recommended tracks Recommended Tracks: September 2016

[doombox 4421]

 

Welcome back to our monthly collection of songs we thought rocked this month! And boy, oh boy, is this month packed full of quality tunes! So please keep your arms and legs securely next to you until this ride comes to a full stop. We apologize some videos may not be available to view in all regions. And we'd like to thank our guest contributors @Ada Suilen and @chemicalpictures for joining us once again! 

 

 

Recommended Tracks: September 2016

 

 

@beni's Picks

 

"たぶんわたしがゆうれいだったら (Tabun watashi ga yuureidattara)" by Her Ghost Friend

I admit that I was a bit late to this party, but throughout the entire month, I mashed the repeat button YouTube to this tune. One of the best ways to describe Her Ghost Friend is probably comparing her to Izumi Makura and Bonjour Suzuki, mixed with Etsuko Yakushimaru's anime tunes, but even cuter! Hold your horses though, it's not rap at all!  The act is comprised of duo singer Shinobu Ono and DJ Obake. The synths over a relaxing, almost ambient but playful beat makes this such a joy to listen to. With a childish yet ethereal voice, Her Ghost Friend have certainly caught my fancy.

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"Kiss" by lovefilm

Even though their first ever album was quite a flop to me, I at least took this with me for keeps. lovefilm was quite a new name to many, and probably even more to come. I only managed to discover them from following the label UKPROJECT, and I'm sure glad it was "Kiss" I stumbled upon. The band have the female and male duo vocals going on, which is always a treat to the ears -- especially when both are so similar. It's especially sweet when they harmonize, and while the tune is definitely simple, it's worth your attention at least once for the feel good vibes.

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"Cruisin' Cruisin'" by bonobos

Many thanks to @CAT5 for showing this to me firstly. For someone like myself who doesn't know the first thing about groove, this is a great starter. Everything about "Cruisin' Cruisin'" is just... well, cruisin'! The smoothness of everything, from the seemingly effortless cool vocals to the - just as amazing - chill instrumentals makes this so serene. For a linear, five minute track, you'd be surprised with how quick it seems to end. You can't help but be sucked into the whole feel of the tune. As I've said before, there's only a handful of such musicians I know and enjoy, such as cero being the closest act to them, so being exposed to even more brilliance is a pleasure! And I know it goes the same for everyone else too. Don't miss this!

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"supercell" by Cö shu Nie

I had known this name for quite a while thanks to @CAT5, who had brought them up to me once again since their music change with this. And now I can't stop digging them! The now rocking pop duo do not let up their energy with this super number. The chaotic yet gorgeous tune is certainly energetic, and with the strong and lush female vocals of Mirai Nakamura, it really stands out and makes an impression. It's a move from their indie/math sound, and a change I've seen no one disagree with. I can safely say they have a least one more fan after this genre switch! I'm sure they'll quickly start to garner attention.

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"She won't forget" by Someday's Gone

Telling the story of remembering fond yet bitter memories in the corner of a coffee shop, "She won't forget" is an instantly catchy number, relatable, genuine and real. The balance of sweetness with the vocalization "dood, dood, do do do" from pleasant, youthful male voice with the clearly bitter lyrics makes for an emotional and impactful listen. I can't blame anyone to be turned off at the rather amateurish Engrish delivery, but if you can overlook that and enjoy his voice, then you've sure got a nice little gem here. Also, any music video recorded in a coffee shop is the definition of cute, so how about adding "She won't forget" to your memory?

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"CRAZY" by I don't like Mondays.

Everything about these guys is so infectious with each and every piece they put out! I have no idea how they do it. How they manage to make a great mixture of Japanese and English, while making it sound as good as it does is beyond me. The effortless Western feel and sound these guys can put out is so very impressive, and deserving of much more attention. From the incredibly... questionable music video style, to just how god damn gorgeous everyone looks, you'll be 'CRAZY' if you don't end up feeling like grooving to this! Be sure to check them out sooner or later while they're on fire with all their recent output!

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@fitear1590's Picks

 

"Ice Candy" by カフカ (KAFUKA)

Last year, pop rockers KAFUKA put out Tokyo 9 Stories, a commendable album. Less than twelve months later, they're already back with another one, AINKSKI (あいなきせかい / ai naki sekai). While I haven't heard the full release yet, "Ice Candy" puts the album off to great start. It's a jaunty romp, punctuated with some surprisingly fuzzy guitar riffs. Frankly, I didn't know the boys had it in 'em to go in an even moderately shoegaze direction. Color me intrigued. The PV matches the aesthetic with some icy Super 8-style film footage. Let's hope the rest of the album has some nice surprises too!

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"美しい火 (Beautiful Fire)" by THE NOVEMBERS

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of NOVEMBERS ~dream ver.~, so when they gave us a second taste of their new album (Hallelujah) via Soundcloud, it was love at first listen. "Beautiful Fire" is gorgeous and the polar opposite of the shoegrunge grittiness of July's "黒い虹 (Black Rainbow)," which was also stellar. This track has more conviction than the dreamy, yet wispy work on last year's Elegance and it also marks a glorious return to those warm horn arrangements, a nod to 2012's stunning GIFT EP. They add a nostalgic touch here, as well as on album-closer "いこうよ (ikou yo)." There's plenty to chew on with Hallelujah, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already!

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"ポイズンベリー (poison berry)" by トキノキト (tokinokito)

 

Tokinokito seem to be slipping under people's radars, but if you're a neo-VK fan, what's not to like? They come bearing surprisingly slick visuals for a super indies band and with "poison berry," they introduce a quirky take on the graveyard circus sound so dear to their heavier contemporaries GRIMOIRE. The track opens with spooky chimes and accordion, just in time for Halloween! Then, whimsical synths and noodling guitar riffs lead us into the meat of the song. The verses are an unconventional mesh of time signatures that take some getting used to, but it's kind of brilliant. Tokinokito continue to grab my attention, so I think I'll be in it with them for the long haul. Hope you'll join me!

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@Original Saku's Picks

 

"鬼 (Oni)" by クリープハイプ (CreepHyp)

This month kicks off with one of my most anticipated albums - Sekaikan from CreepHyp - and it does not disappoint. "Oni" is like a crazy train ride with a dose of peculiar sounds and grooves, it includes all the quirky aspects from this band that I love. From the wacky backing vocals to the unorthodox instrumental sounds to the eccentric vocal style of Ozaki. It's all there in a little package waiting to be unwrapped, I love it. One of my favorite albums of the year from one of my favorite bands, check it out. I will however forewarn any new listeners that Ozaki's vocals can be an acquired taste. Sometimes he sings in such a high pitch that it can be hard on the ears, but his eccentricity is very lovable once you've warmed up to it.

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"twoface" by Aimer

I'm by no means a stranger to Aimer. I've been listening to her output for years in anime openings/endings and soundtracks, but lately I've noticed a slight shift in motivation or direction. That brings us to her new album daydream, and in particular the song "twoface", with music produced by Uchisawa Takahito from androp. This track has a lot of power behind it, which I don't often hear from Aimer songs, and it has caught my attention because of that. She performs wonderfully here and is in top form. That, combined with the interesting instrumentals and direction, makes this one of my favorite songs from her. I can't exactly put my finger on what has changed, but I feel that we have only just begun to see what she can do.

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"Groovy Cony" by Casablanca

This is a  sleeper pick from last month that I wasn't able to get to since it came out so close to the deadline. Casablanca a newly formed band comprised of Yoko (noodles), Sawao Yamanaka (the pillows), and Shinya Kusube (Radio Caroline) - a veritable super group if you will. With such talent coming together, there was no doubt in my mind that their first album Another Story would be quality tunes, but nothing prepared me for the instant gratification that I received upon listening to this record. "Groovy Cony" is just one of the amazing tracks from this debut release that has a particular sound that I can only describe as nostalgia in a bottle. With Sawao's guitar work, backing vocals, and composition, and Kusube's loud and proud drumming, we have a instrumental style that harkens back to the sounds of old. You then add in Yoko as the lead vocalist and we have a distinct sound that feels nostalgic and fresh at the same time.

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@togz' Picks

 

"Redemption" by Her Name in Blood 

I became a little concerned for the direction of this album with the release of the "Bakemono" music video. However, the majority of the tracks on this release really caught me by surprise. "Redemption" was the composition that grasped my interest the most. The guitar work in the beginning serves as a great hook for the entire track regardless of the repetition. Although the guitar riffs aren't very complex and we get a lot of palm-muted chugga-chugs, I found myself subconsciously bobbing my head along. The strongest aspect of this song is the catchy chorus. Ikepy's vocals really show growth with the range, depth, and stamina of his cleans. I can only hope to enjoy this song live some day. This is a must listen!

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"海の静寂 (Umi no Seijaku)" by downy

I'm fairly new to the world of downy, but I have this song along with a few others to thank for getting me hooked. I'm not sure if this song is a great representation of all of their past work, but I can vouch that it's a great easy-listening track. I admire the flow of this song because of it's slow jazzy mood with silky-slick vocal phrases.  It's a rather sluggish song, but it's not muddy and it's tasteful. It works as great thinking music, inspirational music, or just something to sit back and relax to. 

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"愛はなけなし (What Little Love)" by THE NOVEMBERS

THE NOVEMBERS never seem to disappoint, but this song in specific really resonates with me from their new album Hallelujah. The intro is a beautiful and emotionally dark combination of beautiful acoustics and muted guitar strums. Kobayashi's voice enters in a lullaby-esque melody, which fits his voice flawlessly given that his tone can range from a whispering chant to raw shouting. The middle section of the song is an interesting direction change and really jumps back to their dream-pop sound, but remains able to melt back into the solemn vibe of the song overall. While I would highly recommend the whole album, this track is where I'd start.

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"ぴゅーぱ。( Pyupa/Pupa)" by PIGLOW in GLOOMY

I feel like visual kei has become a realm filled with cookie-cutter bands and finding gems is a chore. I listened to PIGLOW in GLOOMY on a whim, and while I wasn't amazed, I wasn't disappointed either. This track is off of their first mini-album むくあ(mukua) which was released August 31st. I like this track because it has hints of what visual kei sounded like when it was at it's peak for me, which was the obscurely mellow intros that lead into heavy guitar riffs and gave off a psychedelic sort of vibe.  The composition itself isn't too complex, but it shows potential to head in a very interesting direction. The vocal style also reminds me a bit of Karma from AvelCain, so if you're in to that I'd say they're worth a listen!

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@emmny's Picks

 

"頭蓋、紛い (zugai, magai)" by gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy

Grandpa-kei' icons ggg return with a new single for September, hilarious titled I LOVE YOU. Considering how dark their sound is, a simple 'I love you' is an ironic declaration more so than a love letter. While the title track of the single has a stutter-y groove and an old-school merry go round vibe, "Zugai, Magai" chooses instead to brood and melt in its own darkness, giving a nod to later-era merry go. Kazuma's yelling has been a love-hate affair on their past material, as i enjoy his clean vocals more than his dragged-out-vibrato-whimper-yell, but it sounds perfect haunted on this track. I don't think anyone would have predicted ggg's success (or existence) 10 years ago, but this oddly random project has flourished into one hell of a beast. They exist on a creative plane far from their contemporaries, yet with an incredibly familiar sound that grows in magnitude with each release, it's incredibly thrilling to watch.

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"EVIDENCE" by lynch.

Gang vocals? Yes. Delayed and reverberated clean guitar intro? Hell yeah. Compression for the gods? You know it. Thumping metalcore break down? Duh. Fist pumping chorus? Absolutely. lynch. basically rehashing what they've been doing for the past 3 years but still managing to blow our ears in with some surprises here and there? Thank god!

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"カミソリ (Kamisori)" by ザアザア (Xaa-xaa)

Osaka it-band Xaa-Xaa are once again spamming us with music, this time in the form of a 3-month consecutive release around the theme of 'despair'. "Kamisori" is the first incarnation of this project, and Xaa-Xaa handle the questionably triggering concept with fury and also grace. "Kamisori" features a thrashy guitar riff at its centre with this oddly cute wonky tone that keeps it from coming across too 'metal'. Kazuki's vocals are at times breathy, other times strained, increasing the tension behind the words (special shout out to that howl at the end). The song flows incredibly well, outside of repeating the main riff a few times too many. The progression from the breakdown to the solo is particularly awesome. Next month is looking to be great too...see y'all here in October?

Spoiler

 

 

"撲殺サマンサ (Bokusatsu Samantha)" by DAMY

I'm gonna be real honest with y'all (as you can always expect): there's little merit to the new DAMY record outside of DEZERT's obvious influence. I knew it was an enjoyable record, but I didn't find any new tracks were interesting enough on their own for a feature. It works better as a whole... except for "Bokusatsu Samantha". This is straight up catchy metal-kei that stands amazingly on its own--so we'll forgive the fact that this technically came out in 2015. There's not much to rave on about this track, it's not that complex, or original, or all that interesting--but it's so fucking fun. You'll be screaming along to the gang refrain in no time, not knowing the band's detailing whacking a girl over the head to death. Intellectual music has it's place, but sometimes you just wanna whip your hair to some depravity--thank god DAMY make music for that.

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@Zeus' Picks

 

"The Love From a Dead Orchestra" by Versailles

Versailles' return and announcement of new material is the greatest gift they could have given to their fans. There's been a dearth of good symphonic visual kei acts to fill Versailles' flowery rococo heels, but they didn't go out on the best note, so their Greatest Hits release feels less like a cash-in and more of an attempt to convince us there's enough magic to keep going. The tracks they chose were among the best of the best, but one in particular caught my eye almost instantly. I prayed and fantasized about what an updated rendition of "The Love From a Dead Orchestra" would sound like for years as it's always been a bold song held back by constrained production choices and a vocalist who had not yet adapted to his range. The re-recording exceeded my expectations. Some rough transitions were smoothed over with the inclusion of new instruments, everything was redone from scratch, and new lyrics were added to cover up sparse interludes. In terms of low-hanging optimizations to the melody the band plucked them all and then some. What's harder to communicate with words - and what Versailles did successfully - is play like a band. There's the perfect mix of old Versailles and new Versailles here to both restore my faith and keep my interest for what's to come.

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 "孤独旋回 (kodoku senkai)" by downy

It's no secret that I'm all about downy's latest LP, 第六作品集『無題』 (Mudai), but it's hard to describe in words the emotions I feel when listening. If I had to choose one track that captures the entire feel of 『無題』, it would be "孤独旋回" (kodoku senkai). If 『無題』 were a story, "孤独旋回" would be the tense rising action before the climax. The rhythm is as tortuous as it is both uplifting and oddly distressing, beckoning the listener this way and then another with the variations in tempo and theme. I can feel the members of downy flexing their knowledge of musical theory on me with this one. Fans of post-rock and mathy melodies still new to downy just might fall in love. Moments of tranquility are upended into a whirlwind of emotion, painted with the melancholy tones of vocalist Robin Aoki. Such a description is fitting for a track named "Revolving Loneliness". One of the best tracks of September for sure!  

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@CAT5's Picks

 

"2772" by ZA FEEDO

Initially appearing on a Yasei Collective feature back in 2014, ZA FEEDO have finally come forth with their debut album  2772, sporting what they describe as a 'Futurist Polyrhythmic Tropical Bad Ass FUJIYAMA Sound '. While they site acts like Aphex Twin, Little Dragon, Miles Davis, and bjork as influences, on their latest PV for the title track "2772", ZA FEEDO's off-kilter grooves and soulful vocals land them closer to the realm of Spangle call Lilli Line. The song has a great balance of experimental ingenuity and accessible, pop charisma. Let's hope the album is just as good!

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"星雲ヒッチハイク (seiun hitch-hike)" by TAMTAM

TAMTAM originally made a name for themselves by creating a delectable fusion of Jpop and dub. They tried a few new things in 2014 - most of which seemed like a direct appeal to the Anime industry - but thankfully, they've returned to form on their new album NEWPOESY, even stating in their promo campaign, "Back to the Riddim"! The album is full of sweet, soulful jams that, while enjoyable, are best appreciated as a whole. "星雲ヒッチハイク" stands out completely on its own, though! It's an epic, expansive groove and the most pristinely gorgeous track of not only the album, but of TAMTAM's career thus far!

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"白薔薇のララバイ (shirobara no lullaby)" by 手嶌葵 (Aoi Teshima)

When it comes to Jpop songstress Aoi Teshima, her music is just as classy, elegant, and beautiful as she is! She just released a new album titled 青い図書室 (Blue library) in celebration of her 10th anniversary and it's expectedly lovely. "白薔薇のララバイ" is particularly extravagant, with its somber, psychedelic-folk sound that harkens back to 70's kayōkyoku ballads, and even brings to mind the likes of Douji Morita. Absolutely stunning!

Spoiler

 

 

"Falling Alone" by Aimer

Hot on the heels of her recent single "insane dream" (produced by ONE OK ROCK's Taka), Aimer has finally dropped her new album daydream this month, which features three additional tracks penned by Taka as well. Of the three, "Falling Alone" serves us the kind of riveting pop-rock we've come to love from Aimer - even towering above "ninelie", which was produced by 'Mr. epic' himself, Hiroyuki Sawano. Taka and Aimer have proven to be a potent combination. The chorus of this song is EVERYTHING!

Spoiler

 

 

"Sunshine Freeway" by I love you Orchestra

I love you Orchestra is one of those bands that look brilliant on paper, but unfortunately, have yet to deliver anything truly substantial. With two drummers and three guitarists, one would expect some level of brilliance, but so far, their releases have consisted of songs too spastic to really get into, and songs too short to offer anything memorable. Thankfully, their sound finally seems to be coming together on their third and newest album Crack. "Sunshine Freeway" reflects this by perfectly balancing out the band's spastic tendencies with more accessible melodies and a coherent structure. The song feels more like an actual experience now, as opposed to just passing sounds. Japan's instrumental scene has been lacking lately, but these guys may just put a 'Crack' in the monotony!  

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"see through sway in you" by 別野加奈 (Kana Wakareno)

Kana Wakareno is a young singer, pianist and cinematographer, who just recently released her third album forget me not, and it's absolutely exquisite! Her music is based on her own, imaginary/fictional landscapes, and through each track, you get a clear sense of her cinematic visions. The minimalistic melancholy of "see through sway in you" congers up a particularly visceral scene, with its mournful, yet gorgeous melodies and subtle background noises that sound to be the crackling of a fire - you get a sense that there's warmth nearby, but at the moment, there's something comforting about how numbing the cold is. Amazing.

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"六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ (rokugatsu no ame ni utarete)" by alt of the society

Real Japanese emo is a bit of a scarcity. The scene is relatively small, and there aren't an abundance of fans in or outside of Japan, so I was pretty delighted when I finally got my hands on alt of the society's new album 追憶の風景 (tsuioku no fuukei), which was released all the way back in March! Not only was my need for this style of music sated, but the album also provided a few gems as well - "六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ" being one of them. It's a track with a traditional kind of post-rock build, starting relatively calm and then climaxing into a swell of emotion. Easily one of the most compelling tracks of the album!

Spoiler

 

 

 

"滅菌、消毒、絆創膏。(mekkin, shoudoku, bansoukou.)" by Chanty

Chanty are undeniably a VK band, yet they've continuously proven that their appeal extends beyond the scene. They're just as at home being on the same bill as VK bands like Grieva and Kuroyuri to Kage as they are sharing the stage with "non-vk" acts like indie-rockers aquarifa. On their latest album 不完全な音楽 (fukanzen na ongaku), they continue to straddle that line between unabashed "vk-ism" and indie appeal - they're almost like a VK version of cinema staff in that regard. "滅菌、消毒、絆創膏。" takes that archetypal, circus-y VK rock sound and amps it up a bit with the spastic recklessness of a 9mm parabellum bullet or Arukara track. This song is a helluva lot of fun!

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"灰よ (hai yo)" by 平沢進 (Susumu Hirasawa)

The musical wizard of everything wondrous, the one and only, the legend himself, Susumu Hirasawa has just released Ash Crow, a compilation of songs he's composed for the Berserk franchise over a span of 20 years. The compilation features songs from the Berserk movies, games, and even some of the new insert songs from the Berserk 2016 anime - most notably "Hai yo"! The song is suitably dark and epic, evoking the grim nature of the show while providing the perfect backdrop for the demonic warfare of the series. It's a song that's both uniquely Hirasawa, and uniquely Berserk. It's a shame that the Berserk 2016 anime wasn't worthy of such a great piece!

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Guest Recommendations

 

@Ada Suilen's Picks

 

"1000 Years" by THE NOVEMBERS

After the dark and dreamy Elegance EP, The Novembers have come back with their sixth album Hallelujah. A product which doesn't disappoint for a single note. But if you isolate it carefully, you can see the single vibes that are inside it: nostalgic rock sound, with even a passionate soul full of adrenaline and astonishing themes, which I liked most. "1000 Years" represents perfectly the most rebellious and out-of-scheme style that this band could ever do (those grungy vocals!).

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"Trigger" by MUCC

In my opinion, MUCC is one of the few bands which always opted to stupefy and to entertain in unusual ways (think about the genres they've showed off); in their latest single this happened once again. With an energetic A-side and a curious first track on the B-side, here we are in front of something which smells unexpected and incredible. "Trigger" appears as one of the 'black-sheep' of MUCC's discography, where a warm guitar intertwines with sublime vocals and the structure twists around itself each second for a whirling musical experience.

Spoiler

 

 

 

@chemicalpictures' Picks

 

"拒絶 (kyosetzu)" by SCAPEGOAT

SCAPEGOAT was always a hit-and-miss band for me. While I loved "告白＿時々、雨 (kokuhaku ___ tokidoki, ame)", I couldn't care less for the other five songs on the mini. What made me love it so much is that the guys have a concept of trying to tell a story through their songs. They got it right that time, and got it right on the spot again! The Nagoya-y vocal lines set the tone and create a heavy atmosphere full of visual kei tropes like whispers, moaning and slow paced singing. The lead guitar nicely defines the tempo, starting slow and exploding into a catchy, dark and powerful chorus that provides some nice headbanging moments. You can feel that they are trying to express that emotional burst through the chorus, and that's an interesting little quirk. Music-wise there is nothing really innovative to be seen here, but it's a nice banger on a slow vkei month.

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"Jellyfish" by ZON

With their third single, ZON is showing how consistently good they are. All the songs are great on this single, but "Jellyfish" stood out mainly because of 834. I'd like to get everyone's attention on how good that guy is. The song already starts packing a punch: 834's drums all over your face, dueling with Mii's melodic guitar lines, while Azu does his thing. Everything is just fine, but it all goes wild in the chorus, with 834's drums again in the spotlight, urging you to stand up and dance. It's IMPOSSIBLE to stand still. They really let him go full crazy mode... It's interesting how he subverts the regular progressive rock beat infusing a high octane funky-afrobeat, making it so energetic and vibrant (lol, sorry I got a little carried away here, but he is THAT good!). Another nice touch is the transition on the three-minute mark from the classic vk slow bridge into fast chorus transition. Smooth AF. This is EDR with a capital R, guys. These guys can be HUGE in no time.

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Thanks for hanging out with us for another month of songs and we hope you enjoyed them as much as we did! Please comment below if you had any special songs this month you didn't see listed above that deserve some attention! We'd love to hear about them, or any of the songs we've listed above. Please let us know what you thought.  If you'd like to become a guest contributor for Recommended Tracks next month please contact @doombox!

 

Until next time~

[chemicalpictures 1888]

yay! glad to be part again! This was hardly a VK month for the reviewers, huh?

 

And apparently I'm missing some nice tunes... this "I don't like monkeys" band should absolutely ditch japanese and fully embrace english, cuz they are onto something right with their music!

 

Really enjoyed "Sunshine Freeway" too, I wonder what a good vocal could do for them, cuz their sound is TIGHT!

[beni 2149]

25 minutes ago, chemicalpictures said:

"I don't like monkeys"

 

Best typo I have ever seen. X'D Glad to see someone else agrees! I'd miss them doing Japanese though, for sure. It was great to see you again as a guest by the way, great job!

[chemicalpictures 1888]

1 hour ago, beni said:

 

Best typo I have ever seen. X'D Glad to see someone else agrees! I'd miss them doing Japanese though, for sure. It was great to see you again as a guest by the way, great job!

 

LOOOOOL, more a misread than a mistype, I was pretty sure that was actually their name!

 

And I'm not even gonna correct it, that's totally their name now, as far as I'm concerned! xD

Edited October 2, 2016 by chemicalpictures

[doombox 4421]

35 minutes ago, chemicalpictures said:

yay! glad to be part again! This was hardly a VK month for the reviewers, huh?

Always nice to have you join in! I think there was just a lot to choose from, and a couple of the regulars couldn't participate this month including myself so that is a factor. But thanks to the guest contributions I thought vk still had a fairly strong showing.  

[Ada Suilen 652]

I am really proud to be part for the third time in Recommended tracks!

It's good to see many good bands there, such as Versailles or Lynch. or even promising acts, such as Piglow in Gloomy, Tokinokito, Kafuka or Chanty!

Aimer surprised me with her last album, glad that she surprised you too

Co shu nie's latest song is pretty addictive, is it worth to check their disco?

[indigo 389]

@beni lovefilm sounds pretty cool, I like the mood of the song!

 

@emmny  that ggg song is good, I'm glad they have a full band now! I was a bit afraid to check the single since I didn't enjoy that MA&MA&MA thing, but I will check it now!

 

@togz nice pick from THE NOVEMBERS!

 

@CAT5 六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ is one of my favorites on alt of the society's album! and ZA FEEDO seems interesting~!

Edited October 2, 2016 by indigo

[emmny 4139]

18 hours ago, chemicalpictures said:

yay! glad to be part again! This was hardly a VK month for the reviewers, huh?

speaking for myself as a vk reviewer, i don't like to see lists overcome by vk. im regurgitating someone's else's post from here from a while ago (sorry) but vk makes a very, very small part of the japanese music scene--its just very over represented on this forum because of how much we all love vk (for the most part). so most of the readers on the post most likely are keeping up with a fair bit of vk--i only chose to feature songs that i find are worth of the feature. there was a lot of vk released this month, but i only write about work that inspires me. the new lack co was good, but not mind blowing, the dalle was good too but i wasnt insane about it. thats my personal ethos on reviews, im not here to spam with all the vk that even vaguely tickled my fancy, but rather stuff that deserves a second look or more praise--because as seen in the polls, most of the users already are familiar with my picks. this is why we need a great indie contribution, and why im so happy to have cat5 back. vk is over represented but is still underground--there's so much else to cover in pop, electronic, metal, post-hardcore etc, and that should take the majority of the coverage in my ideal world. you should be turned on to stuff you might not listen to, and my reviews are oriented especially towards pushing vk onto people who might not usually like it.

this isn't directed at you, wes, or anyone else on the team. everyone's contributions are amazing, vk or not vk. i think the key to a great recommended list is a blend of sounds that you know you like and some stuff that you might not listen to had you not read the review. this is mostly to encourage whoever's reading this messy blurb to listen outside of their tastes, and why i keep my reviews to three vk songs unless i feel there needs to be a greater presence.

i read all of your responses, and its especially lovely when i see people who are predominantly j-indie fans turned onto a visual song, or when i see someone who looks like a die-hard visual stan enjoying, say, the novembers. thats the whole point of this list, in my own opinion.

[chemicalpictures 1888]

41 minutes ago, emmny said:

speaking for myself as a vk reviewer, i don't like to see lists overcome by vk. im regurgitating someone's else's post from here from a while ago (sorry) but vk makes a very, very small part of the japanese music scene--its just very over represented on this forum because of how much we all love vk (for the most part). so most of the readers on the post most likely are keeping up with a fair bit of vk--i only chose to feature songs that i find are worth of the feature. there was a lot of vk released this month, but i only write about work that inspires me. the new lack co was good, but not mind blowing, the dalle was good too but i wasnt insane about it. thats my personal ethos on reviews, im not here to spam with all the vk that even vaguely tickled my fancy, but rather stuff that deserves a second look or more praise--because as seen in the polls, most of the users already are familiar with my picks. this is why we need a great indie contribution, and why im so happy to have cat5 back. vk is over represented but is still underground--there's so much else to cover in pop, electronic, metal, post-hardcore etc, and that should take the majority of the coverage in my ideal world. you should be turned on to stuff you might not listen to, and my reviews are oriented especially towards pushing vk onto people who might not usually like it.

this isn't directed at you, wes, or anyone else on the team. everyone's contributions are amazing, vk or not vk. i think the key to a great recommended list is a blend of sounds that you know you like and some stuff that you might not listen to had you not read the review. this is mostly to encourage whoever's reading this messy blurb to listen outside of their tastes, and why i keep my reviews to three vk songs unless i feel there needs to be a greater presence.

i read all of your responses, and its especially lovely when i see people who are predominantly j-indie fans turned onto a visual song, or when i see someone who looks like a die-hard visual stan enjoying, say, the novembers. thats the whole point of this list, in my own opinion.

 

Oh, just to make myself clear, what I said was hardly a criticism, just an overall observation!

 

And I absolutely agree with you, the best part of the recommended tracks (and the mix tape trade-offs too) is to get to know stuff I don't usually follow... I tend to focus on VK bands mainly out of habit, but I love when non vk bands spark my attention, got some real new faves by following people's recommendations!

 

And yeah, I even mentioned on my comments, this was really an slow month for vk in general, few releases worth mentioning... (even one of the recommended tracks is from august, lol)

 

[emmny 4139]

1 hour ago, chemicalpictures said:

 

Oh, just to make myself clear, what I said was hardly a criticism, just an overall observation!

 

And I absolutely agree with you, the best part of the recommended tracks (and the mix tape trade-offs too) is to get to know stuff I don't usually follow... I tend to focus on VK bands mainly out of habit, but I love when non vk bands spark my attention, got some real new faves by following people's recommendations!

 

And yeah, I even mentioned on my comments, this was really an slow month for vk in general, few releases worth mentioning... (even one of the recommended tracks is from august, lol)

 

yeah i understand, as i was typing it out i realized how pointed it sounded--that totally wasn't my intent! i just had that thought in my head for a while so i just decided to blurt it out, haha. had i heard the new KEEL earlier, i would have featured it for sure. november is gonna be a visual shitstorm guaraneed though, hold on to your seats! (we better see some more guest features from you in the future!)

[doombox 4421]

September was an interesting month for sure. Aimer, Her Name In Blood, XAA-XAA, TAMTAM, Chanty, MUCC, and SCAPEGOAT all had releases I'm enjoying! I haven't spent much time with the new downy record, but it and alt of the society both are in my queue so I'll be getting on those soon! Am I the only one super disappointed with the new NOVEMBERS? "1000 Years" was the only track I walked away excited about. :/ Idk, I'll try a few more spins and see if it grows on me, though.

[beni 2149]

@fitear1590, I like how we were pumped for one of each others' picks! KAFUKA's "Ice Candy" also got my attention. I would've written a blurb for it myself if I hadn't had too many picks this month! Totally awesome song, I wasn't feeling them before when I checked out their album, but this is just amazing!

Still have to check out everyone's! I just had to tell you, I kept forgetting to!

[fitear1590 2414]

4 hours ago, doombox said:

Am I the only one super disappointed with the new NOVEMBERS? "1000 Years" was the only track I walked away excited about. :/ Idk, I'll try a few more spins and see if it grows on me, though.

Definitely a grower, but I particularly enjoy it because there is so much NOVEMBERS-lite. For me, "Beautiful Fire" -> "What Little Love" -> "Wind" is such a flawless stretch of the album. I also reaaally like "I Want You to Love Me" for its slow, droning shoegaze scrumptiousness. Of the dark/heavy tracks though, I like "Even Time Ages" a lot.
 

1 minute ago, beni said:

@fitear1590, I like how we were pumped for one of each others' picks! KAFUKA's "Ice Candy" also got my attention. I would've written a blurb for it myself if I hadn't had too many picks this month! Totally awesome song, I wasn't feeling them before when I checked out their album, but this is just amazing!

Yesss, beni! I just love "Cruisin' Cruisin'" and was gonna cover that one too, if you hadn't

[doombox 4421]

17 hours ago, fitear1590 said:

Definitely a grower, but I particularly enjoy it because there is so much NOVEMBERS-lite. For me, "Beautiful Fire" -> "What Little Love" -> "Wind" is such a flawless stretch of the album. I also reaaally like "I Want You to Love Me" for its slow, droning shoegaze scrumptiousness. Of the dark/heavy tracks though, I like "Even Time Ages" a lot.

That's probably why I was disappointed because I'm not big on NOVEMBERS-lite. I wasn't too impressed with their last release either, so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. 

[plastic_rainbow 2162]

 

@fitear1590 i only vaguely know about kafuka so seeing theme here serves as a reminder for me to check more on them~ really liking that song too.

 

@Original Saku randomly clicked a video of casablanca on youtube once but didn't realize some of the members were from noodles and the pillows (i have not been following either of the bands at all). i suddenly have more interest in them now, haha.

 

@CAT5 so happy to see alt of the society on here! there are a number of good tracks from the album, but that track happens to be my favorite! ^^

you will be sure i clicked that vote button.

 

@togz glad to see that someone picked my favorite from the new novembers album.  

 

@emmny i'm loving xaa-xaa more and more, and i also have less problems with the vocals now? i think he's improved, but i also prefer his breathy vocals more. this month and the next will be awesome!

 

@chemicalpictures i also thought their mini was rather uninteresting, but kyozetsu is quite nice. great pick! ^^

Edited October 4, 2016 by plastic_rainbow

[togz 2004]

37 minutes ago, plastic_rainbow said:

 

@togz glad to see that someone picked my favorite from the new novembers album.  

 

Oh man. I'm surprised this song isn't talked about more. It's emotionally heavy and eerie. And the vocal melody is so solid. Not that the Novembers is never solid tho... 

[Ito 2438]

I still need to go through the list, but holy shit September has been a good month for music. So much good new stuff, both Japanese and not.

[CAT5 9075]

On 10/2/2016 at 5:26 PM, doombox said:

 Am I the only one super disappointed with the new NOVEMBERS? "1000 Years" was the only track I walked away excited about. :/ Idk, I'll try a few more spins and see if it grows on me, though.

 

I somewhat agree, although my disappointment is much milder. It's a good album no doubt and hella-listenable for sure, but there just aren't any songs that completely stop me in my tracks. I'm hoping that it grows on me too, but atm, I consider it weaker than their previous three full-lengths. Will spend some more time with it, of course.

[toto 33]

CLASSIC (track) -  MUCC

俺がモテないのはパリピが原因に違いない!! - giza

アマカラ -  DaizyStripper

依存 -  Xaa-xaa

[emmny 4139]

On 2016-10-04 at 2:25 AM, plastic_rainbow said:

 

@emmny i'm loving xaa-xaa more and more, and i also have less problems with the vocals now? i think he's improved, but i also prefer his breathy vocals more. this month and the next will be awesome!

im happy they're growing on you, they're shaping up to be a very good band.

On 2016-10-07 at 10:59 AM, toto said:

依存 -  Xaa-xaa

i loved izon so much it took a lot not to cover it, i found kamisori was a better written song overall but izon definitely has my heart (im a sucker for ballads but xaa-xaa did it so well with this one)

[fitear1590 2414]

~~Friendly reminder to everyone on MH: If you want to be a guest contributor like Ada Suillen and chemicalpictures were this month, check out this thread or PM @doombox for more details. We want to see even more people sharing the music they love!~~

Time for some comments!

@beni - I can see myself getting into Her Ghost Friend. There's a very uniquely J-POP vibe, but in a good way. Also, I recognize the pool in that band pic (The fin.'s PV). I actually love and miss the wacky version of Cö shu Nie. There was a moment in their discog where they seemed to go full pop (was not a fan), but this song seems to be showing a plausible synthesis of both styles. I'm hopefully back on board again
@Original Saku - ...CreepHyp's (acquired taste) vocalist reminds me very strongly of someone. UGH, this is going to bother me until I figure it out. I like the kinda husky voice in Casablanca!
@togz - downy seems really solid on this newest album, so I'll need to check that out. NICE song choice for the NOVEMBERS. You might see this song pop up in a future post of mine *wink wink*. I love the way the synth goes slightly off-kilter/dissonant in the chorus. Holy shit, PIGLOW was a surprise--they're pretty much nobodies, right? Randomly downloaded it because people were raving about them (and dat name, amirite?) and it's pretty awesome! I hear more Kiryu in the vocals tho!

@emmny - I need to get on that ggg train. It's got that guitar swag that only aie can do, but I won't have to suffer through Ryo's vocals
@Zeus - yesss, Versailles! I was so skeptical about a rerecording album as a 'return,' but I was pleasantly surprised. The only thing I'm not crazy about in this particular remake is the slight tweaking of the guitar notes around 3:00-3:01 (and the repeats later on). And like togz, further support that I need to downy it up.
@CAT5 - welcome back, d00d! I still need to spend some more time with the new TAMTAM, but this song is pretty good. I'm not sure they'll ever top the perfucktion that was "Polarize" (song and some extent, mini-album). Aoi Teshima is GORGEOUS. And I'm so glad to see how many people on the team, despite varying tastes, are getting into Chanty!
@Ada Suilen - mwahaha, more NOVEMBERS love. This is probably my favorite 'heavy' track from the album.
@chemicalpictures - I was a Dhalis fan back in the day and you can still hear moments of it in ZON, even though they've amped up heaviness and production value. I need to look into them!

off-topic, why is the only clear photo of THE NOVEMBERS so dweeby looking? lol
 

[emmny 4139]

1 hour ago, fitear1590 said:

@emmny - I need to get on that ggg train. It's got that guitar swag that only aie can do, but I won't have to suffer through Ryo's vocals

BLASPHEMYYYYYYY

[chemicalpictures 1888]

8 hours ago, fitear1590 said:

@chemicalpictures - I was a Dhalis fan back in the day and you can still hear moments of it in ZON, even though they've amped up heaviness and production value. I need to look into them!

 

Please do! they have yet to release a bad single in my books, so there's a few great songs to look out there!

 

Spending more time with this list, found two other favorites:

 

@togzOh my god, what's that downy song? fancy guitarwork, vocals making it atmosphere-heavy, I miss having overlooked them for so long, the best on the album for sure! I was looking on other ppl opinions about them on the forum, guess I have to check the 5th album now.

 

@beni Someday's Gone has a catchy little song there! cute lyrics, nice punching bass, overall feel good song! While indeed his pronunciation could use some work, I find his voice quite pleasant nonetheless. looking forward that album!

 

 

[Ito 2438]

Some really quick thoughts on tracks that I liked:

 

Spoiler

 

たぶんわたしがゆうれいだったら (Tabun watashi ga yuureidattara)" by Her Ghost Friend
The ambient nature worked well in countering the sugariness of the vocals. I can dig it.

 

"supercell" by Cö shu Nie

Some solid female fronted pop rock, it's been a while sinc eI have gotten anything good on this front, so I will check them out for sure.

 

"愛はなけなし (What Little Love)" by THE NOVEMBERS

The Novembers are very hit and miss for me, and while I am not a fan of the chorus, I like the song on the whole.

 

"頭蓋、紛い (zugai, magai)" by gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy

Nagoya kei goodness

 

"EVIDENCE" by lynch.

While I still enjoy it, this song feels like they just took several other lynch songs and put them in the spin cycle together. I swear to god I had already heard this track before the first time I spun it.

 

"The Love From a Dead Orchestra" by Versailles

Oh shit, I didn't know there was a rerecording of the best Versailles song!

After listening to it, I don't really know if this is an improvement. The recording just found overly airy and hollow. The Violins sound like shit and the guitars feel like they are a bit too clean now. Like my god the violins sound bad - they are so shrill they don't even remotely sound real. I honestly can't see myself spinning this over the original.

 

"星雲ヒッチハイク (seiun hitch-hike)" by TAMTAM

TAMTAM's new album is great.

 

"see through sway in you" by 別野加奈 (Kana Wakareno)

I got a chill while listening to this.

 

"六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ (rokugatsu no ame ni utarete)" by alt of the society

I downloaded this album but have yet to give it a listen. This certainly has it pushed up on my list.

 

"滅菌、消毒、絆創膏。(mekkin, shoudoku, bansoukou.)" by Chanty

I haven't really listened to Chanty. This has me wanting to change that.

 

"Trigger" by MUCC

Man, I feel like it has been a WHILE sinc eI liked a new Mucc song. This is a pleasant surprise.

 

 

[CAT5 9075]

1 hour ago, Ito said:

Some really quick thoughts on tracks that I liked:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

たぶんわたしがゆうれいだったら (Tabun watashi ga yuureidattara)" by Her Ghost Friend
The ambient nature worked well in countering the sugariness of the vocals. I can dig it.

 

"supercell" by Cö shu Nie

Some solid female fronted pop rock, it's been a while sinc eI have gotten anything good on this front, so I will check them out for sure.

 

"愛はなけなし (What Little Love)" by THE NOVEMBERS

The Novembers are very hit and miss for me, and while I am not a fan of the chorus, I like the song on the whole.

 

"頭蓋、紛い (zugai, magai)" by gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy

Nagoya kei goodness

 

"EVIDENCE" by lynch.

While I still enjoy it, this song feels like they just took several other lynch songs and put them in the spin cycle together. I swear to god I had already heard this track before the first time I spun it.

 

"The Love From a Dead Orchestra" by Versailles

Oh shit, I didn't know there was a rerecording of the best Versailles song!

After listening to it, I don't really know if this is an improvement. The recording just found overly airy and hollow. The Violins sound like shit and the guitars feel like they are a bit too clean now. Like my god the violins sound bad - they are so shrill they don't even remotely sound real. I honestly can't see myself spinning this over the original.

 

"星雲ヒッチハイク (seiun hitch-hike)" by TAMTAM

TAMTAM's new album is great.

 

"see through sway in you" by 別野加奈 (Kana Wakareno)

I got a chill while listening to this.

 

"六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ (rokugatsu no ame ni utarete)" by alt of the society

I downloaded this album but have yet to give it a listen. This certainly has it pushed up on my list.

 

"滅菌、消毒、絆創膏。(mekkin, shoudoku, bansoukou.)" by Chanty

I haven't really listened to Chanty. This has me wanting to change that.

 

"Trigger" by MUCC

Man, I feel like it has been a WHILE sinc eI liked a new Mucc song. This is a pleasant surprise.