aus Featuring Silver Ley — “presence”
Patrick: The first song shared from electronic artist aus’ forthcoming album on Squama is one to get lost in. Yasuhiko Fukuzono has always had a knack for making the texture of sound come across clearly, and with “presence” he offers one of the best examples of this form his catalog. With vocalist Silver Ley letting her voice thread around the synths and glassy chimes, Fukuzono creates space to wander around, nodding to "environmental music" while sounding immediate.
It's US!!!! — “UNDER THE SUN”
Patrick: Quartet It's US!!!! have thrived on pure energy so far in the outfit's young career, but new single “UNDER THE SUN” shows them operating in a less frantic mode. Drawing more from throwback hip-hop rather than the more caffeinated mutations it has taken in recent years, the group raps over a soul loop before a beat flip takes it to more puffed-out-chest territory, while still moving at a more reserved speed. A great example of the fledgling group's diverse delivery.
Kaede — “Caroline”
Ryo: Since her breakout album with Lamp, 2020’s Stardust in Blue, Kaede’s solo music has felt as though it moves according to its own separate sense of time. Negicco member’s new track, then, feels familiar from its vintage pop sound but also its feel of life slowed down to a peaceful half-time. With the timeline further blurred from the nostalgic city-pop groove, it’s hard to make out whether the idol is reminiscing about a friend from the past or thinking fondly about the company she keeps in the present. Whatever the history, Kaede sounds delighted to relish these innocent hours at her own pace.
Luby Sparks — “See you”
Ryo: While this spring’s Romeo Is a Dead Man EP was an exercise in synth-pop trickery—like the Nine Inch Nails-esque mechanical lurch of “Liar”—Luby Sparks place the focus back to their beloved guitars pulled from ‘90s grunge in “See you.” The spirit of “1979” in particular seems to run in the band’s new song from its faint drum-loop intro to the woozy riffs, except the vibe is less nostalgic than it is sinister. “I feel you somewhere dark in my head,” they sigh and moan. Shrouded in heavy reverb and gloomy riffs, “See you” sounds more haunting than just pure admiration.
MANON — “Error”
Patrick: The moment MANON starts whispering on the previously skittering “Error,” the song takes a turn towards the uneasy. Up to that point, this one just feels like another hyperpop-grazed number, albeit one showcasing the singer's vocal range. Then she goes full unsettling ASMR and “Error” turns into something approaching creepy, reaching its climax with multiple MANON's overlapping into something delirious.
ShowyRENZO & krynX — “Wagamama”
Ryo: The Hatsune Miku sample admittedly got my attention in this new track by ShowyRENZO and krynX—“The World Is Mine,” in my rage rap? The Vocaloid makes a brief appearance in the intro, singing the supercell classic, yet her warbling vocals quickly cede the floor for the blown-out bass to obliterate whatever is in its way as rage beats tend to do. The rappers’ slurred rhymes, too, practically turn to slush in this pressurized track full of sputtering noise, especially that titular hook which ShowyRENZO grinds down with repetition until what seems to remain are pure syllables.
