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Japanese Music (Pop, rock and all 'dat) |OT|

M

Mesoian

Member
So.

EDM-FLO

Totally not what I was expecting.

And it sort of embodies the problem with current EDM music in general, where the loops are too clean and standard making it really hard to put any personality to each song. So much the album just sounds like the opening loops of "animals"...

Kind of a bummer. I need my EDM to be WAAAAAAY dirtier than this.

Edit: I just realized this is babbys first EDM album for Japanese audiences. Nevermind, disregard.
 
L

llehuty

Member
Mesoian said:
So.

EDM-FLO

Totally not what I was expecting.

And it sort of embodies the problem with current EDM music in general, where the loops are too clean and standard making it really hard to put any personality to each song. So much the album just sounds like the opening loops of "animals"...

Kind of a bummer. I need my EDM to be WAAAAAAY dirtier than this.
Click to expand...

Future is Wow >>> EDM-FLO

Edm Flo feels just like a generic EDM compilation album. The Nakata remix of love bug is great though.
 
M

Mesoian

Member
llehuty said:
Future is Wow >>> EDM-FLO

Edm Flo feels just like a generic EDM compilation album. The Nakata remix of love bug is great though.
Click to expand...

It IS a generic EDM compilation album, the bridge of the album is AVICII and Martin Garrix. I didn't realize that going in.

Agreed though, the Nakata remix is pretty great.
 
K

Kurita

Member
the HIATUS's new album, Keeper Of The Flame, is a work of art.
izMIhkj.jpg

Not a single bad song, the HIATUS managed to create another masterpiece. I'm just astounded by the quality of all the songs. It's kind of a mix between their two previous albums.
A little bit experimental, and it isn't as much of a pure rock album as the first one. They tried some new things, came up with new ideas and it turns out that this album is brilliant.
Some songs are kind of dark, emotional, simply beautiful. Once again they created a very interesting universe. All of their albums have a unique feel to them, and this fourth album is a new chapter in the HIATUS's book.
Songs like Unhurt, Something Ever After or Burn To Shine are jaw-dropping. The later is like the perfect song to end an album, it was very smart to use it as a way to close this album.
I already found my album of the year. The 2+ years of wait were hard but damn, these guys are truly unique, it left me speechless. I'll spend the next few days only listening to this gem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7WWi61LSzo


In other news, [Champagne] revealed their new name yesterday, they are now known as [Alexandros]. Pretty cool name actually, but I still think that forcing them to change their name was stupid.
All of their videos now feature the new name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWiki8UOImY
And the new website is now open : http://alexandros.jp/?aid=320
 
A

AlphaDragoon

Member
FUTURE IS WOW:

Some of it is a bit too wub for me, but it's still really good. Irony is the motherfucking jam.

Keeper of the Flame:

Goddamned amazing.
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
If you like Contemporary Classical/IDM/Experimental artists like Kashiwa Daisuke, World's End Girlfriend, and artists like them, check out Arai Tasuku. The first album has a free official download!

I wanted to go to the release party, but tickets sold out on the same day the show was announced. :/

Edit:

New Brian the Sun - "Rock 'n' Roll Pop Gang" MV. Also, Brian the Sun will be playing an acoustic set and autograph signing at the Tower Records in Shinjuku this Friday at 7:00pm.
 
K

Kurita

Member
Didn't notice that Owarikara's latest album was available on iTunes/Amazon MP3 in the West until today so I bought it. faridmon already said it was great and I agree. Actually I think it's a bit better than Q&A released in 2012, which was still a pretty cool album.
Really like the tone of their songs, most of them are wacky and fun to listen to, the singer has a nice voice and can be emotional when he wants to, songs like はなとゆめ or MUSIC SLIDER were pretty sweet.
So yeah, great stuff!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgZ4QlBSjds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgruA8IkBCw


Oh, and there it is, Kyuso Nekokami are going major with Victor Entertainment. The Japanese fans I'm following on Twitter seem really happy, and so I am! It's great, they will be with bands they're friends with like KEYTALK. Looking forward to their first release!
http://ro69.jp/news/detail/99741?rtw

And speaking of KEYTALK, they announced their first major album, OVERTONE, which will be released on May 21st.
Their two major singles were awesome, they've been one of my very favorite bands ever since their indie days and I'm really excited to listen to this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfzQ75KWGCo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5icN4ISebN8
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
New Unlimits MV for リリー. This band was pretty awesome when I saw them in February. Somewhat simplistic, but the dichotomy between the vocal harmony and Punk influenced bass and drums are nice. Diggin' it.

Their new album アメジスト (Amethyst) will come out on the 16th.
 
K

Kurita

Member
Not disappointed by Gesu no Kiwami Otome and indigo la End's major debut mini-albums, both are extremely good. I like Gesu no Kiwami Otome more than indigo la End but the latter have impressed me with that new release. Great way to start the month!

Also, cinema staff released a new PV, and it's hilarious :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r5j-SstDtc
 
K

Kansoku

Member
indigo la End and ゲスの極み乙女 new albums are AMAZING. Gesu's one is their best one so far.
 
J

jokkir

Member
I like the sound of ゲスの極み乙女 but I'm not a huge fan of the vocalist. He just doesn't sound too great imo
 
M

MezzoForte

Member
jokkir said:
I like the sound of ゲスの極み乙女 but I'm not a huge fan of the vocalist. He just doesn't sound too great imo
Click to expand...

I think his vocals are fine, but more than that I feel his sound is perfect for what they're trying to do stylistically.
 
K

Kurita

Member
MezzoForte said:
I think his vocals are fine, but more than that I feel his sound is perfect for what they're trying to do stylistically.
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly. His vocals are nothing to write home about (still really dig his voice) but I have a hard time imagining the band with a different vocalist.
 
I

Infinite

Member
Shiina said:
Interesting read, thanks.
Click to expand...

No prob. I love how the article takes a shot at western publications taking the "look how wacky and crazy Japans is!" approach when reporting about the band and any other Japanese music acts. He calls it what it is; "bit lazy, under-researched and perhaps just a touch racist." When they do that it annoys me so much. Another thing that annoys is their insistence on giving every Japanese act a western counterpart. Take a shot for every time you read "kyary pamyu pamyu is the Lady Gaga of Japan" in any article about her and tell me when you succumb to alcohol poisoning. Both things are lazy and click baity.
 
K

Kurita

Member
I agree. It's annoying and straight-up cringe-worthy that the West thinks that Japan's massive music universe is limited to "Wacky idols, lol so random! Silly Japan!".
 
I

Infinite

Member
Kurita said:
I agree. It's annoying and straight-up cringe-worthy that the West thinks that Japan's massive music universe is limited to "Wacky idols, lol so random! Silly Japan!".
Click to expand...

That too! There's a whole world to their music industry and a lot of the stuff can stand out as unique and refreshing among it's western peers. But they choose take that angle when reporting about which is a common theme when anything is Japan is reported in the west but that's a different conversation.

How do you guys feel about Baby Metal and these other "anti-idol" groups? I'm personally digging the trend and I like baby metal. I also like Lyrical School and Especia. It's nice to have groups like that around instead of AKB48 and groups like it being the only flavor. It's good for the industry and good for music lovers.
 
K

Kurita

Member
Well to be honest female idols aren't my thing so I'm not very well informed about this. I still think it's good that there's some diversity and that you don't just have the same bands where the only thing that's different is the name.

Actually I'm a fan of Arashi (as a dude I'm like totally not their target audience but whatever), and I wish that the male idols scene had the same diversity. Basically it's dominated by the Johnny's agency so their bands are all the same, and objectively they're shitty (still love Arashi and Kanjani8 though, but let's face it, it's not great music :lol). So yeah, too bad there's not a real alternative to them.
 
zeopower6

zeopower6

Member
Idols are kind of cancerous. Babymetal just kind of went viral for w/e reason that I'm not sure about.

Unfortunately, no one ever really pays attention to non-wacky/weird-because-there-are-dozens-of-girls Japanese music in the mainstream.
 
I

Infinite

Member
Kurita said:
Well to be honest female idols aren't my thing so I'm not very well informed about this. I still think it's good that there's some diversity and that you don't just have the same bands where the only thing that's different is the name.

Actually I'm a fan of Arashi (as a dude I'm like totally not their target audience but whatever), and I wish that the male idols scene had the same diversity. Basically it's dominated by the Johnny's agency so their bands are all the same, and objectively they're shitty (still love Arashi and Kanjani8 though, but let's face it, it's not great music :lol). So yeah, too bad there's not a real alternative to them.
Click to expand...

I can't judge I used to indulge in some Hey Say Jump myself :lol I would argue the male equivalent to idols would probably be visual kei bands especially considering their fandoms and how they are marketed. Arashi doesn't necessarily appeal to a niche and that's why they sound the way they do.

zeopower6 said:
Idols are kind of cancerous. Babymetal just kind of went viral for w/e reason that I'm not sure about.

Unfortunately, no one ever really pays attention to non-wacky/weird-because-there-are-dozens-of-girls Japanese music in the mainstream.
Click to expand...

Explain how idol groups are "cancerous"

Baby Metal went viral for obvious reasons; it's easy to wrap the "it came from Japan!" narrative western media loves around it considering that pop idols and metal is an inherent juxtaposition to many.
 
zeopower6

zeopower6

Member
They went viral pretty far after their debut... but just what triggered it? :/

The idol machine is just not something I enjoy at all. Specifically the recent female idol boom and the still-hanging-on male idol factory that is Johnny's.
 
I

Infinite

Member
zeopower6 said:
They went viral pretty far after their debut... but just what triggered it? :/
Click to expand...

Their first album just came out so the press and promotion from it probably cause the viral boom for the group here.

zeopower6 said:
The idol machine is just not something I enjoy at all. Specifically the recent female idol boom and the still-hanging-on male idol factory that is Johnny's.
Click to expand...

Well your personal lack of enjoyment from a thing doesn't necessarily equate to that thing being cancerous especially considering the connotations of the word in question. I can totally get anyone's disdain for AKB48 and I think I can see why someone wouldn't enjoy idol music in general but calling the whole thing cancerous is a bit unfair. If you was to say that about AKB48 and it's derivative groups then you get no debate from me haha. But I mean momosu and perfume are pretty important fixtures in the Japanese music industry.
 
zeopower6

zeopower6

Member
MoMusu is a different beast of idol.. I was a fan of them at one point but I backed out when Kamei left. Knowing that everyone from that generation except Sayu is gone now is just... bonkers imo. I wonder how much of their recent success is piggybacking off of AKB and how much is because of Tsunku's changing their music around to be more 'electro' after a certain point.

I don't really consider Perfume to be idols exactly... but they're just how Nakata gets his vision out there in its purest form probably aside from capsule. His other projects don't nearly come together as well.

I just meant that they (plus Kyary I guess) poison the perception of what "Japanese music" is and it's never really taken seriously because people think it's either enka-y or bubblegum cutesy weird shit.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
MoMusu's resurgence is definitely due to being more accessible to the public. Both in terms of modernizing their sound and actually getting out there to do promotions. If it were solely because of AKB48, then the other HP groups would be doing better too.
 
I

Infinite

Member
zeopower6 said:
MoMusu is a different beast of idol.. I was a fan of them at one point but I backed out when Kamei left. Knowing that everyone from that generation except Sayu is gone now is just... bonkers imo. I wonder how much of their recent success is piggybacking off of AKB and how much is because of Tsunku's changing their music around to be more 'electro' after a certain point.
Click to expand...

Well they don't call them the "ever changing momosu" for nothing. That's been the group's M.O. since forever; members leave it and new ones get cycled into it like clockwork. Their sound as a result also change with it's members. It more or less plays to the strength of it's members and trends in the industry as a whole hence the whole 'electro' sound to them now. This means that people aren't really gonna dig a gen or era of the group even if they were fans before and that's fine.

If anything AKB ate momosu's lunch. If they weren't around Momosu would be far more popular than they are now.

zeopower6 said:
I don't really consider Perfume to be idols exactly... but they're just how Nakata gets his vision out there in its purest form probably aside from capsule. His other projects don't nearly come together as well.
Click to expand...

They aren't exactly idols now but they did start out as such. They are promoted and marketed like idols and perform like them now too all the while under Nakata's song writing and producing.

Also I wouldn't say his other projects don't nearly come together as well. Coltemönikha has a special place in my heart and I wish he was still making music with Kate Sakai.

zeopower6 said:
I just meant that they (plus Kyary I guess) poison the perception of what "Japanese music" is and it's never really taken seriously because people think it's either enka-y or bubblegum cutesy weird shit.
Click to expand...

But who's fault is that? Definitely the fault of the websites who are too lazy to do any research and just pick acts that they think fit that narrative, failing to even research them, with accompanying clickbaity headlines because they know that's going to result in the most page views from their reader base. This is not unique to Japanese music either any from Japan gets that treatment because were so used to hearing about how wacky and crazy everything is over there. The artists who don't fit that stereotype are doing their part by virtue of existing already. I mean pitchfork writes about and reviews music from Japanese artists that usually aren't "enka-y or bubblegum cutesy weird shit." So there's that.
 
M

MezzoForte

Member
I don't really know anything about the "idol" scene either. Just based on what I'm getting from the discussion here, I'll simply agree that it is indeed dumb to paint an entire country's music scene based on ignorant pretexts. Frankly, though, I'm the type of person to generally ignore media altogether so despite being basically aware of the issue I don't get quite as unnerved about it as some others might.

re: BABYMETAL, idk. It's OK music. I think they should just completely drop any pandering to the legit black/death metal crowd with screams/growls and such. It's useless. This is coming from a guy that listens primarily to the super underground shit. I understand what they're trying to do, but keep it cute and power metal-y and I don't mind them.
 
P

Peru

Member
MezzoForte said:
re: BABYMETAL, idk. It's OK music. I think they should just completely drop any pandering to the legit black/death metal crowd with screams/growls and such. It's useless. This is coming from a guy that listens primarily to the super underground shit. I understand what they're trying to do, but keep it cute and power metal-y and I don't mind them.
Click to expand...

Why shouldn't they? I mean the crowd does the wall of death at concerts so obviously they buy into it. No limitations or elitism fits in here, that's partly why a concept like this has worked, because they ran with a weird idea and succeeded.

The article linked above does deserve praise and is spot on about the annoying 'weird Japan' angle. What it also correctly points out is there are many branches off the main idol tree now, and plenty of the groups do focus on musical playfulness and not simply the same chords with a new set of cute girls to sell. The current idol boom may give us annoying year-end lists with Johnnys and AKB dominating but it's also given us musically weird, out there, alternative, fun groups and freshened up the girl group scene significantly. As Kurita pointed out - wish we could say the same for the stale boy bands.

Speaking of which - BiS team up with Vampillia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeO8lv-TxSQ (oops already mentioned)(
 
K

Kurita

Member
the HIATUS released a new video, this time it's for their song Thirst which is the opening track of their new album, which is mind-blowing.
The video is pretty simple, they're just playing in the studio but it's so beautifully filmed. The song is hauntingly beautiful and the video has a really nice atmosphere going on. And it´s always a pleasure to see them performing.
http://youtu.be/fSzxtLQBZHY
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
Peru said:
tricot karaoke'ing it up with maximo park


Komaki seems to have played his last gig for the band, wonder who's stepping in on their lives these days.. anyone know?
Click to expand...
Whatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhat

Two bands I love from opposite sides of the Earth together. Whoawhoawhoawhoa.

Hold still, my heart.
 
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