EPs / MINI-ALBUMS [Top 5]
05 | 梟 / 「梟の森」
As a big DADAROMA fan, I was keen to see what Yoshiatsu’s new project would sound like, and I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not what I expected. Unlike his bandmates who have taken perhaps the easier route to stick with VK in THE MADNA, the crooning vocalist has leaned on his softer side and put together a chill unit comprising piano, bass and drums, and after giving this EP a few listens each track stands out in its own way and shows a great versatility in composition. From the hauntingly atmospheric opener to jazzy lounge music to low-fi urban pop, I grew to enjoy this release a lot more than I initially thought, and I think it’s worth your time too.
04 | 3470.mon / VHS
Not to be outdone by his contemporary, infamously restless vocalist Tenten has another new band and this one is a jazzy outfit called Sayonara Monday. The chill, lighthearted compositions make for easy listening or just great background music, and the short runtime is well-suited to repeat listens. While I still miss the good old days of MY BACTERIA HEAT IsLAND, this new project is my favourite thing Tenten has done since then and his now well-developed vocals suit this kind of music well.
03 | 我儘ラキア / SUPERIORITY
Here’s an idol group with a difference: their music is composed by respected members of the loud rock scene from bands such as NOISEMAKER, MY FIRST STORY and Crystal Lake, who they share a label with. Interested? You should be. Often combining heavy riffs with catchy choruses led by powerful main vocalist Minami Hoshikuma and quick-fire rap from MIRI, this group breaks the mold in more ways than one. To top off another solid EP, the physical release includes a DVD with 6 live songs from their energetic performance in Shimokitazawa SHELTER including my favourite song SURVIVE which you should check out immediately.
02 | FUTURE FOUNDATION / TRINITY
As if JMS wasn’t doing enough with their lineup of excellent artists and an idol group that they sometimes write for, here’s an insane mashup of 3 of the hottest hard rock bands they promote: Crystal Lake, NOISEMAKER and SHADOWS. That’s right, members of all of these bands (including all their vocalists) come together for this insane super-unit and boy do they go hard. Somehow perfectly combining Crystal Lake’s chugging guitars and guttural shouts, NOISEMAKER’s alternative rock influences and SHADOWS’ post-hardcore sensibility with an excess of energy and a glorious inclusion of retro gang vocals, this EP is sure to leave you with a grin on your face. You’ll be humming DAWN for the rest of the week, too.
01 DEXCORE / -18-
How could it be anyone else? It’s no secret that DEXCORE is my favourite active band right now, and to top off a year of excellent singles and amazing live performances, they treat us with this early Christmas present. It’s not just more of the same, either: the band has continued to develop – or perhaps I should say define – their sound since settling on their current lineup, and it’s once again vocalist Kagami’s incredible compositions and vocal range that set them apart from their peers and are starting to earn them more international recognition. Brutal opener 18 immediately gets you headbanging and leads into a re-recording of this year’s single Red eye, along with a feature from VICTIM OF DECEPTION vocalist MAKITO on EARTHWORM. Then we suddenly see a spattering of power metal in the opening to Who’s fault? and later a beautiful chorus in One day, a song Kagami composed together with fans through a series of live streams earlier in the year. To wrap things up there’s some experimentation with electronic sounds that we haven’t heard since Two-Dimensional and then a powerful rock anthem in lead track (can I even call it that when it closes out the album?) 20. You can see how excited I am considering this oversized ‘mini-album’ only dropped this week. Do yourself a favour and go check out DEXCORE.