i'm on track 3 and can confirm this album is REALLY REALLY GOOD.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:18 (four years ago) link
never heard of this group but that video is indeed great, captures a vibe that's very in right now
― frogbs, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:26 (four years ago) link
the album doesn't quite reach the same heights as "Music" or "Yoru no Odoriko" from the s/t and probably leans a little more mellow/MOR than i'd prefer from them overall but they're still enjoyable as always. their run of singles over the past 6 years is still pretty strong when compiled on this album, especially "Shin Takarajima" and "Sayonara wa Emotion". out of the new stuff "Wasurerarenaino" is definitely my favourite and yeah the video is great too - they have a knack for excellent videos
― ufo, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:27 (four years ago) link
Posted this in the J-pop thread too.
Agree with all of the above - the album is great but definitely could have used some editing. Either way, they're easily my favourite band of the past five years or so - an instinctive knack for building and releasing tension, soaring pop choruses, great videos, morose but with a sense of humour about it. Everything I love in a band pretty much.
― Roz, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:00 (four years ago) link
Nice video, checking that album out! Sort of strikes me as vaporwave and future funk being reflected back from where the bulk of the sounds came from.... or are those movements not as western in origin as I'm thinking? I lived in Japan for a couple years in the 00s and just sort of remember those sounds just being everywhere out in the air (radio/TV), while I was more concerned with the local indie and hiphop of the time. It was all a good mix. Got to dip into this thread's suggestions some more.
― maffew12, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:11 (four years ago) link
vaporwave/future funk etc. have been heavily drawing from and sampling 80s japanese city pop in addition to western disco etc., and over the past decade or so there's also been a city pop revival in japan, though much more mainstream than in the west where it's mostly just been a hip influence and sample source etc. though there is "plastic love"'s bizarre youtube popularity
― ufo, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:22 (four years ago) link
oh i think i misread that a bit but anyway, "wasurerarenaino" is very much in the tradition of that city pop revival rather than any western vaporwave/future funk influence i'd think. there has been the occasional actual crossover from vaporwave back to the city pop revival, most notably 'vaporwave idol group' Especia whose music was city pop revival music but also drew heavily on vaporwave aesthetics after their producers stumbled upon some vaporwave on soundcloud via its heavy use of japanese text lol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e089x6ba1Zo
― ufo, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:30 (four years ago) link
hahaha. no you got me. this is exactly the kind of link i was curious about. I'd only even heard of "city pop" recently. Living there it was just like, oh this is what 'new wave' was over here?
Thanks!
― maffew12, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:34 (four years ago) link
I'm never far away from being in a Clammbon phase, I keep all they rekkids close to hand despite the fact the last three EPs have been available only in Japan and not in normal shops but music instrument shops, coffee houses and little stationery shops in Kichijoji back streets, severely testing my fanhood, but they're more than worth the hassle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3lCCKXe998
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 16:20 (four years ago) link
I saw Clammbon perform live a zillion years ago and they did a serviceable cover of Judee Sill's "That's The Spirit", let me see if I can find it on the 'tube.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 19:16 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlNdjcBW3J4
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 19:17 (four years ago) link
(this would have been ~2005, forget who they were opening for...)
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 19:20 (four years ago) link
I am jealous !
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 20:27 (four years ago) link
Sakanaction album is kind of dull (to me) outside that incredible first track. The video, oh my. One of the best I've ever seen.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 17 July 2019 14:05 (four years ago) link
Love these guys -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BfmNBlzHFY
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 17 December 2019 17:57 (four years ago) link
Ha, I love that. That pace shift really gets in your head!
― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, 17 December 2019 18:17 (four years ago) link
this is messing with my brain
― frogbs, Tuesday, 17 December 2019 18:18 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdQk3rMnU9M
beautifully bonkers
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:05 (four years ago) link
this is awesome, thanks
― culture of mayordom (voodoo chili), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:58 (four years ago) link
I hope there's more to come. I've been playing the hell out of Endangered Species over the last couple weeks and it is a fantastic record.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 30 January 2020 16:59 (four years ago) link
japanese indie mp3 store and stream, looks to be tenniscoats-focused and -run https://minnakikeru.com/
some interesting stuff
― adam, Monday, 16 November 2020 21:20 (three years ago) link
I love this band so much -
https://croissantchicago.bandcamp.com/album/crankshaft
― Maresn3st, Friday, 4 December 2020 16:20 (three years ago) link
This is great. You would probably like a lot of other stuff in the vocaloid scene.
― Allen (etaeoe), Friday, 4 December 2020 18:51 (three years ago) link
if you can point me to bands that use it but aren't J-Pop, Techno or more traditional vocaloid music, I'd be super interested to hear.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 4 December 2020 23:01 (three years ago) link
two recent singles from AprilBlue who sound kind of like the Beths but with a bit of a shoegaze thing going on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycnxITz8LpUAprilBlue - Clarity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOPbeOgPkoAprilBlue - シーサイド
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Monday, 8 November 2021 17:19 (two years ago) link
If I may shill for myself and my friends for one sec.
Japan Alternative Sessions, a radio show I started a few years back has been reactivated, it's not just indie/alt we cover as much ground as possible, old and new music. The plan is to do a 2 hour+ show once a month and put it out on Mixcloud and YouTube or wherever else we can.
This is the latest edition:
https://www.mixcloud.com/JapanAlternativeSessions/japan-alternative-sessions-edition-70/
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 26 December 2021 12:53 (two years ago) link
Stumbled across this little gem today, really great debut, for fans of Clammbon, Tricot, Spangle Call Lilli Line etc:
https://ungulatestokyo.bandcamp.com/album/ungl-009-downt-downt
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 8 January 2022 16:05 (two years ago) link