i did say more music

[acchikocchi]

and also a news update: I'll be shipping out for Japan in August, as I did get into JET after all. :D The period from application to departure is so long that it still doesn't feel very concrete, but I imagine it'll pick up once I get my placement.

--

Anyway, the point of this is recent discoveries:

I seem to be the last person to have heard of sleepy.ab, which is kind of surprising because they're right up my alley. Ambient and melodic, with a clear high-ranged vocalist and dreamy lyrics, but plenty of darker edges. Various tracks have also reminded me, at certain points, of Shugo Tokumaru, Muse, Fridge and the Sigur-Ros-et-al brand of melodic Scandinavian cold weather music. This is not surprising as they're from Sapporo and understand cold weather.* (The difference is that not all of their music is meant for COLD and ICE. XD;;) That's not to say that overall they sound particularly like any of those groups... I am really awful at the "group x sounds like the lovechild of group y and singer z after a pub crawl with band c" type comparisons so it's just, idk, freeform sonic association. Uh. Downloading would probably be a more reliable way to find out what they actually sound like.

Everything is from paratroop, their latest album, except "loop", which is from fantasia. I'm happy to upload more for any interested parties. :)

diver
do re mi
flee
insomnia
mori
loop

The hook for noanowa is that they have a cello-playing frontman (frontwoman), which as a former cellist I can't in good conscience resist. After love at first listen with "Haku", I then found that... the rest of their music is cheerful bouncy pop that sounds nothing like that. Well. Haku remains an excellent track, wailing cello and ethereal vocals and all. Sort of Björk-ish. Just give it a minute to get past the piano intro and out of the initial melody.

Haku
Haku live, i.e. cello action

Not so recent discoveries in the next post.


*It's hard to explain but some bands do cold climate music and some don't. Spitz doesn't, for one, winter music for Spitz is a cold day in Tokyo, no snow. As a matter of fact I can't think of a single snow or ice lyric off the top of my head, probably because Kusano grew up in Fukuoka. Versus the aforementioned Scandinavians - Sigur Rós, Kings of Convenience, Björk, Röyksopp, etc. - or the Arcade Fire. Or even GLAY. White landscapes broken by black branches.

Comments

[thawrecka]

Congrats on getting into JET!

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :D

[padfoot]

Congratulations for getting into JET. :D I'm really excited for you. ♥

[changetje.livejournal.com]

Congrats on getting into JET, that's amazing! :D

Ooh, taking some of the songs, thanks! :3 I totally know what you mean with winter/summer music. I think Spitz is more of Spring music, it reminds me of Sakura and grass XD But KAT-TUN is totally winter music, while NEWS and Arahi are more Summer-ish :D

[shabzilla.livejournal.com]

sdha;'opdflks;aklsdjf;ldsjfk OMGGGGG MERRRRRR IN JAPANZ AHHHHHHHHH CANT WAITTTTT!!!!!!

obvs update when you know your placement, did you app for kanto or somewhere else omg are you going to come early and chill in tky??? :dalskdja;lskd;lakds IM SO EXCITED AHSIDJALSDJLAS

[bonjovial.livejournal.com]

There is still so much waiting, but at least this is the fun part! :D

[brustreet.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on JET! If you're ever in Seoul, look me up and we'll party in Hongdae.

[pithetaphish]

\(^_^)/

Now I just needs to write another ema board asking the gods to place you close by! ^_~

[mananeh.livejournal.com]

I really liked do re mi! Some of the songs reminded me a lot of Spitz actually :)

[canis-m.livejournal.com]

JET get! Congraturation!

RE: climate + music, IAWTP. Seasonality is so important to my listening experience. One listens to Spitz all year long even though they don't do winter music because obv one cannot endure a Spitzless existence for months on end, but I always feel hideously out of sync if there's snow on the ground and "Umi wo mi ni ikou" or whatever is playing on the car stereo. XD; And there's no point even breaking out the Southern All Stars until it's 70+ degrees F and sunny.

[peroxidepest17.livejournal.com]

Eee Congrats on JET! I hope you get placed somewhere awesome.

[ettezag.livejournal.com]

Congratulations~ even though everyone and their mum already knew you were going to get in, haha. Completely relatedly, have you spoken to Kris recently? If you've not, I think you can guess where she is.

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D We'll have to hang out if it's geographically feasible! Am I right in thinking you're not sure where you're headed yet...?

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thank youuu!

Yeah, I love Spitz for spring and summer. *_* Meanwhile Arashi is summery because they're so damn sunny and optimistic. All those bouncy songs about sailing through the blue sky and grasping your dreams. XDDD

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

:D :D :D :D :D

Nah, I skipped over Kanto and went for the boonies - Ishikawa, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Not that Kanto wouldn't be awesome, but so few placements! Of course what I requested may have absolutely zero to do with where I am... I can't come too early because I've got a wedding to be in but hopefully we can hang out during Tokyo orientation. :D

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Yes! It's so nice to know that I'll have a regular paycheck coming soon, I can't even say. XD

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It would be a shame not to take advantage of the proximity to Korea, gorgeous southeast Asia, etc...

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Hee! Please do! The first one sure worked out well. :D ♥

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

I'm particularly fond of that one myself. Vocalist isn't quite Kusano, but no one is. :D

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thank youuuuuuuuuu! <3

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, now everyone's all "oh I knew you were going to get in." I didn't know... ANYWAY. I have indeed spoken to Kris about her adventures in Fukushima! Plus Doctor Who.

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D

Yes, yes, all of that. For Spitz I make an exception but often find myself sticking to more ambivalent songs all the same. Something like freaking "Sazanami" in the middle of winter is just cruel.

[ettezag.livejournal.com]

I recall hearing something like "oh I know I'm going to get in but don't jinx me?" XD Haha I am, for some reason, not surprised that Doctor Who was discussed.

[razberrycreme.livejournal.com]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY CONGRATULATIONS ON JET!!!!!!! :DDDDDDDD

Thank you for the music :D :D

[padfoot]

Yeah, I've not yet been told where I'm off to. Hopefully it'll be somewhere reasonably close to you. :)

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! :D And also you're welcome! XD

[araanaz9.livejournal.com]

Congrats on getting in JET! Knew you would. ;)

[ina]

Congratulations again! :D You only be in Japan starting from August. :( Knowing us you probably arrive a week after I left. :( I had hopped we would see each other in Japan.

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

*dies* Really? Oh, man.... Yeah, I probably won't get there until around August 20th - my consulate's working to get me delayed departure since I have a wedding to be in on the 14th. *g*

I'll be in Japan for a year though! So maybe next year....? *crosses fingers*

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you sweetie. ♥♥♥

[ina]

Okay, it's not a week but a month since I will be there from July 15th to July 26th.
I really really hope next year will work out then.

[acchikocchi.livejournal.com]

*dies* Oh boy, if I had been leaving with the originally assigned group it wouldn't have even been a week - we'd have missed each other by five days! Fortunately a month is long enough I feel less like beating my head against the wall. *g* (Watch out, you may overlap with the first wave of JETs running wild in Tokyo, though!)

[akamaru07.livejournal.com]

You're going to Japan! Congratulations for getting into JET! WOW!