Make Believe Melodies For October 2, 2020
Featuring CHAI, KiWi and surprises on the Oricon Chart
CHAI “Donuts Mind If I Do”
The lede is, CHAI signs with Sub-Pop Records, but what “Donuts Mind If I Do” really signifies is a sound that has become prominent in Japan’s rock scene over the last five years getting the rare reverse-import treatment out of the country. This is the sound of “new City Pop,” all laid back and horn accented. The irony is this sound — captured by early Suchmos, Yogee New Waves, Lucky Tapes and recent upstarts like Yonawo — has little to do with the bubble era, but more with Western funk and 2010s indie darlings like Mac DeMarco, who replaced The Drums as the go-to Western influence for every vaguely hip band emerging out of Setagaya over the last few years (while also inspiring said crowd to wear A LOT of Carhartt). Perhaps CHAI’s time with the Canadian artist rubbed off on them, or maybe they’re opting to lean towards the stroll-ready tempo they’ve dipped into before. Whatever the reason, “Donuts Mind If I Do” offers a lot of listeners the chance to hear what’s been trending sonically in Japan for a while, albeit via a band long operating away from that zone.
It’s that outsider perspective, though, that makes “Donuts Mind If I Do” far more interesting than a lot of what comes from this realm. Credit to CHAI, who have always been good at rejecting cliche in favor of staying true to themselves, even if that largely means celebrating food above all else. Which, kind of the case here, though is often the case something sweeter run underneath. The other important player is Ryo Takahashi, who co-produced this with Alex MacKay. His speciality is finding disorienting new angles on familiar sounds — he helped create the music for chelmico’s “Easy Breezy” — and I feel like how this song isn’t too relaxed owes a lot to his ability to take something that has become commonplace — like some horn blurts — and make them ever so off.
Kan Sano “Think Twice”
While on the topic of contemporary producers offering new perspectives on the familiar, Kan Sano demonstrates why his name should be in discussion for any project with this reimagining of funky jazz number “Think Twice.” The groove of the original remains, but gets a digital makeover helping to put Sano’s stamp on it.
Rainych Ran “Say So” Japanese Versions (tofubeats remix)
While this rework of a viral cover proves to be sturdy enough on its own, I’m mostly tickled by the accidental connections going on here. This is a Japanese take on Doja Cat’s “Say So” which sure does sound a lot like (hmmmmmmmmmm HMMMMMMMMMMM) Skylar Spence’s “Fiona Coyne,” who himself popped up on...a tofubeats’ song a year after that dropped. Gotta love those coincidences.
KiWi “Momochi No Kinoko”
One of the things I miss most about going to shows are those moments when you see a crowd just totally align with whatever an artist is doing, regardless of how seemingly weird it appears. A memory that has stuck with me is watching KiWi do a set at Shibuya’s Vision a couple years back, with a couple friends in tow unfamiliar with them. The duo launched into their Addams Family take on Mad Decent dance-pop, and my friends...plus seemingly half the people on the floor...were mostly confused. Yet as it kept going, everyone got into it — maybe ironically, but at some point a goof mutates into an honest good time. Anyway, that’s what I think about when I hear their new song, which is a banger about mushrooms.
Haruruinu Love Dog Tenshi “Lingering”
Can always use some melancholy rap-sing, though best to chase it with….
NENE Featuring NIPPS “Jigokuezu”
...pure aggression from one half of Yurufuwa Gang.
Oricon Trail For The Week Of Sept. 21, 2020 To Sept. 27, 2020
Back in the day, the Oricon Music Charts were the go-to path to music stardom in Japan. Acts of all sorts traversed these lands, trying to sell as many CDs as possible in order to land a good ranking on a chart choosing to only count physical sales, even as the Internet came to be and the number of versions offered for sale got ridiculous. Today, with the country finally in on the digital, these roads are more barren and only looked at by the most fanatic of supporters needing something to celebrate. Yet every week, a new song sells enough plastic to take the top spot. So let’s take a drip down…the Oricon Trail.
V6 “It’s My Life / PINEAPPLE” (106,330 Copies Sold)
If you’re looking for a good summary of why Oricon’s continued usage of a chart only counting physical copies sold (despite introducing a more cumulative ranking) is so fascinating, just look at the sales for this week.
In the top position, a fading Johnny’s And Associates pop group whose most famous member is probably best known for hosting a TV show where he goes to different neighborhood in Tokyo, while in the second spot...selling nearly 100,000 less copies of their single...is Dance For Philosophy with a disco throwback serving as their major debut single. And it’s a good slice of retro sound adding in theatrics that some other recent chart-topping disco cuts completely forgot to put in. Let’s give it an embed!
News And Views
We’re far closer to the end of 2020 than the beginning, which means it’s time to start taking stock of the year in music. Yet in Japan, the song of the year is easy…YOASOBI’s “Yoru Ni Kakeru” runs away with that title, with this week underlining why. Piecing together the top numbers in Japanese pop requires looking at a lot of charts, but YOASOBI topped two this week that really underline it’s staying power. After being nudged out of the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for a variety of boy bands, it returned to the top spot this week, reminding how ever-present it has become.
One place it hasn’t been dislodged for the majority of the year is Spotify’s Japan Top 50 playlist, where “Yoru Ni Kakeru” has held off BTS’ “Dynamite” for several weeks now (though it has gotten tight). Still, given how wildly popular the K-pop group is in Japan, managing to edge them out on this chart is impressive.
It’s not a sweep — on Oricon’s combined chart, it currently sits at third behind V6 and BTS, though it has been up there all year while those have been there like one week and one month respectively.
Do YOU want to try to produce the song that knocks YOASOBI off their perch? Big Hit Japan wants you!
In response to that Rolling Stone Best 500 Album List, Jonathan McNamara made a list of Japanese albums worthy of inclusion on said ranking for The Japan Times. It’s a nice response to a list that pretended Asia doesn’t exist, but then again who cares what Rolling Stone thinks in 2020? Which makes this a fun little mental exercise (and one correctly putting in Perfume’s GAME, surest way to my heart).
Have yet to listen to this Arama podcast on J-pop female vocalists, but I know how people get about Aimyon so I’m excited to hear it.
It’s Bandcamp Friday! Here’s a list of albums you should get if you are in a spending mood, with a few extra recommendations here: i-fls, Acida Manners, Machineone and an Amunoa album I totally missed until tonight.
Written by Patrick St. Michel (patrickstmichel@gmail.com)
Twitter — @mbmelodies