Starting with the instrumental track, Nakata busts out the real drum kit like he did with Puppy love on the GAME album (it being my 3rd favourite track overall). Everything else sounds like good old Perfume to me. I especially love the hat line throughout. The bassline is fairly standard, nothing particularly rumbly but carries well. The real feature instrument is the piano and electric keyboard. The arpeggios throughout the song really add the dreamy effect and the simple touches Nakata adds in are the icing on an already delicious cake.

And for the topping? I like strawberries. There happens to be 3 strawberries with the names of a~chan, nocchi, and kashiyuka on this Dream Fighter cake. Like most Perfume singles, I find the melody to stick to me like syrup does on pancakes. Not the runny kind, but the really thick and slow kind. Hrmm… molasses?

I guess syrup should stick since the ladies’ outfits are a syrupy yellow and are really sweet in all senses of the word. As usual, they assume their roles as the classy one, the girly one, and the leggy one. I just have to say that kashi’s boots are definitely made for walkin’ if you know what I mean.

Product packaging is cute. Even the obi paper is textured and shimmery like the insert that has cute solo pictures of each of the ladies.

The B-side, Negai, is a nice treat for the quiet technopop types. People have been calling it macaroni part 2. I think that it feels a bit more emotionally charged than macaroni. It’s probably because it’s slower and less playful. As slow and chill macaroni is, it’s still got a bit of pep in its step. Negai, however, just makes me want to lie down and reflect on things.

Overall, love the package and hope this keeps going.

Techno-Pop Sweetheart Aira Mitsuki returns after the (what I believe to be) success of her debut album, “C.O.P.Y”, with ROBOT HONEY. I say successful because C.O.P.Y sold just 400 copies less than Perfume’s Complete Best Limited Edition. For this entry, I’ll be commenting only on the PV while saving the actual music commentary for when I get the chance to listen to the single. All I’ll say for now is that it’s super-cute!

As for the PV, though it’s been out for a few weeks already, let me start by saying “finally”. ROBOT HONEY’s close-ups, dance shots, and a few situational moments and really showcase Aira who is pretty cute in the PV. I find her previous PVs to be perverse and often baffling since they didn’t really show her off unlike other female, or female-led, artists. Colorful Tokyo Sound NO.9 had some dancing but nothing particularly in focus. China Discotica had some close-up shots but they were pretty lifeless (kinda reminded me of a few of the early Berryz close-up shot PVs). GALAXY BOY was just … special >_<.

But onto PV specifics, while better than her previous, I can negatively scan a few things in the PV. For example, the dance is a little cheesy but that’s ok; it’s the good kind of cheese. A few of the close-up shots lack energy but they don’t keep it on her long enough for me to actually care THAT much. And those are the cons when I’m actually looking for them. Otherwise, everything about this PV is what I expect of PVs. The flavor overall is quite tasty. Cute. All the outfits are cute. Totally fits the song. I just need a translation. Also, the mini-Aira was adorable with her key-bow in her hair.

Overall, yay. I wonder how her next will do.

Tour of the Americas Flyer

You remember that feeling of being a kid at Christmas? I felt that 2 Saturdays ago while attending this show. The whole feeling of the night was something unforgettable. I actually watched We Will Rock You, the Queen musical, earlier that day which won’t get its own review post but it’s definitely worth a viewing if you can make it to one! A couple of things didn’t happen as they should have but the night was definitely awesome and intense given this is the group that, in my opinon, had the best album of 2005 (with Hold Your Color).

XI on the ones and twos

The show was going on the same night Nuit Blanche was going on in Toronto. I could care less about contemporary art. I don’t have the mental mind state for it. But anyway, I just found out today that the opening act, Mystical Influences, couldn’t make it out. I’ve never heard of him before and I thought it to be odd that they start a Drum & Bass show without a D&B DJ or something. Ah well. Upon further research, I found out that another local DJ made it out that goes by the name XI. He spins grimy DubStep tracks. I wasn’t in the mood for it that night since it was I was expecting D&B but I’m actually listening to his mixes available for download off his MySpace while writing this up. It’s pretty hypnotic. But anyway, I got into Kool Haus half way through his set. Wasn’t feelin’ it but it was good for what it was. It’s pretty fkn awesome now that I’m listening to it while in a mood to listen to it. As expected, there was a decent crowd just camping the stage area waiting for Pendulum to come on. The people I was with at the time wanted to sit in the lounge area so I went with them for a bit but then we decided we’d get in on the crowd action. We managed to sneak into the middle and hung out there for a bit then they left me for one reason or another and I managed to get a spot right up against the front fence. Best place ever.

Kodish's Kit of Doom

So Pendulum gets on at 12 something and I’m just going bananas while they start off with Showdown, off the In Silico album, then directly into Fasten Your Seatbelts, my favourite track off the Hold Your Color album, which was just intense live. That and everyone around you is jumping. I probably crushed some poor person’s toes. Or maybe a few people’s… I dunno. I didn’t care. All the rest of the songs blur from here on out but I was having a hell of a time. I know they did Mutiny and it was awesome. I know they did The Other Side because that was another fun mosh song. It was too bad that there was no Tarantula or Masochist. Either way, I think it was one hell of a show for THEIR FIRST SHOW IN CANADA. wtf.

Post show, you can ask me about what happened if you care. I’d rather not put it up here just in case XD It’s kinda lulzy now that I think about it but… heh.

PENDULUM. LIVE. IS. AWESOME.

Hit them up if you’re into live D&B.

Also, I put up a video of Mutiny on Youtube. See if you can find it before they take it off.

Also, Pendulum’s Official Website. That might come in handy for people who want to know more about them.

My opinion of MEG, when I first reported on her, was iffy but optimistic, but now is quickly approaching fanboy status. There’s something about her singles that makes everything better regardless of your mood before listening. I find her to be the happy medium between the supercuteness of Perfume and the clubby epicness of Suzuki Ami and quirky enough to be compared to Otsuka Ai. What a combination…

I only watched the PV once before the LE CD+DVD came to my doorstep, mostly out of my fanboyish loyalties but also since I’ve been busy with life. I must say, while I do miss the neko suits, the real cats were pretty freaking cute. The “special effects” were fun to watch and MEG’s just beautiful as always. Oh, and the dance version PV on the DVD is LOVE for obvious reasons.

As for the songs themselves, I just can’t repeat myself enough when I say MEG’s singles put permasmiles on my face. PRECIOUS is textbook MEG technopop. If you don’t have the ears for electronic music, this might sound like every other MEG single. But for myself, the kicks are nice and heavy as I come to expect with MEG now, and the snare is full without being over-bearing. The electric piano, which is now a staple to this type of MEG song, opens well while the various synths carry the song well. While I don’t find the bass line to be as prominent as from other songs, it still peaks out at times and provides that steady foundation for the rest of the song to be layered on top of. Like most her singles, the chorus is incredibly catchy and gets stuck in my head. What really pulled me in was the bridge and the way she holds those notes. The end of summer mix doesn’t really do much more to the song other than offer a beachy feel with the acoustic guitar and extra percussion. Also, the electric piano has more presence throughout the song.

CANDY is a slower, chill song… that is, until about half way when Nakata pulls out the big guns: deep, dark kick drum and fuzz bass. While the bass is quiet and the song is only 90bpm, it doesn’t fail to entertain me. MEG spends the whole song in her higher registers which I enjoy for this type of song. I don’t know about how much staying power the song has but I’m enjoying it for now. I just wish Nakata went with a tempo increase or a different drum line but that would change the song’s feeling all together. I guess what I’m saying is that CANDY has remix potential.

All in all, another great single by MEG. She’s cute and quirky and makes me smile. If you enjoyed MEG’s previous singles, she doesn’t venture too far from her comfort bubble but I’m quite happy with her style and hope she keeps on going for as long as she can.

I don’t find a lot of MEG in the song but I do, kinda, see where the guy is coming from. If anything, a few of her strong notes ever so slightly remind me of misono, without the theatrics during the not so strong notes. So I surf over to theppn’s wiki and there’s nothing (as of August 20th) other than her birthday. I do enjoy the fact that she is my age. However, despite the lack of information on this lady, I think she’s gained a fan who happens to be quite fond of her vocal performance.

The sound of her voice sounds like someone spreading whipped cream on a cake: its sweet and light and airy in a good balance. I really want to hear other things from her. I already placed the order for the mini-album, COLORS, this song is on. It should be coming in the next week or two. Comments in the original post directed me to her myspace to hear her other songs but they’re all preview versions. Still, her voice is reminding me more and more of misono just through the previews. I wish I didn’t listen to those previews though…

As for the PV, she’ll break her wrist if she continues to handle disco bowling balls like that. The engrish is engrishtastic. That dress is the cutest thing I’ve seen in a while. She wears it like owns the place. The stockings and heels are pretty sexy <3. She has a few moments that I can't get enough of. I mean, she's sexy all throughout the parts where she's just playing around as opposed to just looking sexy (see: 2:27 when she's shaking her arms, and 3:14 blowing her ball for good luck. shut up.) Yum.

Bottom line, she's definitely someone I'd like to see more of. Her vocal ability (based on this song) is only matched by her beauty. I just hope she succeeds. <3 I'm cheering for you SAWA!

Buy on CDJapan:

Colors

SAWA

1. MAGIC
2. KITTENISH
3. MAKE LOVE
4. PRISM BOY
5. HEART
6. SUPERSONIC
7. SEARCHLIGHT
8. NATALIE
9. KITTENISH
10. PRISM BOY

Back after her BEAM album, STEP brings all the TechnoPop goodness you come to expect of MEG and Nakata-san. On the blm cuteness scale, she’s a few notches under Perfume. Her voice still delivers that “I-don’t-know-what-it-is” factor and is suited perfectly with her on-stage persona. This might sound a little off base but she reminds me of Ogura Yuko’s on-stage persona: they both look a little lost and/or confused and cute while singing except that MEG isn’t actually one or the other, only looks it, but still cute. This album definitely delivers in that it contains more songs of the style I prefer over Perfume’s GAME album and I fear it might just be a notch of two higher on my personal favourite album list. I just wish that the last two tracks were more than just a remix and extended mix. That’s fine for singles but on an album? *sigh* And because of that, the remix tracks won’t be part of the countdown. I won’t bother making PV comments in this one either.

The track-by-track in regular blm style after the jump!

8. NATALIE
First of all, I’ll say that I don’t not like any of the songs on this album. Unfortunately, this is how things get reviewed around here and it’s a format that I’ve grown to love. I hope you do too! Anyway, NATALIE is the brick wall at the end of a totally awesome joy ride that is STEP. It’s the last track of the original content on the album and has a similar feel to Perfume’s Macaroni. It’s a cute little song (I wish I had translations to) that really showcases MEG’s mellower side. If there was one remix track that were to be included in this album, I wish it would’ve been the of this song from the HEART single. It’s less acoustic and more technopop and would’ve been the perfect little ender to this joy ride. Again, it’s not a bad song, it definitely showcases MEG’s talents but the technopop version would’ve of been better for the album.

7. MAKE LOVE
It feels like something they’d play at a fashion show or high profile party - Models with attitude walking down a catwalk, mingling with members of high society with a glass of bubbly in your hand in a modern and clean white loft in the middle of downtown overlooking the nightlife below. Nakata’s music does a number on my mental imagery. Musically, nothing really sticks out but it all blends together well to make a nice musical package to be enjoyed with some champagne and a hot cocktail dress.

6. SUPERSONIC
This is STEP’s MODEL though MODEL sounds a bit more sinister. This one sounds like a wilder MAKE LOVE, taking place at a technopop club with glowsticks and candykids everywhere you turn. The chorus bass line gives such an impact and the fun carries through the rest of the song. It must be the fuzz. This is practically guaranteed to be on TechnoPopLove 2.

5. KITTENISH
This track has the elements and all the potential of being a high-energy track but the party feel isn’t there. Not saying that it’s lacking in something but it gets put in a different class than the two tracks previous. Think more Suzuki Ami - ONE. It’s got more of that epic feel but with the cuteness still intact. The is quieter yet maintains all of the epic and cute. In this case, I prefer the original.

4. SEARCHLIGHT
This is STEP’s ROMANTIKA. It oozes Nakata and capsule but for some reason, MEG just turns it into something completely her own. Paradox? Slightly. The piano definitely adds that classic, jazzy, capsule-y feel while being able to provide a new and fresh flavor to technopop in general. The arpy spherical synth that lingers throughout the song does something magical to the track. You wouldn’t really hear it if you weren’t paying attention but if it wasn’t there, it just wouldn’t sound complete.

3. HEART
This is the second of the two singles released from this album. It’s cute and has everything I enjoy in a cute technopop song but didn’t have the staying power of MAGIC. The vocal delivery, however, is one of my favourites in a MEG song. There isn’t too much to comment on about this song since cute technopop doesn’t get too complex but that’s probably one of its more attractive features. You can just listen to it without having to think or pay much attention and enjoy it.

2. MAGIC
I don’t quite know what it is about this song that makes it #2 on the track-by-track but is one of my favorite cute technopop songs probably my favourite cute technopop song by MEG. Did it overtake OK? Probably. I haven’t gotten sick of it yet. MEG really delivers in this chorus and is the reason why I love this song so much. Its melody is infectious and just splendid. It’s not quite love the world level but super-cute and well-performed regardless.

1. PRISM BOY
I like this song so much, I’ve been thinking about changing one of my online aliases to prismboy (my current gaming alias on Steam is soundboy so it wouldn’t be too far of a jump). From the opening delayed synth to the strong vocals and solidly held notes from MEG to the beat dropping in the chorus, this song is a powerhouse and contains elements from all high-energy technopop styles that I adore, It is my new MEG image song. I just wish that she release singles like this. All of her single tracks, like the two previous, showcase her technopop cute and not enough of her technopop epic which Suzuki Ami seems to dominate in. I wonder what kind of sales she’d produce with a shift in focus of singles. Then again, Suzuki Ami didn’t do too well with FREE FREE / SUPER MUSIC MAKER and ONE. Hopefully, that’ll change.

So, I just re-read my review of BEAM and a lot has changed about my opinion of MEG since then. Her voice has really grown on me in the half a year I’ve been enjoying her music. She still has that mysterious vocal quality that intrigues me so. I don’t know what exactly happened between BEAM and STEP but something in me changed.

This album is still coming in the mail so I’ll probably have an unboxing post up soon, along with another purchase… stay tuned :D

Buy from CDJapan:
Step [Regular Edition] MEG	Step [w/ DVD, Limited Edition] MEG

CD
1. love the world
2. edge
3. love the world -original instrumental-
4. edge -extended mix-

DVD
‘love the world’ music clip

Buy through CDJapan:

love the world CD+DVD

love the world CD ONLY

Its already hit #1 on Oricon Daily and Weekly, sold 80,000 copies in its first week, and set a record to boot; what else is there for love the world to do?

Be reviewed by me, of course.

Naturally, I saw the PV first (Downloaded. Never streaming. It wouldn’t do it justice) and wasn’t particularly moved by the song probably due being distracted by the psychedelic visuals. That changed rather quickly and I feel I listen to it about the same, if not, more than secret secret. The PV is a total mindjob compared to their older PVs. I enjoy it but I would’ve liked to see more dancing but I guess that’s what lives are for. I still need a translation to see if it fits, but who really cares about all that technical stuff? A few things I noticed about the PV which raises (my) eyebrows:

a) How come A~chan doesn’t have a name screen?

I know Kashi’s is a bit weak but it’s there. ~1:40 in the PV if you still don’t believe me.

b) During the dance shot during the first chorus, the girls’ dancing framerates differ slightly with Nocchi going at realtime, A~chan in 2nd with a few frames dropped in the middle, and Kashi at the end with significant slowdowns. Obviously this was on purpose but why the differences?

As for the song itself, I classify it as a medium - not heavy like Electro World and not light like wonder2 - like Baby cruising Love but with a bit more unf. Instrumentally, everything works well together: the opening synth which leaves its mark throughout the song and in your head, the electric piano jazzing the background, and the percussion that feels like it was ripped out of the 80’s. Now that’s a recipe for awesome; all we need are the ladies and their signature vocals. Overall the song is cute and fun -some fairly textbook Perfume. Some might say it’s similar to their other stuff while I say why venture far from a formula that works?

Being a dedicated fanboy (read: crazy), I didn’t listen to edge until the single arrived at my doorstep. The comments I got from people who did listen were that it was the opposite from love the world in that it wasn’t happy, fun, cute, or “medium”. When I heard opposite, I was thinking it was dark and semi-evil sounding which would’ve been quite interesting if that were the case. Instead, I get a heavy-hitting, club-style track with and epic bridge / chorus combination. It’s kinda like FREE FREE light but with cutesy-er vocals. Hrmmm… ideas for the next mixtape?

I have a little anecdote about my unboxing. It was pretty fail actually. I live in a neighbourhood with a similar mailing system as an apartment; all of the mailboxes are at one location while all the residents have to go there to get their mail, making it easier for the mail persons (which also happens to be right across the street from my house). There are two compartments reserved for bigger packages in our mega-mailbox and the mail person gives you a key saying which compartment your package is in if you happen to have one (packages bigger than those compartments get delivered to your door as long as your home, otherwise they get sent back to get picked up at the post office). So I was greeted with this when I got home from work last Monday:

The mailperson got the chain stuck between the “mailboxes” when they were closing the “mailperson-only” access door (that opens all of the mailboxes to make delivering even easier). Luckily, I still had access to the key. I had to take the key off the chain to unlock the compartment door and then reattach it except I couldn’t reattach it to where it was supposed to be. Also, standard protocol is to put the key into the incoming mail slot when you’re done with the key. I couldn’t do that. Oh well. I GOT MY LOVE THE WORLD AND THAT’S ALL I CARE ABOUT. :D

I also had to note one thing about the CD+DVD version booklet. There’s texturing in the paper. It’s the weirdest and coolest thing I’ve seen in a while.

Finally, before I part ways for now, I was trying my luck with remixing love the world and this remix popped out. It’s still in the beta stages but comment and let me know what you think and what you like and don’t like. Thanks in advance :D

*Squeal*

I know I’m a little late with my review. I waited for my shipment to come in and didn’t give into downloading it. I did the same with Complete Best though there was only one new song on that album. I’m surprised that the YesAsia free shipping delivered within a week. I received my GAME on the 22nd after it being released on the 16th. I kinda miss the trademark green paper from CDJapan but I can’t say no to free shipping… *sigh*

I also received Baby cruising Love with this order, which from a strictly musical point of view, is stupid because both tracks are on the album. The album, however, does not include the instrumentals (which are oh-so-important in the fan remixing world) and the PV DVD. Let’s not forget the eyecandy that is the CD packaging. Yum.

As for my GAME review, it will follow the favourite-starting-from-least format since I like to save the best for last. With that out of the way, Let’s Play The Game!

12] Take me Take me
There’s something about this track that just doesn’t strike me the right way. It doesn’t have the same kind of feeling I get from the rest of Perfume’s discography (actually, it kinda hit the same buttons as foundation…). While the simple yet suggestive lyrical content is quite pleasing, it doesn’t feel like a Perfume song to me. I also don’t find the melody or bass line very memorable. They’ve had catchier. But don’t get me wrong, I’d love to take all three of you tonight.

11] Butterfly
These kinds of songs give me feelings of creativity and exploration. Some examples of these kinds of tracks are capsule’s megalopolis, Soratobu Toshikeikaku, Portable Kuukou to name a few. I like them but they’re not album pushers for me. They’re great for late nights and coding and artwork and the like.

10] GAME
I get too much of a capsule feel from this track like Toshiko could’ve done it and I’d feel the same about it. Or maybe MEG. I don’t know. Similar to Take me Take me, it doesn’t feel like a Perfume song. Actually, the arrangement reminds me slightly of MODEL from MEG’s BEAM album. I loved MODEL when I first heard it. Maybe if I heard MODEL after GAME, my thoughts would be the opposite.

9] Macaroni
This track’s rating actually varies depending on how I feel. If I’m in the mood for quiet and relaxing, this would be higher up, but I’m not. That and Perfume is known for their techno-pop quality which this track lacks (but by no means does it take away from the overall quality of the track). Macaroni definitely showcases their harmonizing abilities as evident in the chorus. A great downtempo track for those who want some relaxing Perfume. Even more relaxing than wonder2!

8] Ceramic Girl
I really like the sound of the verses though I don’t feel that like carries throughout the whole song. Can’t put my finger on it really, it just doesn’t tickle the fancy all that much. Still fun to listen to though.

7] Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow
This track is my definition of textbook Perfume. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it just it’s been out for a while now and the newer stuff is sneaking in a few more qualities that are elevating Perfume to the next level. Still, I’d have to say this song has the crispest and deepest sample of a kick drum for a techno-pop song compared to the rest of the album which is excellent for turning the subwoofer up to 11. Everything about this song is enjoyable and memorable.

6] PolyRhythm
Not too far behind Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow in the kick drum department, PolyRhythm isn’t as loud but just as infectious and full of bubbly goodness that Perfume is known for. I love the big loop orgasm Nakata has in the middle of the song.

5] Baby cruising Love
Not as relaxing and calm as macaroni or wonder2 but not as in your face as Electro World or Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow. The piano is definitely the highlight instrument in this song with the fuzzy bass holding it all together. The vocals are just a treat while everything else in between is just right. Playing audiosurf seems fitting.

4] secret secret
La la la la… I’m surprised they went with this song as the first album PV after listening to the rest of the album but I don’t not like the fact that they did. Like I said in my PV review, I don’t know how Nakata does it but he always manages to keep it fresh.

3] chocolate disco
I still think the 10 minute version should be the official release.

For the top two, I’ve been having a hard time thinking about which is my favourite though I think after just taking a pause for 20 minutes to rock out to both songs, I think I’ll have to go with this order.

2] Puppy love
Nakata gives Perfume a refreshing twist with a real drum kit in a more uptempo track. There’s something about the drum kit in this song that just tickles me though I feel it gets drowned out in the chorus. If they just raised the drum volume just a bit more and made the kick a little more unf-y, I think this could’ve taken the top spot. It was my number one but then I really started listening to plastic smile…

1] plastic smile
I believe that this is the perfect marriage of everything Perfume has done up to this point. It touches on every song that I can think of at the moment and even has a bit of that capsule club feel. The bass line has an old 80’s kinda feel until Nakata lays on the higher fuzz and the sub-bass that bring it back to today. The extra percussion (everything outside of the kick and snare and basic hats) during the choruses definitely adds flavour and more layers on an already appetizing cake. It reminds me of the percussion in Free Free and we all know how much I love Free Free. Do I hear an accordion hiding among the instruments in the back? The staccato digisynth really captures the cutesy, bubbly flavour of the trio and is second yummiest only to the vocals that the girls themselves provide.

Buy from CDJapan:
GAME [Limited Edition]	GAME [Regular Edition]

Perfume’s newest PV is a release off the forthcoming GAME album (April 16th!!) and is definitely a step up from the previous PVs they’ve released regardless of the fact that it’s a glorified ad for the refreshing taste of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate, now even more delicious and mouth-watering since 1976, also known as Pino. Considering their humble beginnings baking some sweet donuts, driving shark submarines, and abusing various heart shaped drugs, one can’t help but notice the work put into the latest Promotional Video starring the splendid techno-pop trio.

The PV is pretty autobiographical…

PTV (PerfumeTV or PenoTV?) is a new TV show starring the trio. They get a bit of help by getting pick-fed their first Pino to get their careers started. They start out at the bottom of the (popularity) staircase and work their butts off to make a great first season. After the season, they get a box of Pino as bonus and celebrate together on their success. Apparently, Pino is equivalent to cash in this make-believe city. Their popularity still isn’t very evident in the billboards around the city. The Pino is more popular.

The second season gives birth to a new set, Electro World costumes, and the Computer City dance. (Identity Crisis?) They continue to work their butts off and begin their climb up the stairs. While outside, they notice their latest album is being advertised on the big billboard and they’re finally getting somewhere.

The third season starts without a hitch and the girls have a brand new set, new costumes, and make-up people! They have to disguise themselves in public because their faces are on billboards everywhere. They have a cheesy (MusicStation-esque) host introduce them on PTV and what? Kashiyuka is diabetic? QUICK! FEED HER A PINO!! Oh, she’s fine. The ladies start running up the stairs, reflective of their rising success. During the third season, they get their box of Pino and manage to find crew members who look like them and who also enjoy Pino.

But on a more serious note, this is the first PV that tells a story and follows their usual PV format (complete with dance) that isn’t shot with a super-imposed set. Let’s take a look back in Perfume’s PV archive: PVs without super-imposed sets include Sweet Donuts, Computer City, Chocolate Disco, Baby cruising Love, macaroni, and now this. Sweet Donuts and macaroni have the same sort of effect of having no dance shot, but instead, show the girls from a slightly different angle. Computer City, Chocolate Disco, and Baby cruising Love were completely dance and close-up shot. Monochrome Effect, Vitamin Drop, Linear Motor Girl, Electro World, Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow, and PolyRhythm mostly consisted of super-imposed sets. Of them, Electro World and Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow were the ones that had the closest things to a story. So by far, Secret Secret wins in the story department.

A few of my favourite caps:

AI~N! (btw, I LOVE A-Chan’s hair here.)

Oh A-Chan, you tease…

Just one more Pino, plz!

Nom nom nom.

I’ve been listening to this song throughout my entire write up and not even close to sick of it. I think that means it’s an awesome song and I highly recommend for the techno-pop fans. I really don’t know how Nakata does it. There really isn’t much to the song in a casual listening sense but it’s addictive like crack and though each techno-pop song does have its similarities, it still feels like every new release is a completely new experience. Thus, I REALLY don’t know how Nakata does it.

I REALLY can’t wait for my GAME album to come… *SIIIIIIIGH*

Fast forward 2 minutes in. Does anything look familiar? I don’t think so. It’s like saying two hip-hop songs are ripping each other off except that they aren’t. Aira and Perfume are both in the same genre of music. Moves are going to be similar. Deal with it. Some others are saying that her producer Oonishi Terukado is ripping off Nakata Yasutaka. I wonder if they ever listen to electronic music in general.

I’m a decent fan of electronic music (mostly Drum and Bass and Hardcore/Trancecore) and I’ll be honest, it all sound the same without a trained ear. Most Drum and Bass songs used the exact same drum pattern unless they’re diving into a more breakbeat kinda sound. The basic formula for Happy Hardcore is kick and splash on the quarter, bass and hi-hats on the eighths, snare every second kick, piano melodies with chipmunkish vocals, all at 170-190 BPM. But I digress.

What I’m trying to say is that I don’t think Aira is making any sort of attempt to mimic Perfume nor her producer to Nakata. Aira’s just another artist in a genre that is currently being dominated by Nakata and his crew in Japan.

Personally, I love Aira’s sound. Her vocals, however, kinda have the same effect on me as MEG does - both aren’t anything particularly spectacular but I just can’t get enough of them. I still haven’t been able to put my finger on it.

Anyway, onto the videos:

I adore this song but seriously, what is up with the 32 beats of absolutely nothing at the start? (0:27-0:42)This video is far too artistic for me. I like watching girls dance. Especially when the songs they make are dance type songs. If they’re trying to sell her music on looks alone, I don’t know if it’d work that well. She claims to be 20 but if I were a bouncer in a club somewhere, I wouldn’t as her for ID. If I were to pit her against Perfume looks-wise, she’d get destroyed. Perfume confidence also radiates more than Aira’s. Anyway, needs more dancing and less of someone puking all over flash.

Yes, you look cute from the eyes down and have better teeth than a lot of other famous Japanese people. Random panda holding a singing sign. The panda should dance like how the nekos dance in MEGs PVs. Then, we’d have a rivalry. Were you a witness in a crime and want your identity to remain a secret? I don’t know about you but that eye visor is a lot better than basic black, also better than that dude from Star Trek as well. Random martial artist. Coloured plastic, fantastic sheets. She doesn’t even dance though she’s on a “dance floor” with a “disco ball” hovering behind her. What must one do to make this girl dance in her PVs?

Oh well. There’s some proof that she’s not trying to mimic Perfume. Perfume would NEVER release a song like that without an equally cute dance.

Buy from CDJapan:

China Discotica

Aira Mitsuki