronted "it" band of the Japanese indie-scene!

[Zeus 7997]

Nice review CAT. I picked up "since" by these guys and I wasn't impressed at all, so I'm glad to read that it was them and not me. I'll give a listen or two to this mini and see if I like it too.

[Ito 2438]

Really nice review, Cat! I enjoyed the historical context that you gave to this one as well.

This release was my first time hearing Choucou and I was pretty impressed and is sitting in my top releases of 2014.