Where is the LOVE for Perfume?

This on the other hand is definitely a solid 8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuPwFMTTYPo

those early tracks are hilarious.

In general I think Nakata's work with Perfume's got an emotional core and melodical genius to it that gives it weight compared to Kyary's fun time tunage, even when playing it safe.

yeah, I can see that. as much as I like kyary, she doesn't have a song with the emotional whallop of "electro world" or "polyrhythm" or "chocolate disco" or "dream fighter" or etc. etc. (not yet anyway)

and yeah, omitting "hurly burly" is a weird move for sure.

also, I don't really hate "mirai no museum" like everyone else seems to. it's... pretty likable, I think? def on the generic side but kinda gives off pleasant serani poji vibes that I can't really hate on.

and how does his work with Capsule compare? I feel like it kind of gets the short stick re: the recent albums (though honestly outside of Fruits Clipper I dunno if I've heard a Capsule album that's been good all the way through)

yeah, the capsule stuff is all really spotty but worth digging through for the gems in my experience. but I haven't heard it all.

sugarless girl is the best of what I've heard. love the title track and "starry sky". things get progressively more EDM-ey from that album on.

mirai no museum was done for a children's movie ne?

i listened to abt half of "stereo worxxxx" or whatever before turning it off due to shitty rapping

I only made it through Stereo Worxxx once, but I love the album before that, World of Fantasy. When I just want huge head-crushing sound, I put on the title track at ridiculous volume (this does not make my co-workers happy).

will get that one then — i love nakata in sensory-overload mode :)

I've found that my favorite Capsule album is probably L.D.K. which is the one that precedes Fruits Clipper, and is a more of a transitional album between their earlier stuff and the more EDM/Electro House influenced material.

Never liked that one much, though I do appreciate the Hosono ref in the title :)

the World of Fantasy video is a thing of wonder http://youtu.be/W4h8m74pyC8
there's a new Capsule album out the end of next month btw

That video is what sold me on them.

yea that video is awesome

Full video for 1mm http://www.jpopsuki.tv/video/Perfume---1mm/623c95ae935400520ba744d102d12f37

I'm bored of the days where my curiosity roams free
And trying to chase only one thing.
In fact, it's really hard, and I need to become serious.
"Rely on my feelings", is what I used to think.
Of course it's not a disaster...
It's just that reality always surpasses my imagination
And I fall just 1mm short.

*
This last train is bumpy...
But even so, I want to get far away.
Ahhh, a detour; Ahhh, it's like a dream
Even after many years it's still difficult and uncomfortable

Ahhh, it never ends. Enough, enough, it's not okay!
Why can't I ever get these feelings across like this?
Ahhh, I need to redo it; Ahhh, repeat it all over again
Gradually I get closer, since there's only one way to go
Ahhh, let's go back; Ahhh, come on!
*

If I try to drift away from that faraway place,
It might become interesting, fun, and enjoyable - but
When I go to other places, nothing changes.
Nothing happens if I run from the risks.
Of course it's not a disaster...
It's just that reality always surpasses my imagination
And I still fall just 1mm short.

*Repeat
(Transl. Xiratava)

This is the only version of "Spending All My Time" on (UK) Spotify:

http://open.spotify.com/track/3G6J53jZSTURPkZXC4u2o1

I like it!

hah, I've often wondered what the story is behind seemingly endless 'orgel sound j-pop' xylophone covers

Cash in on things that don't exist there otherwise (or that does) and some people might search for I assume.

Bought tickets to see Perfume for the third time this year.. but this time on a real big scale - the Osaka Dome as part of their JP dome tour.

Magic of Love (Album Mix)

Loving

yeah, that's great

Very nice.

album BANGS

It's euphoric, heavier, dancier than JPN. I almost made a thread for it in my ecstasy yesterday. Furikaeru to iru yo is classic Perfume mid-tempo. Party Maker is guaranteed insane in their dome shows. The album mixes freshen things up so much.

liking this but I'm actually a little cold on the bangers. but not ruling them growing on me out yet.

very into the more restrained ones like "furikaeru..." and "dream land." "sleeping beauty" is pleasantly reminding me of orbital, so that's great too.

First thing I did was compare the single versions of songs to the album mixes - I actually think the single versions (especially "Spending All My Time") are superior in every case. I also wish the album included "I'm Not Okay." But I'm gonna be giving it a serious listen on the train home tonight and am very excited.

i prefer the album mixes at this point; think the single mix of "magic of love" really gets in the way of the lightness of that melody

XP "I'm Not Okay" is included though.

OK, on first front-to-back listen, this might be my Album of the Year. The only thing I really don't like is the album mix of "Spending All My Time," which lacks the hypnotic looping quality of the original. But so much of it is incredibly hard dancefloor stomping stuff, much more like Capsule than JPN. Love this record.

yeah, this one really does blur the lines between what nakata's doing for perfume and capsule. I'm just not so sure that's a good thing.

this album is indeed incredible

I don't know if heavy=Capsule. Fan favorite album GAME was heavier, "edge" is Perfume's live centerpiece. I think Perfume have preserved all their personality here. Some of that is about the songs' emotional core exclusive to Perfume I talked about above.

Also:

“[We and Nakata] had a dinner where we discussed about the album. All of what we discussed there was fulfilled. We requested like ‘we’d like a track that can match the dome concert where we can build large sets’ or ‘can we have a song in which we can make various directions, rather than just dancing?’ and so on. All of the new songs on this album are very suited with our requests. Some sound soft, some sound majestic.”

I'm gonna try to have an in-depth review posted by Friday. I'll link it here. Where's that quote from?

http://fuckyeahystk.tumblr.com/post/62687400985

yeah, this one is growing on me big time. it isn't really as monolithic as I initially found it... just maybe a little more monolithic than usual. this is still highly melodic, and yeah, still very much a perfume album. I'd say it's prob on par with JPN but not quite up to GAME standards.

still think this could use "hurly burly"!

I always like about one or two songs on any Capsule record, especially the ones that border more on being songs than relentless loops and builds, but even then it's tough to make it through more than two of them in a row. With club music there's that thin line between gratifying and generic and a lot of this new Perfume is walking it for me. But yeah it's the kind of line where I'm fascinatedly listening the most to the tracks that I really have deep problems with.

As promised, a link to my review. Apologies for cheesy headline.

Just wanna pop in to say that "Butterfly" has some of the trippest synths/production I've ever heard, I never see that tune mentioned but damn is it something

ya I love that one. the constant ascending/descending loopy propulsion!

Good pick. Those synths remind me a little of Larry Heard, something like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FkVaoe_BSE

i've been obsessing over "glitter" and "nee" from jpn lately -- the production on those is amazing

US TOUR DATES (NY & LA only, unsurprisingly)

New single "Cling Cling" is pretty good, if a little Kyary Pamyu Pamyu-ish. Don't love the B-side, "Hold Your Hand," but the other two tracks are good.

Translation: Level3 will be released in the US, with bonus tracks, on Astralwerks.

yuhhhhhhh

worst perfume album + edm bros remix of one of their worst singles does not really seem like the best intro to perfume

what

level3 is their best since game imo

triangle too uneven, jpn too scattered, level3 actually flows pretty nicely as an album

jpn IS scattered and super front-loaded but the highs are higher. there isn't a "my color" or "nee" on level3 and the overt edm-isms really sour it for me

I always forget traingle exists. it's like their new jersey! it might be better than that one.

i love every song on both level3 and jpn and feel like i hear something new every time i listen to them.

new song is nice in a TV show credits style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KfIqI_aTxA

nebula pt 2 out, new video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMAgUP51HwU

I dunno, single isn't really hitting but it's the slopped out cover + video that are really giving me pause... :/

ugh why

album out now

Saikidousekai is pretty good, but other than that, this album lowkey confirms for me that Plasma, with its groovy vibe, was a flash in the pan. :(

i’m scared to listen :/

the end of that video is so sweet tho

there was actual art direction on this video according to the credits, idk that that rules out any slopped-ness

whole vfx crew and everything

oh yeah, like the first time around, it seems to be taking cues from the slop aesthetic but I don't think it's literally genAI

new album is fine imo, but if you miss their old school sound like I do, the new electric ribbon did the trick for me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyjHEOC_SKk

“challenger” + plasma does feel like a blip now, and despite enjoying a few songs the aesthetic nakata's going for on the nebula romances doesn’t do a ton for me. prefer the future pop era by a lot tbh

then again i am just. so grateful plasma exists at all

yeah, the nebula romances are well made and all that but the songs don't really pull me in while listening or stick with me when I'm done for some reason. perfume bgm. but maybe they'll open up with time, but yeah, I'd rank plasma and future pop _way_ above either.

Hiatus announced! Or 'cryosleep' as they put it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/jpop/comments/1nm42mp/perfume_announces_they_are_going_on_a_cryosleep/

damn. the shows i went to were some of my all-time faves. glad i caught them a few times but woulda loved to have seen them a few more times
too.