Fans of flumpool and WEAVER rejoice- two members from each are joining music producer Seiji Kameda to create a new unit named THE TURTLES JAPAN! Kameda (bass), Yamamura (vocal), Sakai (guitar), Jinguji (drums), and Isogai (piano and keyboard) have plenty of experience between them, and it more than shows in the debut album from the supergroup, ELECTRONIC HUMANITY. Released on April 8th, the eight-track album is short, but more than sweet.
From the opening tracks, listeners will get a feel for the band’s tone and style- it’s all about rhythm and an almost psychedelic atmosphere. In a sparkling, gently-paced journey through a cubic universe in pure white- including their eyes and hair- the band offers a visual opening with the single ‘It’s Alright!’ (you can check out the video on their site). The music feels fresh, relaxing and positive, with keyboard punctuating long guitar chords and a soothing vocal from Yamamura. ‘10/10’, on the other hand, features a bouncing beat with focus on the bass, and a fun and simple vocal. The tracks drops in the middle for a funky instrumental, before returning to the predictable cheery rhythm.
Most of the tracks keep the laid-back tone of ‘It’s Alright!’ running throughout the album, but a few let the powerful bassline break through and lead the band, as in ‘10/10’. ‘Jerassic’ instantly breaks away from the chirpy openers with a heavier but dance-style rhythm, a pulsing beat and faster pace. Driving bass meets shredding guitar and the first solo of the album, while flowing synths give the track a consistency, building to a high-power bass solo and guitar solo.
Another track visualised in a soothing and ethereal video is ‘Kazabana’, a track making use of classical instrumentation to get those heartstrings pulling. Yamamura’s vocal falls into a smooth falsetto, and the texture of the ensemble gradually evolves, from peace into a dense energy in the middle eight. A beautiful track, ‘Kazabana’ is my recommendation to all listeners.
Picking the tempo back up again, ‘Juu ni hitoe’ brings the drums and bass crashing together in a slick track completed by reverberating vocals and a racing solo, but ‘AB LOVE LOVE’ takes it to the next level with a punchy female vocal joining Yamamura’s, and a pop-rock edge that makes it another contender for best of the album.
Sadly, towards the end of the album the novelty of their sound begins to wear, and without enough variety the album seems in danger of petering out. THE TURTLES JAPAN aren’t giving up though, with the aptly named ‘JAPANESE SPIRITS pile-up’, a ridiculously happy, jumpy track with a very catchy chorus, being the penultimate offering. You can’t help bobbing your head along, but as suggested there are some issues- and it is mainly that the sheer cheesiness might start to grate on some listeners. Finally, the band attempts a last crack at novelty- a slightly eerie intro that bursts into the colourful ‘ELE!!’. Similar to earlier tracks, the song keeps a steady pace and a smiley outlook, and adds some more exotic and unusual instrumentation, but sadly it sometimes seems patchy and un-coordinated. ‘ELE!!’ might not be the strong ending I would have hoped for, but it carries ELECTRONIC HUMANITY out on an interesting note- with a little surprise at the end!
THE TURTLES JAPAN is an intriguing project, and one I’m sure fans of their primary bands will follow closely. Their music has a strong feeling of fluidity, a dreamlike movement that makes it both light and energetic, with clear pop and rock influences blended together to create a funky, dance-rock style overall, but a little more adventure wouldn’t go amiss. More guitar solos, more variety in the vocal; room for improvement exists, but overall the supergroup has made a promising start. If ‘Kazabana’ is anything to go by, THE TURTLES JAPAN have a lot of potential.
Words by Lauren du Plessis