A Guide to Daydream pt. 2 – Kyoto Day 2

This time I’ll be looking at Daydream Kyoto Day 2, which will take place at Nijo Nano. Follow the links below for event info and ticket reservations.

Over the last few years, Kyoto Shoegazer has emerged as the biggest showcase of the local shoegaze scene in Japan. This year the Kyoto Shoegazer team has put together Daydream, a four day festival spanning three cities that will kick off in December. The event will host some of the finest shoegaze, dream pop, alt rock, etc. that Japan has to offer. I will be previewing each of the events as they come. This time I’ll be looking at Daydream Kyoto Day 2, which will take place at Nijo Nano. Follow the links below for event info and ticket reservations.

ここ数年京都シューゲイザーは日本のシューゲイザーを特集する一番大きなイベントになってきている。今年、１２月から4日程３都市でイベントDAYDREAMを行う。このイベントに日本の高品質のシューゲイザー、ドリームポップ、オルタナのバンドが出演する。Muso Japanは各イベントをプレビューする。今回は１２月４日二条NANOにて行われるDAYDREAM KYOTOのDay2！チケット予約は以下のリンクから！

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Ticket Reservation/チケット予約

Honeydew

Honeydew is a Tokyo-based alt rock power trio. Originally formed in New York, the band’s sound is influenced by a number of 90s American alternative bands, and versatile enough to appeal to a wide range of fans. Their live performances are ultra-tight, and their high-energy performances are absolutely must see.

Honeydewは、東京を拠点に活動するオルタナティブロックトリオ。元々ニューヨークで結成された彼らのサウンドは、90年代に活躍したアメリカのオルタナティブバンドより影響を受け、その多様性から幅広くファンを獲得している。タイトでエネルギッシュなパフォーマンスは必見だ。

me in grasshopper

With members based between the Kansai and Tokai regions of Japan, it’s only fitting that me in grasshopper will be performing at Daydream events in both Kyoto and Nagoya. Over the past few years the band has become one of the flag bearers for the Nagoya shoegaze scene on the strength of their sweet melodies and subtle yet persistent guitar noise. Their 2015 “NEW SATURDAY e.p.” was one of the best of the year. In 2016 the band supported YUCK on their Japan tour, and they will be supporting Brooklyn’s Lazyeyes in Nagoya in January.

メンバーが関西・東海地方出身のme in grasshopperは、DAYDREAM KYOTO・NAGOYAの両日に出演する。美しいメロディーと緻密且つ鳴り響くギターノイズにより、この数年で名古屋シューゲイズシーンを代表する存在となった。2015年にリリースされた“NEW SATURDAY e.p.”は、その年の最高傑作の一つ。2016年、YUCKの日本ツアーをサポートし、来年1月にはブルックリン出身Lazyeyesの名古屋公演をサポートする予定。

Yuragi

Hailing from Shiga prefecture, Yuragi is yet another young, exciting band to emerge from the Kansai-region over the last couple years. Their sweet but strong sound incorporates whispy vocals and big wall of sound guitars driven by uptempo pop beats. 2016 has been a big year for the band with the release of their “bedside” single and the announcement of their upcoming “nightlife e.p.”, which will be out on 12/27. They’ve also announced they will be supporting Lazyeyes on the New Yorkers’ Japan tour.

滋賀出身の「揺らぎ」は、ここ数年関西地方から現れた、とても若いエキサイティングなバンド。ウィスパーボイスとアップテンポでポップなビートに乗せられたギターサウンドとが合わさる、美しく力強いウォール・オブ・サウンド。シングル“bedside”のリリース、“nightlife e.p.”(12/27リリース予定)の発表と、2016年は重要な年となった。またニューヨーク出身のLazyeyesの日本ツアーでサポートすることも決定している。

Acidclank

Acidclank is another one of those exciting young Kansai bands. The Osaka indie rock outfit put out a really impressive album titled nner in 2015, on which they demonstrated their ability to create a range of sounds from shoegaze to psych at a consistently high level. Once a home recording project, Acidclank is now a fully functioning live band that has been gigging a ton over the last year or so. These guys have a bright future ahead of them.

Acidclankは、関西の注目すべき若いバンドのひとつ。大阪のインディーロックバンドであるる彼らは、2015年にアルバムInnerを引っ提げ、シューゲイズからサイケまで幅広いサウンドを、ハイレベルな領域で制作できることを証明した。ホームレコーディングプロジェクトに始まったAcidclankは、今や数々のギグ経験を積んだライブバンド。彼らの輝く未来が楽しみだ。

ether feels

There are few active shoegaze bands in Japan that have put out as much consistently good material as Ether Feels. Their melancholy blend of pop and shoegaze has resulted in a sound that is all their own, and their quality has earned them a good amount of attention outside of their home country. Their Daydream performances will wrap up a busy year that’s included gigs around Asia, the release of a greatest hits album titled hen The First Time We Met and an upcoming split EP with Yukino Chaos.

日本でEther Feelsほど、コンスタントに良い楽曲をシーンに提供してきたバンドはそういないだろう。彼ら独自のポップとシューゲイズのメランコリーな配合は、日本国外でも注目を集めてきた。DAYDREAMでのパフォーマンスは、アジア各地でのライブ、ベストオブアルバムhen The First Time We Metのリリース、Yukino ChaosとスプリットEPの共同リリース、と忙しい年の有終の美を飾るだろう。

twelve fluffy chair

Local band Twelve Fluffy Chair offers a sparkly brand of shoegaze pop. The Kyoto foursome recently released their second EP B A R, which features some cute guitar-driven pop tracks. Their strength lies in their ability to write ultra catchy choruses and melodic hooks, as well as adding a little edge to otherwise light, playful songs.

京都の地元バンドTwelve Fluffy Chairの特徴は、キラッキラのシューゲイズポップ感。ギターが効いているポップなセカンドEP B A Rを、最近リリースした4人組バンド。とてもキャッチーなコーラスとメロディアスなフック、そして軽快で遊び心のある曲にエッジを与える才能が彼らの強み。

boyfriend’s dead

Boyfriend’s Dead is a Kansai-area shoegaze veteran and a band that adds an element of fun to any gig they play. Their sound is an upbeat, danceable blend of shoegaze and pop, and their energy and stage presence makes for a great live show. The band’s most recent release came in the form of a self-titled EP released on local Osaka-based netlabel Thru The Flowers.

Boyfriend’s Deadは、関西のシューゲイザーのベテランで、彼らが出演するギグはいつも楽しさ与えてくれる。アップビートで踊りたくなるようなシューゲイザーポップ、そして強いエナジーとステージでの存在感が素晴らしいライブ演奏を作り出す。最新作は、大阪のネットレーベルThru The FlowersからリリースされたセルフタイトルEP。

A Guide to Daydream pt. 1 – Kyoto Day 1

Over the last few years, Kyoto Shoegazer has emerged as the biggest showcase of the local shoegaze scene in Japan. This year the Kyoto Shoegazer team has put together Daydream, a four day festival spanning three cities that will kick off in December. The event will host some of the finest shoegaze, dream pop, alt rock, etc. that Japan has to offer. I will be previewing each of the events as they come. First up is day one of Daydream Kyoto, taking place on December 3rd at Nijo Nano. Click the link below for ticket reservation.

ここ数年京都シューゲイザーは日本のシューゲイザーを特集する一番大きなイベントになってきている。今年、１２月から4日程３都市でイベントDAYDREAMを行う。このイベントに日本の高品質のシューゲイザー、ドリームポップ、オルタナのバンドが出演する（あと、香港からのゲストも出る予定！）。Muso Japanは各イベントをプレビューする。最初は１２月３日二条NANOにて行われるDAYDREAM KYOTOである！チケット予約は以下のリンクから。

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Ticket Reservation/チケット予約

colm

Colm is sort of a Kyoto Shoegazer supergroup, consisting of members of Ether Feels, Kailios, shelives, and AOQ. The band is relatively new, and Daydream Kyoto will be their third gig since forming up earlier this year. Though they haven’t made any music available to this point, Colm will be releasing their first recorded material at Daydream.

Ether Feels, Kailios, shelives, 青くのメンバーから成るバンドColmは京都シューゲイザーシーンのスーパーグループ。今年結成して、DAYDREAM KYOTOが３回目のライブ。このイベントで初めての音源リリースとなる。

yukino chaos

One of Japan’s brightest young acts, Yukino Chaos has come on strong over the last couple years with dynamic live performances and some really impressive recordings. 2016 saw the release of a new demo single “Hope For The Future” and a supporting slot at Tokyo’s Niman Den-Atsu alongside Melt Banana, Looprider, and Qujaku. The band was also invited to Shanghai along with Broken Little Sister earlier this year. They’ll be releasing a split EP with fellow Daydream performers Ether Feels in December.

日本の輝かしき若い才能のひとつYukino Chaosは、精力的なライブ演奏と印象的なレコーディングで近年目を離せない存在となっている。彼らの2016年は、デモシングル“Hope For The Future”のリリース、東京の二万電圧でのMelt Banana, Looprider そして Qujakuとの共演、Broken Little Sisterと共に上海へ招かれた年でもあった。12月には共にDAYDOREAMに出演するEther Feelsと制作したスプリットEPがリリース。

broken little sister

Making the trip to Kyoto from Yokohama is Japanese shoegaze mainstay Broken Little Sister. Broken Little Sister has grabbed attention from shoegaze fans all over the world with their iconic “memories, violet & demon” LP as well as the Beatles cover album “Beatless” they released under the moniker Meeks. Just this year the band has played in Taiwan and China. Though seasoned veterans of the Japanese shoegaze scene, Daydream will mark the band’s first performance in Kyoto.

日本のシューゲイズシーンの重鎮 Broken Little Sisterが、横浜から京都へやってくる。彼らはLP“memories, violet & demon”、Meeks名義でリリースしたビートルズのカバーアルバム “Beatless”によってシューゲイズファンの注目を浴び、今年は台湾と中国でもパフォーマンスを行う。彼らは日本のシューゲーズシーンの経験豊かなベテランであるが、DAYDREAMが今回京都初のパフォーマンスとなる。

kailios

Local Kyoto-ites Kailios create simple but catchy music. The band’s sound, which draws on 90s US alt rock and indie pop, is very upbeat and super easy to listen to. Their feel-good style and energy translate to fun and entertaining live performances, which also happen to be really tight. Kailios’ three-track “Cars” EP is highly recommended.

地元京都のKailiosは、シンプルでありながらキャッチーなバンドサウンドを作る。90年代のUSオルタナティブロック、インディーロックの影響が感じられるサウンドは、アップビートでとても聴きやすい。楽しく愉快でタイトなライブパフォーマンスは、心地よいスタイルとエネルギーが感じられるはず。3曲入りのEP “Cars”は必聴。

the seadays

Formed in July of last year, The Seadays is a four-piece alternative rock band from Kyoto. Over the last year-plus, they’ve gigged in Tokyo and Kyoto and hosted their own event “Umi Rock Festival” this past July. Whether they’re playing uptempo aggressive tunes or slow, melodic stuff, The Seadays’ sound is strong and explosive, making for high-energy, highly entertaining live performances.

昨年の7月に結成されたThe Seadaysは、京都出身の4ピースオルタナティブロックバンド。結成以来、東京と京都でギグを積み重ね、この7月には“Umi Rock Festival”を主催。アップテンポでアグレッシブなチューンや、ゆったりとしたメロディーの曲であっても、爆発的な力強いエネルギーを感じさせるそのパフォーマンスは、観客を魅了する。

shinda boku no ishikawa

My Dead Girlfriend frontman Yuki Ishikawa will be performing at Daydream Kyoto as his solo project My Dead Ishikawa. He released his debut solo album “A Corpse in the Happy Valley”, earlier this year, and while there are some shades of MDG-esque shoegaze on the record, the new project explores a wide range of sounds from guitar pop to noise to grindcore and more. As a performer, few can match the energy and flamboyance of Ishikawa on stage.

死んだ僕の彼女のフロントマンである”石川”は、今回ソロプロジェクト「死んだ僕の石川」として登場する。今年前半にソロデビューアルバム“A Corpse in the Happy Valley”をリリースし、「死んだ僕の彼女」色を含みつつもギターポップ、ノイズ、グラインドコアと幅広いサウンドを冒険している。石川のように、エネルギッシュで刺激的なライブパフォーマンスをする人物はなかなかいない。

sea of tranquility

Sea of Tranquility will be making the trip from Hong Kong to perform at Daydream Kyoto. The band has been picking up steam recently thanks to their beautifully dense and dreamy brand of shoegaze, which has drawn comparisons to the likes of Slowdive and Cocteau Twins. Earlier this year Sea of Tranquility played in Taiwan at Leave No Trace But Gaze, where they shared the stage with Daydream Kyoto day 2 performers Ether Feels. This will be their first performance in Japan.

Sea of Tranquilityは、DAYDREAM KYOTOでのパフォーマンスのため、香港からやってきます。SlowdiveやCocteau Twinsと比較されるほど、美しく深くドリーミーな独自のシューゲーズサウンドで最近人気を集めています。今年台湾で行われた、Leave No Trace But Gazeでは DAYDREAM KYOTO DAY2 に出演する Ether Feelsと同じステージに立った。本公演が、彼らの記念すべき日本初のパフォーマンスとなる。

Softsurf – “Blue Swirl/Beautiful Day”

I get really excited any time I hear about a new shoegaze band popping up here in Nagoya. Though Nagoya is a big city with its own rich music scene, there isn’t a whole lot going on in the way of shoegaze or even the dreamy indie pop that’s been taking over elsewhere. Bands like Tokenai Namae and me in grasshopper are the flag bearers for the genre in the Tokai region, and there’s enough of a fanbase to support it – the 2013 Japan Shoegazer Festival in Nagoya sold out Tsurumai Day Trip – but even here the scene is mostly driven by bands from Japan’s two largest cities. Occasionally, however, a new band does pop up, as was the case last year with the emergence of Anjo-based Haguki. This year’s impressive newcomer to the Nagoya shoegaze scene goes by the name Softsurf.

Softsurf started up in January of 2016, and largely went unnoticed until July, when they took part in the Nagoya Shoegazer Expo event in Tsurumai. Shortly thereafter, their two-track single “Blue Swirl/Beautiful Day”, was released for free. Under founding member and band leader Kitamura, they underwent some lineup changes before settling in and focusing on gigging more. Though the band’s members are each influenced by a number of genres and styles, Kitamura’s vision is largely focused on 90s shoegaze. He does admit, however, that bands like Pink Floyd and the Beach Boys have naturally worked their way into his sound (and in the case of the latter, into the band’s name as well).

Each track on Softsurf’s single offers something a little different, sound-wise. “Beautiful Day” is more of a twinkling pop tune that floats along, whereas “Blue Swirl” hits hard with a blend of big guitars and airy synths. “Blue Swirl” is the track that the band has chosen to push on their Soundcloud page, and based on Kitamura’s stated creative goals, it would seem to be more indicative of the band’s future direction. “I like psychedelic and ambient songs with aggressive guitars and vocals that feel like they’re floating,” he explains. “I want to take that and shape it in my own way.”

Reviews of Softsurf’s live performances to this point have been really positive, and the small sample of music made available thus far has been really encouraging. The band will be taking the stage this coming January at Daydream Nagoya, and beyond that they are determined to have an impact on the shoegaze genre in Japan. Next up for Softsurf is a slot on the upcoming Daydream Nagoya bill, and hopefully a lot more shows and music.

Have a listen to “Blue Swirl” on Soundcloud:

Kinoko Teikoku – “Ai no Yukue”

Well, it’s finally arrived. The new Kinoko Teikoku album – the second since signing their major label deal with EMI – is here, and fans finally get to find out if the band is continuing on their major label J-pop trajectory or veering back toward the noisy alt rock we fell in love with years ago. While “Neko to Allergy” had listeners resigned to the former, there were a couple of encouraging signs leading up to “Ai no Yukue” that there might be a little more balance this time around. There was the impressive lead single, “Crybaby”, a new version of a track from one of their earlier demo EPs, and a brief but impressive glimpse at the album’s title track in the trailer for a new Japanese film. Small sample it may have been, but it was enough to get doubters interested again.

I’ll be honest. I expected to have a lot to say about this album, but I really don’t. It’s really good. It’s not mind-blowing, and it’s certainly not a shoegaze album (some people will have stopped reading at this point). Let’s be real, though. Kinoko Teikoku is a handful of releases removed from that sound. Their final release from UK Project’s Daizawa label, Fake World Wonderland, was the first step toward creative control of the band shifting toward those who favor clean pop tracks to harsh roaring guitars. Well that was two years ago, so it should come as no surprise that Ai no Yukue as a whole is a pop record. But what’s different this time is that they seem to have been willing to meet fans of the old stuff halfway.

The title track is a really good start to the album. It has it all: a gloomy intro, an explosive lead-driven hook, and reverb soaked vocals. It never quite takes off as massively as it feels like it will at times, but that’s sort of a theme for this release. The album’s closer and lead single, “Crybaby” is similar, though a bit more toward the pop end of the spectrum. These are the two best songs on the album, and each showcases an enjoyable balance between the old and the new.

Not far behind them in terms of quality is “Moon Walk”. Kinoko Teikoku haven’t completely strayed from the melancholy sound that works so perfectly with Chiaki Sato’s gorgeous vocals, but when they’ve gone that route recently it’s been far too clean for my taste. “Moon Walk” muddies it up a little bit, specifically in the chorus, and about halfway in fades into a nice tripped out portion through to the finale.

One big surprise when the album’s tracklist was first published was the inclusion of “Azemichi de”, which first appeared on the band’s second demo EP “Yoru ga Aketara”. As expected we basically get a cleaner version of the original. Some of the edge in the chorus has been toned down a bit, but otherwise it’s very similar.

The rest of the album is fine. “Natsu no Kage”, as I mentioned in my previous review, is a Fishmans-esque dubgaze track, while “Last Dance” and “Ame-agari” are both really catchy pop tunes. “Shi ga futari wo wakatsu made” is the only track I couldn’t really get into on the album. These songs are the ones that fans hoping for the old Kinoko Teikoku may scoff at, though percentage-wise it’s a lot less than in recent memory.

I think Ai no Yukue has a lot of really good stuff going on. I like feeling like A-chan is being given more creative freedom, whether or not that’s actually true. We know that Kinoko Teikoku are far removed from their days as one of Japan’s finest alt rock bands, and dwelling on the fact that we’re not going to get another Uzu ni Naru is sort of pointless. But the band taking a step back and mixing in a bit of the old stuff with the new is welcome, and the result is a positive one. We get a very solid pop record with a little bit of the grit and emotion that made us fall in love with the band in the first place. For whatever my opinion is worth, Ai no Yukue was a success.

Magic Love – “Night Falls”

So remember that new release from magic love that I predicted would come around the end of 2014? Well it’s finally arrived. ight Falls is the Tokyo trio’s first new release since they put out their previous EP Dawn in the summer of 2014. Just as their sophomore effort followed a pretty lengthy transitional period, magic love has spend the last two years…

So remember that new release from magic love that I predicted would come around the end of 2014? Well it’s finally arrived. Night Falls is the Tokyo trio’s first new release since they put out their previous EP Dawn in the summer of 2014 (the two-track Night Before single doesn’t count, because it was just a filler release with a couple live tracks). Just as their sophomore effort followed a pretty lengthy transitional period, magic love has spend the last two years since its release retooling its lineup and re-recording some previously released material. It’s been a long wait, but Night Falls features everything we’ve come to love about magic love and then some.

Night Falls kicks off with a new version of “Waiting for Rain”, a track that originally appeared on the Dawn EP. The new version is essentially the same as the original but with female vocals complements of new-ish addition Marika Sato. “Midnight Baby” is a brand new track that had only previously been released via the Muso Asia comp at this year’s Kyoto Shoegazer event. Along with “Popularity”, the middle segment of the EP is a little more dream pop than the roaring, guitar texture-laden shoegaze tracks we’ve come to expect. There aren’t many shoegaze bands in the country that belt out waves of huge guitar noise as well as magic love, but they show that they can mix it up a little bit without sacrificing quality. It’s a nice departure from their usual sound, but a brief one, as the EP wraps up with a blaring, bendy hook in “Ghost Novice”. Though tonally this is very much back to what I expected of the new EP, there’s a bit more energy and a skip in the step of the chorus that plays more like a 90s US alt rock track than a straightforward shoegaze song.

Though magic love showed us something a little different on Night Falls, the band’s quality remains consistent and they continue to establish themselves as one of the best – and underrated – bands in Japan. The EP was first released in Taiwan where they played “Meow Bang Party vol. 1” along with Fuguko and Bison Country. Currently physical copies are available exclusively at shows, though you can purchase the digital EP on Bandcamp. According to the band’s Twitter account, the CD may soon be made available online as well. Give them a follow on Twitter and Facebook, and keep checking their Bandcamp page to stay tuned.

The Florist – “Blood Music”

After a stellar debut in 2014, Tokyo’s The Florist have returned with an even better sophomore effort. With Dark Entries, my third favorite album from two years ago, the band burst onto the scene with its own unique sound. In a year when the best shoegaze albums were infused with everything from grunge to post rock to indie pop, The Florist drew heavily on 90s American emo to put together a lush, dreamy record. Thanks to an addictive signature song in “Middle of Winter” and a strong push from a number of overseas media outlets, The Florist’s debut attracted a large international audience and thus a desire for more music. This June, The Florist obliged with the release of Blood Music.

The day of the album’s release The Florist simultaneously released videos for co-lead singles “Disintegration” and “Halcyon”. The former, which kicks off the record, picks up right where the band left off on Dark Entries. The latter is a bit colder, though the jagged guitar line eventually makes way for the warm, thickly textured sound that fans of The Florist have come to expect.

While the first half of the album is really solid – “Sadness Like Water Raining Down” is my personal favorite of the first five songs – it’s the portion of the album that comes after the beautiful instrumental interlude, “Untitled”, that really defines this album.

“Marigold” is a flurry of squalling guitars and drums, the intensity of which balances so incredibly well with the high, harmonized vocals. This is also the track where those guitar leads showcased on the first album really shine. The emo influence really shows about halfway through when the bridge kicks in. The song is a bit harsher than anything they’ve done to this point, but still incorporates familiar elements.

If “Marigold” was a reintroduction of The Florist’s familiar guitar leads on the new album, “Ghosts” is where they really shine. If I had to choose one song to make a lead single prior to Blood Music‘s release, it would have been this one. The galloping first 45 seconds bursts into a blurry mass of guitar, highlighted by a bending lead reminiscent of the one that drove “Middle of Winter” so well. Guitarist Yosuke Shiina’s ability to craft a gorgeous tone and weave it through each track is what really sets The Florist apart from other shoegaze bands in Japan. “Ghosts” is the band’s best showcase of that fact to date.

The pace picks up and takes a bit of a danceable turn with two melodic tracks in “Sweet Decadence” and “Weird Dreams”. At first listen it sort of felt like a poppy palate cleanser after a couple of emotional, harder-hitting songs, but both tracks really grew on me, especially “Weird Dreams” which, if I’m ranking the songs on the record, is right up there with “Ghosts”.

The light atmosphere of closer “The Last Dance” nicely wraps up an album that, as a whole, tops their debut release. While Dark Entries may have had higher peaks, Blood Music is a more consistent effort. It’s a more tonally explorative record that manages to remain cohesive with a very natural flow to it. As was the case with their debut, Blood Music figures to be on many a “Best of the Year” list when all is said and done.

Blood Music is available on iTunes and Apple Music, and physical copies can be purchased via Japanese Amazon (international shipping is available).

Here is the video for the album’s first single, “Disintegration”:

Kinoko Teikoku – “Natsuno Kage”

So after what I thought was a really successful single release in “Crybaby” this past June, Kinoko Teikoku have put out another track as they approach the release of their new album Ai no Yukue this November. “Natsuno Kage” (or “Summer’s Shadow”) hit iTunes at midnight Japan time – I’m assuming it’s just going to be another limited digital-only release like “Crybaby” – and my fingers were crossed, as I prepared to hit the play button, that this would be yet another sign of a return to pre-major form.

The first thing I noticed when I pulled the song up is that it’s seven and a half minutes long, making it the longest song they’ve released since “Flower Girl” on their 2013 Long Goodbye EP. You don’t find a whole lot of pop songs drawing on this long, so my curiosity was further piqued. I cleared my mind, got their entire back catalog out of my head, and finally hit play.

“Natsuno Kage” kicks off like a Fishmans-esque dreamy dub track, which is a lot more appealing than the light pop chorus that it transitions into. Similar to “Chronostasis” following “Tokyo” as the second lead single going into Fake World Wonderland, “Natsuno Kage” really slows things down when compared to “Crybaby” (and for what it’s worth, I like it a lot more than “Chronostasis”).

My opinion through the first half of the track is that it has a bunch of redeeming qualities. The chorus didn’t wow me, but the chill-out reggae twist was really pleasant, and Sato’s voice has just been so consistently good that there’s no real need to say anything about that. Once again Kinoko Teikoku show a remarkable ability to fill every ounce of space with sound, and the vocals are a major contributor there. Just as on the previous single, A-chan really gets back to what she does best: creating depth with her guitar work. Even if the track doesn’t quite get back to the early Kinoko Teikoku material that really showcased her ability and perhaps best reflected her own artistic influence, it sure sounds, as we draw nearer to the album release, that A-chan has more freedom than she did on the major debut.

There’s a bit on the track about three minutes in that teases with a bout of rumbling guitars, before transitioning right into that catchy chorus that I didn’t really care about, but by this point in the song has embedded itself somewhere deep in my brain against my will. Again at the four minute mark, things get a little heavier and the song has gone in a different direction…and we’re back to the chorus. As far as I’m concerned, the track could have ended at this point. When that last chorus kicks in, there’s the sense that it is going to crescendo into a big finale. It does build up, but it never quite gets to the point that it feels like it should. It does this for two minutes, actually. I wouldn’t call this a deal-breaker, but the five-minute version of the song is preferred.

I don’t feel as strongly about “Natsuno Kage” as I did “Crybaby”, but after a handful of listens I remain optimistic heading into Ai no Yukue, based largely on the perception that Sato is sharing the reigns with A-chan a bit more. The dream dub vibe worked pretty well, but when we finally get this new album, the hope is that there’ll be a bit more of an edge to it. We’ll see.

There aren’t any links to the new song at the moment, but the title track from the upcoming album is the theme song for the upcoming film 湯を沸かすほどの熱い愛, and is featured in this trailer (starting at the one-minute mark):

Cigarette in your Bed – “Nothing E.P.”

When I came to Japan and started a blog about Japanese shoegaze music, I almost immediately found the Kansai scene to be the most accessible. I have fond memories of a bunch of bands who were not only really welcoming but also supportive of the blog and zine, especially bands like Lemon’s Chair and Ether Feels. The Japan Shoegazer Festival in Osaka was a very comfortable spot for me, and thanks to the bands and the community that grew around the event I was able to get to know some great folks and learn a lot about the Japanese shoegaze scene.

photo from http://cigaretteinyourbed.com/

One of the bands who really helped me out was Cigarette in your Bed. The band split time between Tokyo and Osaka, though around that time they seemingly played a bit more in Osaka. They were a staple of not only the Japan Shoegazer Festival (in both cities), but the frequently held High Fader Night at Club Vijon in Kitahorie as well.

In addition to being cool dudes, Cigarette in your Bed’s music resonated with me instantly. Their style was really unique compared to a lot of what was going on in the Japanese shoegaze scene. The name conjures the image of a My Bloody Valentine knock-off, but they were far from that. They were far edgier than their peers, drawing as much influence from grunge and 90s alt rock as they did shoegaze. Their live show was dynamic and brutally loud. I’d made it a point to come down to Osaka to see them play whenever I could.

Cigarette in your Bed has come quite a long way since then, releasing their debut full-length Darkness in 2014 via High Fader and playing some big shows, including opening for Astrobrite in 2015, while also starting an event of their own called “THE FUZZ”. The band’s since moved on from their previous scene and found a new home in the Koenji hard rock scene, but with the release of their new Nothing E.P. they’ve shown a dedication to their core sound.

The EP kicks off with “Nothing”, a track that plays like a straightforward rock song blanketed in quivering shoegaze guitars. The verses are decent enough, paced by a steady beat and frontman Kazuya Saijo’s simple vocals, but the song really takes off at the explosive chorus. The repetition of the vocals is pretty similar to “Let Me Out”, giving them an almost instrumental quality that’s secondary to the massive guitar buildup.

“Ghost” is a three-phase track that cuts from a bendy guitar howl of an intro verse not too different from “Nothing” to an overdrive-heavy rehashing of the same. The song feels like three different variations of the same basic line, with the first part being more “gazey” and the second a bit more grunge-y with super distorted vocals. The track winds down in a sort of striped down version of the introduction. It’s a short track, but interesting enough in that the band basically demonstrates its range while never really changing the parts too much.

Finally, “I Don’t Know” gets away from the intensity of the first few tracks, showing off the dreamier side of what Cigarette in your Bed can do. The song basically goes back and forth between a sweet-sounding, reverb-soaked verse and a sort of disorienting few measures of a chorus. The main part is really chilled out and comfy before the guitars spin out for a bit. One other noticeable part of the song that’s a bit different from their previous work and consistent throughout the EP is the complexity of the basslines. The band is showing some maturity with their new stuff, and it should sound even better once the production value picks up.

Overall I’ve enjoyed the EP. It’s just three tracks and they’re pretty simple, but Cigarette in your Bed have always made some really great tracks with a simple approach. Unfortunately for fans of the band overseas it’s going to be tough to get your hands on this, but if you happen to be in the Tokyo or Osaka areas for one of their gigs it’s totally worth it for the show and the goods.

There aren’t even any samples of the music online apart from a few brief clips the band has posted on its Twitter account. You can also buy some merch at their online store and purchase their debut album “Darkness” on Amazon. Here is a video of a live performance of “I Don’t Know” uploaded by Club Kinoto. The recorded version is better, but this will at least give you a bit of an idea. Enjoy!

Mississippi Khaki Hair – “1st Demo”

It doesn’t feel like very long ago at all that I was gushing over a promising teen indie shoegaze outfit from Osaka called Whisper Voice Riot. 2015 was a great year for the band, who established themselves as one of the young bands to keep an eye on – and not just in the shoegaze scene. They put out their debut EP, Before the Morning Cleaves Our Night, last fall, appeared at Total Feedback and Kyoto Shoegazer, and seemed to be picking up steam. It was therefore a bit of a shock that this past spring the band announced that their appearance at the 2016 Kyoto Shoegazer fest would be their last. The news was pretty sudden, and I was personally really disappointed to see such a promising young band call it.

There was some consolation, however, upon hearing that three of Whisper Voice Riot’s members, including frontman Taito, would continue making music under a different name. The direction of the new project, called Mississippi Khaki Hair, was a bit of a mystery, but one thing was made perfectly clear: this wasn’t going to be a shoegaze band.

Mississippi Khaki Hair got right to gigging in early May and this past Friday released a 3-song demo EP. They released two-thirds of the EP a week or so in advance on Soundcloud, and my first thought was that it wasn’t a massive departure from some of the dancier WVR stuff. There is much more of a groove to the new project, though, but it didn’t seem different enough to necessarily warrant a completely new project. “True Love” is a romantic, synth-laden blend of new wave and shoegaze, while “Phone Call” has a distinctly Strokes-y vibe to it, with overdriven vocals and prominent guitar lead paced by a consistent four on the floor beat. “Silence Like A Shout” is a bit more along the lines of the latter – another lo-fi indie rock dance track.

The demos are really rough, and Taito acknowledges this along with the fact that this is pretty much just a sample to show people what the new band is all about. When I asked him why he scrapped Whisper Voice Riot to start a new project, his answer was simple: “I couldn’t be satisfied with WVR.” In addition to members being busy and it being difficult to consistently write music, there were creative issues as well and Taito stresses the goal of MKH is to make music that’s more original. “Whisper Voice Riot’s music was derivative, and I didn’t want it to end there. The two new songs we posted are really traditional, but, combining shoegaze, post punk, and pop music, we are getting ready to show people what we’re all about.”

This is just the beginning of Mississippi Khaki Hair as a band, and, just like WVR, they’ve gotten off to a pretty fast start. Physical copies of their demo EP are only available at gigs at the moment, but there are plans to release it digitally on Bandcamp and potentially sell physical copies online as well. In the meantime, the whole thing is up on Soundcloud. It’s still a demo, but you can get an idea of what the band is going for, and it’s a lot of fun. My personal favorite track – it’s probably not a coincidence that it’s also the song that most resembles WVR’s music – is “True Love”. You’ll be wanting to keep an eye and an ear open for these guys, so be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Kinoko Teikoku – “Crybaby”

When I started this blog in early 2012 I was completely in love with Kinoko Teikoku. Just about everything I tweeted was gushing praise of their music, and when I finally moved to Japan that spring it felt like fate that they were playing in Nagoya a mere weeks after I would arrive. Seeing them at Club Rock n Roll is still one of my favorite live experiences ever. Their music was powerful and emotional, and really struck a chord with me.

Fast forward to the spring of 2015, when it was announced that Kinoko Teikoku, whose previous album was extremely hit or miss, I might add, would release their major label debut in the form of a single called “Sakura ga Saku mae ni”. The track wasn’t very good, nor was the subsequent full-length debut “Neko to arerugi”. Kinoko Teikoku had changed, and I was balancing the feeling of being happy that they found success with the disappointment that they seemed to have left behind a majority of the qualities that I, and a growing global fanbase, had come to love. Sure Chiaki Sato’s voice was still gorgeous and the songwriting was fine. What I missed the most was the power and edge that they had done so well that made way for unexciting pop tracks. It didn’t feel right and I was just about done.

It might be the reason I completely missed the news that last week Kinoko Teikoku had released a limited digital single (I’m assuming it’ll only be up for a short period of time) called “Crybaby”. As I do with everything they release, I bought it on iTunes, a sense of apprehension and a little bit of hope that something might be different. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a pop track, there’s no doubting that. The verses are cute and gentle, and the chorus plays like a melancholy J-pop ballad, but there’s a lot more substance surrounding it. There’s a harshness to the guitar tone that’s returned from Kinoko Teikoku tracks past, and from right around the 3:10 point the song really starts to feel like a throwback to their earlier stuff. There’s even a bit in the buildup to the track’s climax that sounds an awful lot like the intro to fan favorite “Yoru ga Aketara”. In past interviews, A-Chan had been pretty outspoken about her love of 90s alt rock and shoegaze, and their first few releases had really reflected that. In “Crybaby” it feels like there is a perfect balance between Sato’s desire to make pop songs and A-Chan’s affinity for big, edgy guitars.

For the first time in a while I’m really pleased with a Kinoko Teikoku track. If “Sakura ga Saku Mae ni” was the prelude to a bad album, I really hope that “Crybaby” is a sign that things are heading back in the right direction.

The single is currently available on Japanese iTunes, though I’m not sure if there will be plans to release it on the US store. It also appears to be available on Recochoku.jp. Here is a brief teaser that’s been posted on YouTube.