#shoegaze

T A R A S S H E V C H E N K O A E S T H E T I C

Kenshi Yonezu - Stray Sheep (05.08.2020)[★★★★★]*REVIEW*

In the vastity of Japanese pop scene, Kenshi Yonezu is a incredible exception, thanks to a fascinating commistion between music and arts. With his fifth album, he confirmed to deserve his growing popularity, bringing up a nice genre variety on the plate, going from upbeat themes to more melancholic and nostalgical ones, helped by his compelling singing style. Thanks to this recent work, Kenshi’s music will definitely see a bigger audience, for a which exceeds the imposed limits of pop music.

ARTIST REVIEW

REVIEWS:Diorama (16.05.2012),Yankee (23.04.2014),Peace Sign (analysis)

TRACKLIST

1. Campanella

2. Flamingo

3. Kanden (Electroshock)

4. Placebo (ft. Yojiro Noda)

5. Paprika

6. Uma to shika (Horse and deer)

7. Yasashii hito (Kind person)

8. Lemon

9. Machigai sagashi (Look for a mistake)

10. Himawari (Sunflower)

11. Mayoeru hitsuji (Stray sheep)

12. Décolleté
    

13. Teenage Riot

14. Umi no yuurei (Spirits of the sea)

15. Canary
    

Mary’s Blood - Re>Animator (26.08.2020) [★★★★★]

Already appeared with: Revenant (2018),Confessions (2019)

Like many other metal bands in Japan, even Mary’s Blood decided to take a turn from their musical path, releasing a cover album which quite reflects their own skills. The band chose to bring famous anime themes into a new life, filling them with energetic notes, strong rhythms and charismatic vocals, where the tones change according to the song’s style. These four girls could definitely make an anime opening of their own and this album is a strong confirmation of this.

TRACKLIST

1. PegasusFantasy(Make-upcover)
   
2. Kouga ninpouchou (Ninja scroll of Kouga) (Onmyo-zacover)
   
3. Magia (Kalafinacover)
   
4. Syuukyoku Battler -Kouryoutaru shinsekai- (Final song battler -Desolate new world-)
5. Unravel (Tk from Ling Tosite Sigurecover)
   
6. Forever Love (X Japan cover)
7. Zankoku na tenshi no teeze (Cruel angel’s thesis) (Yoko Takahashicover)
8. Invoke (TM Revolutioncover)
9. Driver’s High (L'Arc~en~Cielcover)
10. Exterminate (Nana Mizukicover)
11. We Are! (Hiroshi Kitadanicover)
    

Nothing’s Carved in Stone - Futures (26.08.2020) [★★★★]

Already appeared with: Maze (2015),Existence (2016)

Nothing’s Carved in Stone has built a solid image in their eleven years of career, bringing on a paced and refreshing rock sound. For their latest work the band decided to cover some of their most famous themes, in an album made of two discs, where their sound is the result of their maturity, including catchy themes and great rhythmic touches. This band has grown so much since their debut and there’s a lot of interest of what the future has in store for them.

REVIEWS:Parallel Lives (06.05.2009)

TRACKLIST

DISC 1

1. New Horizon
2. Isolation
3. Spirit Inspiration
4. November 15th
5. Red Light
6. Rendaman
7. Hakutyuu (Day)
8. Out of Control
9. Like a Shooting Star
10. Kirameki no hana (Shining flower)
    

DISC 2

1. Dream in the Dark
2. Youth City
3. In Future
4. Brotherhood
5. Midnight Train
6. Around the Clock
7. Milestone
8. Pride
9. Tsubame Crimson (Swallow crimson)
   
10. Blue Shadow

Crystal Lake - The Voyages (05.08.2020) [★★★★]

Staying on the subject of self-cover albums, the metal band Crystal Lake has repurposed some of their old songs, precisely the ones made with Kentaro Nishimura as singer, this time empowered and modernized by Ryo’s harsher tone, along with a more refined sound and an improved technique. Despite being a brand-new release, Crystal Lake managed to make it fresh and addicting, and we can’t wait to hear more of their music.

TRACKLIST

1. Fabricated Refuge
2. Twisted Fate
3. Open Water (ft. Daniel McWhorterandTakashi Uesugi)
4. The Passage (ft. Kentaro Nishimura)
5. The Burden
6. Freewill
7. Innocence
8. Daylight (ft. Go Nakaharada)
9. Voyages
10. Into the Great Beyond (ft. Kentaro Nishimura)
    

Arlequin - The laughing man (19.08.2020) [★★★★]

Already appeared with: Utopia (2016)

After four years made of a bunch of singles and a mini-album in the middle, the visual kei band Arlequin delivers a full album, disproving whoever thought that their sound had become boring. The album is made of distinct songs, ranging from energetic ones, which see a reinforcement of the rhythmical component which characterized them since their debut, to passionate ones, mixing cheerful and aggressive notes without any effort. If you think that visual kei has nothing to offer, maybe Arlequin’s latest work will surprise you.

REVIEWS:Near Equal (12.11.2014),Dilemma (25.02.2015),Utopia (08.06.2016),Puzzle (analysis),Exist (15.03.2018)

TRACKLIST

1. In the Mirror
2. Veludo
3. Ikasama (Trickery)
4. Sora ni ochiru (Falling into the sky)
   
5. Kasabuta (Scab)
6. Todome wo sashite (Stop it)
   
7. Fireworks
8. Himawari (Sunflower)
9. Kimi to no Aida ni (Between you)
   
10. The laughing man

-HONORABLE MENTIONS-

Seventeen Years Old and Berlin Wall - Abstract (05.08.2020)

The first mention of the month is for the not-so-known shoegaze band Seventeen Years Old and Berlin Wall, active since 2015 and become quite notable thanks to the indie music platform BandCamp. Their latest EP sees a really enigmatic sound, with shaded notes, electronic vibes and a cohesive rhythm, creating an unique atmosphere, driven by an awesome vocal work by the singers Yusei Tsuruta and Eriko Takano. Literally made for shoegaze lovers and not only.

TRACKLIST

1. Rakuen wanai (There’s no paradise)
2. Paraglide
3. Machi no tobira (Doors of the town)
4. Touketsu-chi (Frozen land)
5. Darekaga ita umi (Someone by the sea)
6. Tounen (Ten years)

Tatsuya Kitani - Demagog (26.08.2020)

Tatsuya Kitani might not be a familiar name for you, but maybe you know the Vocaloid band Sajou no hana, whose he is the bassist. Between a single and the other, he has found time to shape up a solo project of his own and releasing also some album. The latest one offers a catchy pop-rock sound, well driven by his good vocals, along with electronic, dance beats and funky vibes. Tatsuya Kitani may be another name which can rise within the Japanese pop scene and this album is definitely worth checking.

TRACKLIST

1. Hide and Seek
2. Panopticon
3. Dead Weight
4. Humanlike
5. Bad Dream
6. Demagog
7. Lotuses

Spoilman - Body (05.08.2020)

The final mention is for a pretty indie rock band, Spoilman, active since 2019 but came out only last year with an album. Their sound is quite adrenalinic, with roots into noise and punk rock, empowered by quite heavy vocals, energetic riffs and bass lashes, making each track more pumping of the previous. Spoilman can definitely shake the ground of Japanese rock and they deserve more recognition.

TRACKLIST

1. Amaryllis
2. Declaration
3. Ghost
4. Inner Haze
5. Sunday
6. Drunken Man
7. Cloudy Eyes
8. Monotonous
9. Comfortable
10. Life is REM
11. Body
12. Pail and Ladder
13. Rampage
14. Woodcutter
15. Utonagan
    

TO BE CONTINUED…

Ray - Pink (23.05.2020) [★★★★]

Ray, Japanese band composed by four young girls, with pretty faces and nice clothes, typical concept of most pop acts of the scene, the only thing is that they are not a pop act, but their genre is definitely maturer. Their first album is a clear example of this; strong guitar lines and good electronic shades accompany the tracks, driven by a light and shaded voice, building up themes with an uncommon structure, closer to Western shoegaze bands. Ray is one of the bands you wouldn’t expect to get into, but when it happens, it’s easy to enjoy their sound.

TRACKLIST

1. Fading Lights
2. Butterfly Effect
3. Sekai no owari wa kimi to futari de (The end of the world is with you)
4. Blue Monday
5. Nemophilia
6. Meteor
7. Toutoshi anata no subete o (Precious all of you)
8. Hoshi ni negai wo (Wish upon a star)
9. No Title
10. Generation
11. Silhouette
12. All I need is love
13. Slide
14. Satellite

Mama. - Ningen shikkaku [No more human] (27.05.2020) [★★★★]*REVIEW*

Mama. is one of the most rising visual kei acts of the recent years, born from the ashes of the short-lived project Morphine. Following up a series of decent singles, the band released a mini-album showing off all the features of their sound, alternated between heavy and soft, with energetic lines and good vocals, where the songs don’t appear dull as they would seem. Mama. have a long path next to them and the time will say if they will be able to rise up within the scene.

TRACKLIST

1. Ningen shikkaku
2. Kansen (Infection)
3. Yubi asobi (Finger play)
4. Murder Red Chainsaw
5. Shinjuu uta (Heart song)
6. Urami harasade o kubebika (Envy or sickness)

Toko Miura - Asterisk (25.05.2020) [★★★★]

Toko Miura is not a name people would normally know, but if you are a fan of Radwimps, you should know that she became quite popular for having joined as guest vocal in the song Shukusai. Delicate vocals immersed in soft and touching melodies are the main ingredient of her first mini-album, a simple but passionate product of pop music, worth to be listened.

TRACKLIST

1. Uzu (Swirl)
2. Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai? (There’s something I can love?)
3. Mitsubachi (Bee)
4. Ochitsuke (Calm down)
5. Nami ga tatta (Only the waves)
6. Blue Hawaii
7. FISHANDCHIPS

Foad - Returner (09.05.2020) [★★★★]

The Japanese metal scene is growing more and more every day and Foad is another important name to add to the list of the most promising bands. Their first work in two years brings up an adrenalinic sound, completed by compelling rhythms, along with piercing vocals and unpredictable shades distributed in each song, showing that Foad has an own technique and energy, distinct from the other bands of the genre.

TRACKLIST

1. Grey Goo
2. Lucid Dream
3. Tsukuyomi
4. Dive to the Ground
5. Belong to the Sky
6. Wheel of Life
7. Nirvana

Leo Ieiri - Answer (13.05.2020) [★★★★]

Considered as one of the best voices of Japanese pop, Leo Ieiri always distinguished herself for her soft but really efficient tone, making her fit for any kind of sound. In her latest EP she brings her voice into a series of catchy and fresh tracks, featuring both slow and fast notes, according to the situation, and never fails in building up a solid final result in each one of them. Light and swift as few, Leo Ieiri is surely one of the faces of Japanese pop’s future.

ARTIST REVIEW

TRACKLIST

1. Answer
2. Kosumosu (Autumn cherry flowers)
3. Swallowtail Butterfly -Ai no uta- (Swallowtail butterfly -Love song-)
4. Kanashimi no hate (The end of sadness)
5. Pop Star
6. Naku kamo shirenai (May cry)

-HONORABLE MENTIONS-

Daisuke Kurosawa - Black Album 3 (06.05.2020)

The first mention of the month goes to the musician Daisuke Kurosawa, known as a composer for the GuitarFreaks & DrumMania series and also for owning a cover band. Since 2013, he started a series of albums, which this is one is the third, bringing his talent in rock and metal music within his works. The final result is a solid instrumental album, made of an interesting mix between electronic and nice rock notes.

TRACKLIST

1. Giga Drive -long ver.-
2. Kill Trap
3. Dairoku tenmao (Demon king of the sixth heaven)
4. Tenka touitsuroku (Memoir of the unification)
5. Banana Fusion
6. Field Seven
7. Metamorphose
8. Subliminal Delusion
9. Dos Ninos
10. Time Limit 10 PM

Muscle Soul - Freedom at Your Field EP (13.05.2020)

Muscle Soul is a not so known post-rock band based on Nagoya, whose musical style is closer to shoegaze, but including also alternative shades. In their newest EP, composed only by four tracks, their sound is shown through articulated rhythms, featuring vibrant guitar lines and electronic notes, and fascinating vocals, providing an unique aura in each song, in a really good musical product.

TRACKLIST

1. Wonder
2. Clearance
3. Behind the Light
4. Freedom at Your Field

Saki - The One (27.05.2020)

If you know the Japanese female metal band Cyntia, you should know that the former singer Saki has started a solo project following the band’s hiatus. Her first album summarizes at best her style, which doesn’t have lost the energy which accompained her in the past, combining energy and charisma in a single blow, all in a metal key. Saki joins some other colleagues of hers in building a promising project such as her previous band and we couldn’t be more happy of that.

TRACKLIST

1. The One
2. Desolate Heart
3. Raise your Flag
4. Fight
5. Nameless Night
6. Shooting Star
7. Genkai lovers (Limit lovers) [Show-Yacover]
   
8. Glitter
9. Days
10. Monologue.
11. One

TO BE CONTINUED…

IX -Nine- - Psyche (02.02.2020) [★★★★★]

Already appeared with:Vidya (2015)

In about four years of career, IX -Nine- continued to appeal and bring fascination with their ethereal and compelling music. Between side projects and an unexpected success in Europe (especially in Poland), the band brought out a new EP, composed by a pounding metal sound, made of chilling tones, a nice touch of electronic and unique vocals, whose performances go from heavy to melancholic and delivering in each note. It’s extremely hard to find a band whose identity is impossible to define and that at the same time bring on quality works, but IX -Nine- falls definitely in this category.

REVIEWS:Vidya (12.03.2015),Nirdvandva (09.01.2016)

TRACKLIST

1. DIes Irae
2. Na zdrowie (Bless you)
   
3. Kindan no kajitsu (Forbidden fruit)
   
4. Waizatsu no hate (The end of obscene)
   
5. Blood Harvest
6. Ubiquitous

Anyo - Near your ear. (26.02.2020) [★★★★★]

Anyo is one of the latest rising names of the Japanese progressive rock scene. Formed on 2007, the band had few releases, but their sound is slowly getting more and more attention, especially thanks to their live videos, posted on their Youtube channel. Their latest EP shows off what they are capable off, in four different tracks, moving on genres like shoegaze and emo, helped by vibrant and shaded vocals and compelling rhythms. Thanks to their unique and fascinating sound, Anyo is definitely a band we want to hear more about.

TRACKLIST

1. Softener
2. Liquidly
3. In my Emperor
4. Lighting

Hollowgram - Pale Blue Dot (12.02.2020) [★★★★★]

Already appeared with: Wills (2016),Fluid (2018)

After the still suffered dissolution of 9Goats Black Out, Ryo seems to have found another prolific project to work into. Hollowgram always distinguished themselves in their seven years path, thanks to a various and enigmatic sound, which doesn’t fear to go over the limits. Two years after their last work, the band came back with a new album, which exalts more their melancholic and nostalgical side, alternating melodious themes to more paced songs, driven by Ryo’s versatile and astonishing vocals and a refined instrumental work behind each track. Hollowgram is one of the few projects which still make visual kei a scene worth to be followed.

REVIEWS:Malus (20.01.2016),Indecencia (analysis)

TRACKLIST

1. -Pale Blue Dot-
2. Paradox
3. The Deluge
4. Flood of Love
5. Blind Watchmaker
6. Paint in watercolor
7. Ryuuankamei (Willow)
8. Kyoujin (Lunatic)
9. Toonari (Distant roar)
   
10. With you
11. -Primitive Ocean-

Envy - The Fallen Crimson (07.02.2020) [★★★★]

This year has seen one of the most awaited comebacks in the whole Japanese rock scene. We’re talking about Envy, whose sound accompained their wide audience for about 14 years. On 2018 Tetsuya Fukagawa, their historical vocalist, rejoined the band, confirming their awaited return, sealed with their seventh album. The aggressivity which always characterized their style is here reinforced and brought to new levels, made of all the creative struggles experienced by the band, between heavy riffs and melancholic tones. The scene definitely missed Envy’s compelling music and this album brings so much satisfaction under any aspect.

TRACKLIST

1. Statement of Freedom
2. Swaying Leaves and Scattering Breath
3. A Faint New World
4. Rhythm
5. Marginalized Thread
6. Hikari (Light)
7. Eternal Memories and Reincarnation
8. Fingerprint Mark
9. Dawn and Gaze
10. Memories and the Limit
11. A Step in the Morning Glow

Shihori - Shihorism (07.02.2020) [★★★★]

Maybe Japanese pop fans will know Shihori as a pretty popular singer, who released some music under the pseudonym Sena, but actually she is mostly a famous songwriter, especially for anime themes. This behind-the-scenes side of her career is the basis of her latest work, released for the 10th anniversary of her songwriting career, an album which features covers of some tracks composed by herself. The chosen songs are re-arranged with an acoustic approach, driven by Shihori’s charismatic vocals and musicians from New York, the city where she lives in now. So, between anime and melodies influenced by the West, Shihori is reinventing herself in an interesting way.

TRACKLIST

1. Millenario [Elisacover]
   
2. Chinmoku no kaijtsu (Fruit of silence) [Nana Mizuki cover]
   
3. Hatsukoi Cider (First love cider) [Buono!cover]
   
4. Seishunfu (Youth) [Momoiro Clover Zcover]
   
5. Tsubasa (Wings) [Sena cover]
   
6. Don’t Think. Feel!!! [Idoling!!!cover]
   
7. Catalmoa [Yoshino Nanjoucover]

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Wakana - Magic Moment (26.02.2020)

Already appeared with: Wakana (2019)

If you know about the famous female trio Kalafina, you should remember Wakana Ootaki, the singer of the band, who, after the trio’s disbandment on 2019, started a solo career of her own. The first mention of the month goes to her second album, which mixes catchy and positive themes with powerful ballads, all well delivered by Wakana’s beautiful voice, bringing on impressive performances and giving a breath of fresh air to Japanese pop.

TRACKLIST

1. Breathing
2. Yureru haru (Trembling spring)
   
3. Where
4. 442
5. Hirari hirari (Fluttering fluttering)
   
6. Aki no sakura -acoustic ver.- (Autumn cherrytree)
   
7. Myself
8. Kimi dake no stage (Your own stage)
   
9. Orange
10. Happy Hello Day
11. Magic Moment

Hitsujibungaku - Zawameki [Buzz](05.02.2020)

Formed on 2012, Hitsujibungaku is an alternative rock band composed by three girls, who, despite their so young age, managed to grow pretty quickly in musical terms, going beyond the simple lines of pop-rock. Their first release of the year sees a major orientation to shoegaze rock, made by crystalline vocals and piercing notes, which sometimes bring a touch of nostalgia. If you didn’t think that mature female rock bands couldn’t rise in Japan, Hitsujibangaku shows that it’s exactly the opposite.

TRACKLIST

1. Ningen datta (It was human)
   
2. Siren
3. Yuunagi (Calm evening)
   
4. Inori (Prayer)
5. Koi nante (Loving)

Tokyo Gegegay - Kiteretsu Mental World -Black&White-[Queer mental world](05.02.2020)

Japanese music is full of extravagant surprises and the dance&vocal group Tokyo Gegegay is definitely one of them. After being the winners of the dance contest Dance@Hero on 2013, the band went on their career with a dark and curious concept, made in the name of glam and sexual freedom. The double compilation here featured summarizes their best works, adding something new along the road, in a series of electronic tracks all to dance, which is impossible to resist.

TRACKLIST

Black

1. Heart (ft. Reol)
   
2. Tg (2020 ver.)
3. Sayonara Darlin’
4. Yes or No
   
5. Tsumi to batsu (Crime and punishment)
6. Dorobou -ft. Seiya- (Thief)
7. Hikari -Interlude- (Light)
8. Nihon Agegay (Japan agegay)
   
9. Tokyo Gegegay jyogakuin no jyumon -ft. Nukuibayashihozonkai- (Tokyo Gegegay girls college spell)
   
10. Kurome (Black eyes)
    
11. HBD
12. Zutto suki na hito (People liking it all the time)
13. Gegegay no kitaro
    
14. Sense of Immorality
15. Egoist -Mikey remix-
16. Chiheisen (Horizon)
17. Dance ga boku no koibito -long ver.- (Dance is my lover)

White

1. Alarm

2. Kirakira 1 page (Glitter 1 page)
   

3. Kiss me

4. Tensei no hikari -Munetaka ver.- (God’s light)
   

5. Kamisama -long ver.- (God)

6. Byouin -Escape now- (Hospital -Escape now-)

7. Raichi☆Hikari Club (Litchi star light club)
   

8. Arigatou darlin’ (Thank you darlin’)

9. Maigo no Christmas Song (Lost child’s christmas song)
   

10. Goodbye, Snow White

11. Zutto suki na hito -ballad ver.-

12. Soredemo hana wa kitto zutto saiteku (Still, I’m sure I’ll be forever happy)
    

13. Succubus

14. Tokyo Teddy Bear -cover ver.-

15. Sasagetai (I want to give)

TO BE CONTINUED…

Good Morning, Dreamer “Just Pretend”

/ Philly musician Marc Neibauer just put out this new dreamgaze single with pandemic written all over it.