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[interview] exist†trace U.S. tour

February 21st, 2012

Exist TraceMarch will be a busy month for Japanese concerts in New York City, from the annual Japan Nite show at Public Assembly to L’arc~en~Ciel ar Madison Square Garden. But one of the highlights is sure to be exist†trace, a melodic death metal band with an uncompromising sound and the distinction of being one of the rare all-female bands in the male-dominated Visual Kei scene. They made their U.S. debut at SakuraCon last year, and are back for an East Coast tour this spring, performing at New York’s own Hiro Ballroom on Mar. 18.

Rhythm guitarist and bandleader miko gives us a preview of the tour via e-mail.

Since you performed at Sakuracon, what brings you back to the United States for a full tour?

miko: The live show at Sakuracon was really fun. Since we realized that everyone in America was seeking our music, we thought it would be great to do a variety of cities in America the next time around and spend time with the American part of the “igu family” [nickname for exist†trace fans].

What does the band plan to do in New York City for fun?

miko: We really want to go and visit Ground Zero. Also we want to eat some hot dogs and do some shopping.

Do you have any particular musical influences from New York City bands?

miko：As for New York bands, I like KISS. We really respect New York born Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big, and Steve Tyler of Aerosmith.

What do you want J-rock fans in America to take away from your performance?

miko: I want them to think, “Wow! Japanese female rock is cool!” I would be excited if people got cheered up and happy listening to our music.

exist†trace 2012 U.S. tour dates:

Mar. 15
Boston, MA
The Middle East

Mar. 18
New York, NY
Hiro Ballroom

Mar. 20
Philadelphia, PA
Starlight Ballroom

Mar. 22 to 25
Pittsburgh, PA
Tekkoshocon

For tickets and more, visit http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace-america-tour-2012.html

LINKS:
exist†trace on JapanFiles: http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace
exist†trace Official Website: http://www.exist-trace.com

Translation by YesJapan.com

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Interview with Cibo Matto

October 17th, 2011

Cibo Matto is wasting no time in their comeback. A mere three months after touring the country, they’re back on the stage this Thursday. This time, they’re celebrating their Japanese heritage by performing at the Japan Society with R&B artist Yu Sakai. Miho Hatori (vocals) and Yuka Honda (keyboards, backing vocals) describe their new album, their interest in charity efforts, and the “Occupy Ambiguity” movement.

Cibo Matto

Five years ago, you two participated in a joint panel in which you said Cibo Matto was unlikely to unite again. What changed over the past five years?

Tide, wind, moon, the position of the sun. Impermanence.

Is there any symbolism in your performing at the Japan Society, after that panel?

The greatest significance right now is that Japan Society has been doing a fantastic work with the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund.

How did you come to decide to perform at the Japan Society, after hitting up mostly clubs on the “Yeah Basically, Cibo Matto” tour?

Their artistic director, Yoko Shioya, contacted us and asked to play. Not only has she been curating fantastic shows, she also put together a powerful benefit concert for Japan Rescue Fund. Of course, we said yes.

How is performing in a theater-like venue different from performing in a club?

The audience in a theater-like venue is sitting down, which provides them comfort but prevents them from swaying to the rhythm.

Of the two new songs Cibo Matto debuted over the summer, “10th Floor Ghost Girl” particularly intrigued me because the lyrics sounded quite different from the usual Cibo Matto. Can you tell us more about the song’s conception and theme?

The song is a preview of our new album which is in the making right now. While we live in this instant communication world, we hope that you can enjoy the slow unfolding of our new concept.

Have you performed with Yu Sakai before?

No, this is the first time we’ll get to hear him.

What do you think of Mr. Sakai’s music?

His music is new to us. We hear that he is extremely talented. We look forward to seeing his show.

Cibo Matto occupies an interesting space. In America, you’re often viewed as a Japanese band, but in Japan, your sound isn’t perceived as sounding Japanese. What do you make of this, and how do you handle it?

“Occupy Ambiguity”(!)–haha, joking.

We like being this presence where we are sending you question marks and exclamation points. What is a Japanese band? for example. Is it a band that plays Japanese music? Or is it a band which consists of Japanese people? What is Japanese music? What if the band has some Japanese and some others?

We think that these categorizations round off who we really are as individuals and are therefore meaningless.

Can you tell us more about the upcoming Cibo Matto album?

It involves a ghost girl. It involves floors, a downstairs bar, rooms and a building. Green luminescent drinks and of course, love.

Ms. Hatori, I know you were working on a solo album. Is that still in the works?

Yes, coming up.

Cibo Matto performed a few charity concerts for Japan earlier this year. Will you continue your charity efforts?

Yes, definitely.

Cibo Matto and Yu Sakai will perform at 8 pm on October 20. For tickets and more information, visit Japan Society’s Web site.

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Interview: Swinging Popsicle

September 23rd, 2011

Swinging Popsicle
Some artists set their sights high, aiming to shake the music industry with an avant-garde style or change listeners’ perceptions of the world. Others focus on making simple, good music. Swinging Popsicle falls into the latter category, and we love them for it. Since 1997, they’ve released breezy, Beatles-inspired music bolstered by smooth melodies and impressive musicianship–Mineko Fujishima’s sweet, understated singing, Osamu Shimada’s tasteful guitar licks, and Hironobu Hirata’s subtly intricate bass work. Swinging Popsicle hasn’t released any new albums since 2009′s Loud Cut, a mash-up of new music and tweaked older recordings, so Hirata took some time to tell us what the band’s been up to via e-mail.

It’s been nearly four years since the release of your last full album of new songs, Go on. What has Swinging Popsicle been up to since then?

Lately, we’ve been providing music for the PC and Xbox game publisher Nitroplus. We created the song “(a) SLOW STAR” as the main theme of Sumaga, “Perfect Loop” for Sumaga Special, and “Kagonotori” as the end theme for Axanael. We also released the collaboration album with Nitroplus, Loud Cut, which contained some Nitroplus theme songs and new versions of some of our favorite past songs. Swinging Popsicle provided music for and produced an album for Korean vocalist Taru, and we’ve traveled to Korea to perform with her. Personally, I’m also the music producer for a band called “Daiichi Uchuusokudo” featuring the Nitroplus character Super Sonico.

Who are some of the artists you worked with recently in your live shows? Are there any artists you regularly perform with?

Huckleberry Finn, Akiko Morikawa, Vasallo Crab 75, Keigo Iwase (formerly of 19), Plectrum, and Nitroplus vocalist Kanako Ito have been our favorites to work with recently. Plectrum is a guitar band we’ve worked with for a long time, and the members of sometimes play as support members for Swinging Popsicle’s live shows. They have a wonderful sound, and they have a good relationship with Teenage Fanclub. [Editor's note: Teenage Fanclub themselves named Plectrum.]

How did Swinging Popsicle start working with game studio Nitroplus on the games soundtracks for “Sumaga” and “Axanael”?

There was a fan of Swinging Popsicle at Nitroplus, and the company called us to work on music for their games. Pop music is rare in PC game soundtracks, so it was an exciting challenge. The background music for these games is really interesting to me, too, so I’ve become involved in creating the BGM for the games.

How many years has Swinging Popsicle been playing music together? How do you keep your excitement for making music?

It’s been 15 years since we formed the band: me, Shimada, and Fujishima. It’s pretty rare in our music scene for a band to have the same members for 15 years. Creating music together for a long time makes us feel that our music is very precious, and we grow to love each Swinging Popsicle song. I always appreciate that the other members still play music with me. I constantly focused on keeping a level of creativity and passion that matches the other members, so that the members think “I want to sing this song,” or “I want to play this song.” I also want them to think, “I want to play with Hirata!”

How has the current crisis in Japan affected your songwriting?

Due to the radiation accident in Fukushima, there were many times that there wasn’t enough electricity and we had many power outages. Some concerts that consume a lot of electricity were canceled, and sometimes the recording was interrupted. A music performance nowadays relies so much on electricity. We participated in a live show called “We can sing even when there’s no electricity.” We also had a live show with only an acoustic guitar, a wood bass, and natural vocals. The song we performed for the first time at that time is our latest song, “Do your Homework.”

But all of that is just the practical effect. The personal effect is much more important. Since the disaster on 3/11, all of the musicians in Japan have started to think about the power that music has. We’re thinking about the things we can accomplish through music, what musicians should do now, and what we should sing about. Each of us are creating new music with “hope.” And we appreciate the days that we can work with music like it’s normal. I believe that this experience will make all music beautiful.

What music style or concept are you focusing on for the next Swinging Popsicle album? What things will surprise long-time Swinging Popsicle fans?

The core of our music is a warm and catchy melody, good harmonies, and the beautiful voice of Mineko Fujishima. A lot of modern music is often made with machines, and I think it just makes the music sound so similar, and it lacks warmth. Since Mineko’s voice is wonderful and cannot be copied, I would like to improve our musical sound so it can match that level, and when we get there, that’s what makes our songs “Swinging Popsicle.”

LINKS:
Swinging Popsicle on JapanFiles: http://www.japanfiles.com/swingingpopsicle
Swinging Popsicle Official Website: http://www.swinging-popsicle.com
Rubber Soul Recordings: http://web.me.com/hirata_hironobu

Translation by YesJapan.com

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Interview with exist†trace

September 23rd, 2011

As a band comprising five female members, exist†trace is a rarity in the male-dominated Visual Kei scene. While they initially over how to present their gender when they debuted in 2005, alternating between womanly and sexually ambiguous appearances, exist†trace soon won over fans with their menacing, Kittie-inspired death metal sound and uniquely feminine lyrical viewpoint. Having performed in America at Sakura Con last March and released their major label debut True in June, exist†trace has broken gender barriers in the Visual Kei scene and become role models for aspiring female musicians.

Guitarist Miko answered several questions for Rose Tegami Media via e-mail.
Exist Trace

Your latest release, True, has a more mainstream, polished sound than your previous music. What influenced this new direction for you?

We didn’t particularly intend to make it more mainstream. The sound of this album is what formed naturally after we filled it with what we wanted to express. We think that our music is something that keeps betraying your expectations, in a good sense.

Was this sound something you’d planned for a while, or did it come more spontaneously?

It depends on each song. “True” came out almost the same as the demo, but “Honnou” and “Tokoyami no Yoake” changed so much during the recording. Especially the guitar work and the laughing in “Honnou”–the passion in the studio made this song change into the version that’s on the CD.

Can you tell us about the experience of recording True?

We began recording at the beginning of this year, and we were still working on it until we went to America in April. Because we spent a long time on it, I think we were able to polish the sound into exactly what we wanted. Also, we wanted to create our first major-label release completely on our own, and this was self-produced. So, the band came together more than ever, and that made it really special.

I think it’s fascinating that you’re among the few female Visual Kei musicians. What do you think are the reasons Visual Kei remains a mostly male music scene, even though it’s been around for decades?

I think it’s because there is a bias that Visual Kei is music only for men. This is true for fans and for musicians, too. There shouldn’t be a gender wall in music, right? I think the common ideas about Visual Kei have been changing during the last few years. We want to be the leader in this change, so that female artists can be proud and perform.

When exist†trace was new, you didn’t make the band members’ gender clear. What was the reason for this?

The five of us got together, saying “We want to do a band with only women,” but we never thought that a female band wouldn’t be welcomed. In the beginning, we didn’t hide that we’re female, but there were many times when things didn’t work out. So there was a certain period of time when we purposely got rid of the feminine side. However, Jyou’s voice is without a doubt a female voice. We started to think that if we could take more advantage of being female, we would be able to fully express our thoughts from the bottom of our hearts in the lyrics. That’s why we started to push the fact that we’re female. As a result, we have more support, and we’re able to create music freely.

I’ve read that exist†trace’s style comes from the fact all members are females. What are the ideas that only women can express?

I think the theme of “Life and Death” that often appears in our lyrics is probably perceived differently between men and women. We, the women, are the sex that can bear children. I’m very attracted to the life-and-death concept because of this fact, and the other members also understand it deeply. This largely influences not only the lyrics but also our sound, too, so the fact that all of the members are female is really important for us. It’s irreplaceable.

LINKS:
exist†trace on JapanFiles: http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace
exist†trace Official Website: http://www.exist-trace.com

Translation by YesJapan.com

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Chihiro Onitsuka: Ken to Kaede (2011)

July 25th, 2011

Chihiro Onitsuka returns to the music scene with a new label, For Life Entertainment, and a new sound. Her sixth original album, Ken to Kaede, easily ranks among her best for its distinct Celtic sound and bold songwriting.

Onitsuka’s previous original album, Dorothy (2009), was a return to form after the scattered Las Vegas. It leaned heavily on the pretty, polished pop ballads for which she is popular. She could’ve easily duplicated the formula for followup Ken to Kaede, but she instead filtered the ambition of Las Vegas through consistently excellent composition.

It’s evident from the first song, the ballad “Aoi Tori.” Its Celtic melody and arrangement sound more daring than Oni’s early music. The Celtic influence recurs throughout Ken to Kaede, reaching its apex on a cover of the folk song “An Fhideag Airgid.”

The acoustic b-side “New Age Stranger” gets a vocoded, techno makeover for the album, sounding like the crazier sister of “Steal This Heart.” Onitsuka wrote “Candy Girl” and “Ever After” while role playing a composer for the Johnny’s Entertainment group Arashi, and her eccentric vocal delivery makes the songs positively bizarre.

Even the more classically Onitsuka tunes like “Iris” and “Yume kamo shirenai” have a rawer production and more guitar-driven sound than, say, “Gekkou.” It’s refreshing to see Oni take these risks, and she pulls them off consistently well this time around.

Ken to Kaede is not the easiest album for Chihiro fans to warm up to, but it’s arguably her most artistic statement to date. It will be interesting to see if she follows it up with another unpredictable album, or a more commercially safe one.

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Cibo Matto: Yeah, Basically, Cibo Matto at the Bowery Ballroom

July 22nd, 2011

Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda

It’s easy to feel skeptical or even cynical toward band reunions. You might worry that the members have lost their chemistry, or that they’ll come off as an outdated nostalgia act instead of the vital musical force they once were. Your fears might even come true.

These fears shouldn’t apply to Cibo Matto. In an emotionally intense show at the Bowery Ballroom on July 18, part of their “Yeah, Basically, Cibo Matto” tour, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda proved that they still know their chicken and are simply picking up where they left off in 2001.

Cibo Matto tested new material from their forthcoming third album. One of the two new songs, “10th Floor Ghost Girl,” included triple layers of percussion. Hatori tentatively asked the audience if they liked the song, to unanimous approval.

But the set largely covered fan favorites, such as “Beef Jerky” and “Birthday Cake,” and it was these songs that pumped up the 550-person crowd most. Most songs stayed close to the album versions, aside from “Know Your Chicken” and a dub-inspired “Sci-Fi Wasabi.” Though they’re all at least a decade old, these songs sound strikingly fresh. Cibo Matto’s multicultural sound–including Japanese, Brazilian and New York City influences–suits our globalized world. Yuka Honda’s mashup style shares some of the spirit of acclaimed, newer artists such as Girl Talk. And their rap-dance fusion both preceded the currently popular varieties and remains among the most interesting in the genre.

Not that the concert was devoid of reminiscence. Sean Lennon’s band The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger opened the show, acknowledging Lennon’s past connections with Cibo Matto and adding some extra star power–and great music–to the night.
Cibo Matto
It was clear the fans really, really missed Cibo Matto. Some wore the duo’s old t-shirts, others hadn’t followed Honda or Hatori solo but were thrilled to see the two together again, and everyone roared along with the chorus to each classic song.

Sadly, Cibo Matto played just 12 songs, which felt too short for a long-awaited reunion. Just as the show hit serious momentum with “Birthday Cake,” the main set ended, and the encore lasted only two songs. The brief setlist also meant Honda and Hatori had little time to bring out deeper cuts.

After the lights turned up and the crowd began to disperse, Hatori ran back onstage to thank the audience and express hope to see them soon. The impromptu gesture was heartfelt, and returned thoroughly by the fans.

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Galileo Galilei’s film “Control Tower (Kanseitou)” premieres at Japan Cuts, July 19

June 29th, 2011


Control Tower (Kanseitou), a film based on a song by Hokkaido band Galileo Galilei, will make its American premiere on July 19 at Japan Cuts, Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. The same day, their first full album, Parade, which includes the theme song “Kanseitou (acoustic),” will be released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom through iTunes and Amazon.

Galileo Galilei made its major debut in 2008 after winning the teenage audition festival Senkou Riot.

Their debut song “Hanamasu no Hana” (2010) sold more than 1 million downloads, and Parade reached the top 5 on the Oricon weekly chart in February.

Their first original song “Kanseitou (acoustic)” was adapted into a film, set in their hometown of Wakkanai, Hokkaido.

Japan Cuts is the one and only contemporary Japanese film festival curated by the Japan Society. Entering its fifth year, it will feature 32 titles, including Battle Royale, Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha: The Great Departure, and Gantz. The film festival runs from July 7, 2011 until July 22, 2011.

Information for Control Tower (Kanseitou):
July 19, 9:30 pm
68 minutes, in Japanese with English subtitles.
Directed by Takahiro Miki. Starring Kento Yamazaki and Ai Hashimoto.

Featuring the hottest-looking teenagers of this year’s lineup and inspired by a song of the same name by the rock band Galileo Galilei, director Miki’s latest is the distilled, purest essence of Japanese teenage romance. Yamazaki plays a bored 15-year-old boy named Kakeru who’s trying to figure out where he belongs against the backdrop of the spectacular winter frost in Wakkanai, Hokkaido. One day, he meets a transfer student named Mizuho (Hashimoto, Confessions). Through their common love of music, they communicate and find something that makes their young hearts beat faster.

http://www.galileogalilei.jp/
http://www.japansociety.org/japancuts

This post was adapted from a press release sent from Sony Music.

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Cocco: Emerald (2010)

June 27th, 2011

EmeraldWhen Cocco made her solo comeback in 2006, her music didn’t hit the spot the way it had before. Zan Cyan was tepid on the whole, and Kira Kira was interesting for its experimentation but not a thoroughly compelling listen.

Enter Emerald, Cocco’s first album since 2007 and the most daring entry in her catalogue thus far.

For the first time, Cocco produced all the music on her own and collaborated with six arrangers, parting with her tradition of using no more than three per album. Combine these with the artist’s riskiest songwriting ever, and Emerald includes an inspired range of sounds but still feels thematically cohesive.
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New Cocco best album out in August

June 27th, 2011

Cocco
Cocco continues celebrating her 15-year anniversary with her second best compilation, a decade after her first. Like Best+Ura Best+Mihappyou Kyokushuu, The Best Ban is a 2-disc comprising singles, album songs and b-sides. The first disc consists mostly of pre-hiatus songs, while the second covers Cocco’s solo music from 2004 onward.

The Best Ban includes rarities, such as “Garnet” and “Tori no Uta,” and two new recordings. One of these, “Gunjou no Tani,” was originally recorded by the pop singer Alan in tribute to victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Presumably Cocco is being topical in self-covering the song, because 100 yen of the proceeds from the special edition go toward Tohoku earthquake relief.

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Namie Amuro: Checkmate! (2011)

June 15th, 2011

Checkmate! CD+DVD coverThough Namie Amuro has worked with with rappers and other singers since her seventh solo single in 1996, she’s collaborated even more frequently since taking control of her career in 2001. Checkmate collects her collaborations from 2003 onward and adds four exclusive ones, allowing fans to hear her early forays into the pop-R&B field alongside songs produced during her dominance of it.

When Amuro began transitioning from pop to R&B singer in late 2002 to early 2003, she needed to prove her credibility. She accomplished this by collaborating with established hip-hop artists, most extensively in the Suite Chic project but also in songs included on Checkmate. She sang on two rap songs, Heartsdales’s “Wet ‘n Wild” and Zeebra’s “After Party,” a significant departure from the idol R&B she recorded under Tetsuya Komuro.

By the mid-2000s, Amuro had staked her claim as the “Queen of Hip-Pop,” but she continued to expand her repertoire through collaborations.  You can hear how far she had come in just three years by the buoyant and natural-sounding hook she contributed to Zeebra’s “Do What U Gotta Do” (2006).
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