V-log: Anime Matsuri XI

Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"Can't Remember to Forget You" by Shakira feat. Rihanna
I'm a casual fan of Shakira, meaning I don't really keep up with her new releases very actively, but I do enjoy her music. Since I haven't watched anything new of hers for quite some time, this was like a breath of fresh air compared to everything that's clogging up the pop stations. The dynamics between her and Rihanna were surprisingly good. The song is pretty good and I enjoy the mix of rock and Shakira's exotic signature sound. But I can't help but compare think of her collaboration with Beyonce when watching this. Anyway, I'll have to look out for the album.



"Carpe Noctem" by Aural Vampire
Visually, there's not much going on. It's a simple band centric video with moments of the duo in different sceneries, but...you know what? I really don't care! This song is absolutely amazing and addictive. It's a slightly new and fresh addition to Aural Vampire's sound. The visuals mix both light and dark to the usual gothic themes associated with them. Exo-Chika continues to allure viewers with sensuality and elegance and I am so pumped for this new album!



"FLOWER" by Yong Junhyung
Yeah, I know this isn't all that new, but do you guys seriously look when these things get released when I post them. XP Anyway, this has been a bit of a struggle. First, I wasn't sure if I liked the song, then I became a little addicted to it. Next, I wasn't sure if I liked the video enough to recommend it. I guess that dance practice video made me a little more hesitant. Like I said, I really like the song. It's a big improve from "You got some nerve". The visuals are very artsy and tries to fuse b-boy/hip-hop style to it. I guess a merge of B2ST and solo artist. The choreography isn't all that fitting, in my opinion, but the video and the song is worth checking out for sure.



"Fxxk U" by Gain feat. Bumkey
**Gore & Language Warning**
I must admit and please don't hurt me I wasn't as impressed with this video/song combination like a lot of fans, but I do like both...obviously. I didn't know what to expect after "Bloom", but it's a nice consistent production of mature work that I think South Korea needs to be exposed to. First was embracing female sexuality and now abusive relationships. The music has a lovely contradictory upbeat sound to it while the lyrics are very harsh and blunt. The visuals reflect that to some extent, although the color palette is quite bold yet faded. I think this was a good choice to grab people's attention to Gain's new release.



"Yum Yum Yum" by Lipservice
You might think I'm crazy with this pick, but this is seriously one of the most amazing things I've seen in kpop this year. The visuals are bright and fun like the song and the lyrics, yet it's simple and focuses on the girls being silly and dancing. I like the borrowed snippets of inspiration they slipped in there like the pseudo-club scenes and the guy dancing in the foggy space. If you're curious about the lyrics, it's about going on a diet, but having a hard time fighting the love of eating food. I can see a lot of girls getting into this. My only criticism is I wish that the girls were a little thicker? I know thin girls can have big appetites too, but there's a line about having a "fat belly" or something which seems awkward. Nonetheless, the silly earworm is quite wonderful~

Top 13 Recommended Music Videos

"Bones" by Rose Noire
I'm so glad Kiwamu hasn't ditched these talented musicians. Sometimes it's just nice to listen to some melodic, haunting vocals accompanied by some beautiful violin. This is definitely a step up production wise for these two and I hope they get more backing this year with their music. They're sadly underrated and exude so much talent.



"SOMEBODY WANTS DAYS YOU CLOSE" by NOISEMAKER
After "PLATINUM SHOES", I was thrilled to see something new from this band and it was equally, if not as, incredible than what I heard before. The title of the song doesn't really make sense to me grammatically, but I'm willing to ignore it. The setting reminds me of P.O.D video and shares some small similarities to it. This is definitely a memorable, emotional effort from this band and I am anxious to listen to this new mini-album.



"Cheeky Ren" by DALATH
I must admit that I was confused by watching this the first time. I thought it was another all female band, but it wasn't. I was a little disappointed, but I kept listening and ended up liking what they had to offer. It's a simple concept and reminded me of old Girugamesh visually. The vocals aren't extremely clear, but they are tolerable and quite good for what it's worth. I'm hoping to hear more from this band in the future.



"愛國革命" by R-shitei
I don't think I've ever mentioned this band on this site, but I've been following them since they were called Catheline. Anyway, this is a totally new direction and it still manages to suit their upbeat, slightly dark style. It's a very high energy song and the visuals are interesting. They can be a little overwhelming, but your eyes get used to the over use of white. The only odd part for me is the dubstepish dance break that reminds me of SuG and xTRiPx.



"Take My Chance" by DOLL$BOXX
Remember Acid Black Cherry's "SPELL MAGIC"? Well, this video is just like that. The girls play with the stereotypes of cutesy girls and lonely male otaku audiences, then flips it around to blow the crowd away with an epic rock sound. The vocals are very strong and I always admire when a drummer does back-up vocals well. It has a playful, but decently hard fun sound. I'm looking forward to hearing these girls' first full length album.



"BEZOARSTEIN" by Megamasso
I think its been a while since I posted anything by these guys, but they have progressively gotten better and better with each release. This PV further proves my point. The band shows off some intense attitude, emotion, and passion. The transitions are smooth and share their signature style they've carried throughout the years. It's hard to believe that it's possible for them to continue to exceed my expectations with each release. Keep it up!



"and Cry" by JAWEYE
A friend introduced me to this band through this PV and I'll give a warning that there's a lot of flashing lights in this video. So, if you're sensitive to that, then this isn't a good video for you to watch. It's a a simple blue-greyish tone PV that's very band centric. It has some cool slow motion moments and plays with the simplistic set to make it interesting for the viewer. The music is energetic and you can definitely rock out to it in your bedroom. I'm thankful I was introduced to them.



"HALO" by BLUE ENCOUNT
With JAWEYE came my ventures off to more amazing non-visual artists. This is another simplistic, band centric video. It might seem boring, but I like the lighting they chose for this video. It's almost as if the members are merely shadows playing instruments, but you can clearly see them excluding their faces. The song is quite upbeat and kinda has this pseudo-college rock feel, perhaps. It's familiar, but fresh. Forgive me for having a hard time explaining their sound, but it's good!



"sympathy" by KEYTALK
I think I have a little easier time describing this one. The sound reminds me of a more upbeat Plastic Tree without the wispy vocals. It's a fun song and you'll have a hard to resisting those lalala's. The PV is quite artsy and clever. Lots of geometric shapes, play on colors, and doesn't distract you from the overall feel of the song. It's definitely a nice feel good song of sorts.



"二時二分" by Suck a Stew Dry
Unlike the previous non-visual bands above, I couldn't quite hook myself into these guys. Please don't let that discourage you from checking out this PV though. I have my reasons for posting it, like other videos where I didn't care for the group. The song is quite simple throughout the verses and has a nice storytelling feel to it, then the power hits near the chorus. The visuals are once again band centric, but they nicely compliment the storytelling aspect with handwriting, scribbles, doodles, and a pink/purple color tint.



"moody pavilion" by mudy on the 昨晩
Another non-visual band that didn't quite stick to me, but I really like this song. It's kinda eerie, especially with that upside down body floating in the middle of the room. There's a lot of eerie atmosphere actually and some interesting artistic moments with color splashes and falling pieces as the band plays. It's intense and very easy to lose yourself in that you completely forget that there's no lyrics. It also feels too short as well, but still strangely satisfying.



"Sweetest vengeance" by Pay money To my Pain
I'm still trying to figure out how I missed this track, but it's great. It's chaotic and mosh worthy. It has some nice melodic moments and the visuals are just as chaotic and mesmerizing. Watching it now makes my heart melt for more reasons than one. I'm hoping K recovers soon and rests up for more energetic, aggressive, and emotion filled songs like this.



"Mayaku" by Lycaon
Another PV that I have no idea how I missed, especially since I've listened to the single. It's a simple band centric video, but it speaks volumes. Yuuki is absolutely beautiful in this and you can feel the emotion from his voice. I'm glad that theykept this so simple visually, because the music fills in all the important gaps for the viewer to lose themselves in. Also, Satoshi's solo is amazing!

Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"SOLOWEEN" by Aural Vampire
It was a pleasant surprise to see this dynamic electronic duo bringing something for the Halloween season. This definitely gets me pumped for all the horror-a-thons I will be having as well as new music from them. It's still fresh, yet keeps their signature style that makes them lovable. I warn you that this song is very addicting and you won't be able to resist dancing to it.



"Push and Shove" by No Doubt feat. Busy Signal & Major Lazer
Upon the release of "Settle Down", I was spazzing all over the place when another one of my favorite 90's artists were coming back. It feels like they never took a break at all. It's a nice transition from their previous release. Not just the sound is familiar yet refreshing, but the chemistry among the members still reminds me of good times and that puts a huge grin on my face. I'm looking forward to delving into their comeback album.



"Play the Game Boy" by A*M*E
If you're not following me on Tumblrdore, then I'll repeat that I'd rather have this girl bridge the gap to kpop and international sounds than Chad Future. She brings something new to the table that has kpop influences and old school synth-pop without trying too hard or blending in too much to be a gimmick. She has the right attitude with charm, sweetness, and sass. I'm looking forward to a full length album.



"Your Body" by Christina Aguilera
Continuing with this vintage meets modern sounds, Christina returns with fierce vocals, a devilish seductive attitude, and an alluring style. I'm enjoying this way more than "I'm Not Myself Tonight" and that song was decent, although the video was a bit try too hard in some ways. The music isn't too in your face and simply highlights the vocals which is one of Christina's strongest points and the reason I chose her back in the day over all the blonde pop songstresses. The story is amusing and entertaining and I'm looking forward to more. Keep the momentum!



"Your Woman" by White Town
It's been forever since I've seen/heard this song and I was reminded by it through procrastination someone's video about the music that shaped him from a child to his adulthood. Overall, I kinda want to do a video like that, but all the details would be a little hazy. Anyway, I remember hearing this song on the radio during the late night when they would play dance and obscure-ish music. I never knew who sung it or anything. I was pretty young at the time, but it had a nice beat and the chorus was memorable. Seeing the video now makes me appreciate the song a little more. Don't be discourage because it's old or black and white. This is the beginnings of techno-pop, guys!

Quick Music Review

highball - highball (2011, Japan) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Tettsui, Ishitsubutsutodoke, Be the seeker

When I heard former leader and guitarist of 12012 Yuusuke was making a solo album, I was really curious how this would pan out. "Tettsui" opens up the album very loudly with near screaming vocals and intense musical presentation. There's minimal lyrics, but the music makes up for it. "Ignorance" is a little more aggressive than the first track, but it has some great guitar lines in it. "Six/Nine" presents some better vocal talent and strong guitar and bass ties throughout the song. Although, the chorus/bridge area is a bit weak compared to the rest of the song. "COUNTER" keeps about the same vibe as the previous. I guess a somewhat L'Arc~en~Ciel fun rock sound. "Yesterday" is a nice little ballad piece with a lovely piano and violin arrangement. "Hirai" takes a step back and gives off that j-indies sound, especially in the vocals. It's very generic and forgettable. "Ishitsubutsutodoke" steps it up a notch and brings more powerful instrumentation, but the vocals are so-so. "Drug Queen" has a bit of an American grunge feel with muffled vocals, estranged guitars, and a strong bassline. "Kurofune" takes a different direction by adding some rapping and experimenting with some different sounds and synth-ish guitars. "THINNER" has a reminiscent hide rush vibe with the vocal and music arrangement. It's not a terrible thing, but it's interesting. "Be the seeker" almost goes back to Laraku sound, but Loki's vocals, I'm guessing it's Sugar's former vocalist, changes that feeling with the prominent bass throughout the song. The music that really compliments his voice. "Desire" mixes up things with a strong rock tone, bits of piano, and some dual vocals. Not particularly fond of the dual vocals though. "Acoustic avenue" closes out the album with a mellow tone. I think the bass overpowered the acoustic guitar too much which was a bit saddening and the vocals were too soft as well. Overall, I wasn't super impressed or disappointed with this album. Everything seem pretty neutral or just reminded me of Laraku. I honestly didn't know what to expect in the first place, but I'm looking for to Yuusuke's new band, the rhedoric.



Para:noir - Amaryllis/Cosmos (2011, Japan) Rating: 4/5
Favorite Tracks: Prominence Inc., Amaryllis, The Code Number [13.]

Let's just jump right into it. "Cosmos" starts off with some heartfelt vocals and decent acoustic work, then bounces right up with an upbeat melody and very strong basslines. It definitely shows a different side to this band other than the fast, hard stuff. "Amaryllis" was used for promotion of this single and if you saw in the previous post I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of everything I love about this band. It has some great music moments and vocals are truly them. No j-indies band can touch Akane's vocals. "Prominence Inc." was re-released for this single and it has some great high energy that the band is known for, some growls, and fast paced drumming. Sure, the vocals are autotuned, but Para:noir makes it seem so effortless and it blends in to a point you don't really care. I think this perhaps better than the original. "The Code Number [13.]" has been one of my favorite Para:noir songs for quite some time and now they have remade it for this single. Luring us in with counting drums, strong bass, impressive guitars, and wailing screams, this song remains awesome. Although, I don't really like the vocal changes with the verse layering and extra screams. Fortunately, those changes didn't completely take away too much of the awesomeness of this song. I'm really pleased with this band and I hope they keep doing what they're doing.



Aural Vampire - Kerguelen Vortex (2011, Japan) Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Kerguelen Vortex, Makki no Body Checkmate

"Kerguelen Vortex" opens with a dark, electronic vibe that Aural Vampire is very good at producing. The melody is really catchy and makes you want to move around to the music. I really love how it lightens up around the chorus and Exo-Chika's voice is just so sweet. "Antenna Phenomenon" takes a different direction with a stop/start retro sound. It's interesting how the vocals slow down, then proceeds to its normal speed. "Human Noise" goes back to the dark, gritty club sound with some fun electronic elements and equally fun vocal melody. "Makki no Body Checkmate" incorporates signature Aural sounds and some new developments that keep this track interesting. "Repoman (album version)" has revived itself for this mini. It's very upbeat and kinda sounds a bit retro musically, like 80s workout video meets 90s dance mix. "Raising City" opens with some cheesy laughter and some equally cheesy 80s retro synth sound. I feel like Eddie Murphy might pop out of no where in his leather red jacket or something and a police badge. It's a purely instrumental track to keep you in those good old 80s days. "GENOM" keeps the retro vibe with a somewhat simple melody until you reach the fast pace chorus. Exo-Chika is back, of course, and I must admit her highest note seems a bit strained, but the song isn't that bad. I continue to enjoy the risks this duo takes and I hope they continue experimenting with different sounds and arrangements in the future.



Daichi Miura - D.M. (2011, Japan) Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Black Hole, The Answer, 4am, Turn Off the Light

One of my most anticipated albums toward the end of the year and, I'm sorry, I spazzed out when I got my hard copy in the mail. I was going to give this album it's own post, but I'll just cross my fingers and hope that my descriptions are short. "Black Hole" sounds like your typical Daichi track that incorporates some pretty impressive vocal and choreography, but when the break down hits with the chorus we get some dubstep. Surprisingly, it's not that cheesy, it's quite impressive when you watch the music video. "Touch Me" was a nice little taste to this album, excluding the singles leading up to it. It has a basic beat, nice bass, and, of course, great vocals with a simple chorus. It took me a little while to get into this song, but it's pretty good. "Illusion Show" also took me some time to adjust to this almost loungey piano sound, but it has a fun melody and the vocals are pretty strong. "Love is like a bassline" has that Jackson5 vibe, but a nice Daichi modern twist to it that makes it even more enjoyable. "The Answer" has been so abused by the replay button when the single was released. It still remains to be a beautiful song with a solid track that truly settles in your mind. "Only You" begins with some strong drums and keyboarding. A new direction to most of Daichi's tracks, but it's an interesting one. Very simplistic and I like that they emphasized on his voice throughout the track. So, when I first listened to this album, I listened to it out of order and "4am" was the last track. I must admit...I nearly cried at how beautiful and powerful this song is. It has simplistic sprinkles of classic R&B piano with a strong melody that empowers Daichi's flawless vocal presentation. I recommend you save this song for last, if this is your first listen of D.M. because it will surprise you. "RUN WAY" tries something new musically by adding some rock to it. It's an okay track, but a few steps down from the previous track. "Turn Off the Light" was the last single released before the album dropped and I still really enjoy this song. It falls into Daichi's usual material, but it's still fresh and fun. "SHOUT IT" is another attempt at incorporate some rock elements to it, but I like this better than "RUN WAY". It has a lot of energy and really pumps you up. "Lullaby" was another previously released single. It sounds just like the title suggests, a sweet R&B lullaby that is quite impressive. "Magic Word" closes out the album with some strong R&B sounds that incorporates some guitar work and such. It's pretty basic overall, but it's a decent track. Honestly, I think this might be Daichi's best album to date. I was really impressed with it, although...I think it would've been even better if he added "Drama" to the tracklist. I've listened to that song more than "Lullaby", but I'm looking forward to more for sure.



Suicide Ali - The Cold Body (2012, Japan) Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: The Cold Body, Sequential Soda

So, I think this band was my second choice of inspiration to name this lovely blog, but obviously Nega won out. Suicide Ali is probably my favorite Kiwamu creation or whatever. Anyway, "The Cold Body" opens up in the band's usual peculiar music arrangement, but still keeps a hold of what makes them great with ties of synth elements, piano, violin, and strong guitar riffs. "Sequential Soda" takes a different rock approach in the beginning, then steers you back on track to their crazy, warped sound that the band is known for. It has an interesting arrangement that shows off their roots and growth. "Ningen no kaname (Retake)" brings back one of my favorite tracks and changes it up. It's still a great song, but I like the intensity in the original a lot more. I think the band started the new year with a great start and I hope an album is in the near future.


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Promo: Rose Noire

|Official Site|

Louie and Jill studied at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and later joined together to create an entrancing fusion of two different music styles. With a elegant, gothic appearance and a classical, electronic sound, Rose Noire was born and joined Darkest Labyrinth.

I'm not particularly fond of Kiwamu, but lately he has had a great ear for talent. Although, this duo has been placed in the back burner, they have managed to leave a mark in a few places with their first album, Apocalypse. They have also made their first appearance in the U.S. earlier this year at Zenkaikon V. I'm looking forward to seeing Louie and Jill grow stronger and make a lasting impression like their labelmates.