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.

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

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

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