AMATSUKI - Hakoniwa Dramatic

Singer AMATSUKI is enjoying success in Japan — he was awarded "Breakthrough Artist 2015" by the English language NHK World music show "J-MELO", and now he is aiming for Europe. Simultaneously with the CD release of his second album Hakoniwa Dramatic in Japan, which charted at #8 in the Oricon Weekly Charts, British label JPU Records released a digital version in Europe on July 27th. JaME took some time to listen to the 13-track digital download from the up-and-coming young artist.

Despite the title of the album, Hakoniwa Dramatic starts with Shooting Star, which is energetic and rousing rather than dramatic. AMATSUKI's slightly nasal voice and the catchy guitar riffs invite you to dance. The second track, Niji no mukou e, starts gently but seconds later bursts into a brisk and encouraging piece with string accompaniment. LIFE however is playful and possesses a swinging tune, which comes through the rhythm and the backing of piano and brass instruments. This entertaining song is followed by the fast and bright Nagareboshi. Despite the quick tempo, the track has a very hopeful and dreamy character. Alongside the strong vocals, the piano, electric guitar, bass and drums are pretty dominant, but together they form an energetic unit.

Nano Friends can't be described as slow or boring either. On this track AMATSUKI plays with electronic vocal distortions and it also features rap from his melost colleague Hashiyan. Later on, they also experiment with the brisk tempo, altering the rhythm of the piece. The subsequent number Mikazuki Resize possesses a dramatic tune and is yet another very fast-paced song. The synthesizer melodies flow wildly, giving the track an almost chaotic character. Hoshizukuyo greets the listener with traditional Japanese instruments like the koto and shakuhachi playing at a more leisurely pace. However, the tempo and dynamic changes in the refrain and bridge as the guitar, bass and drums join in. Nevertheless, Hoshizukuyo doesn't overpower the listener like the previous track Mikazuki Resize did.

The eighth track, a ballad titled Airagi, stands out with its whispered vocals and gentle piano melody. Even though some electric instruments join in later and AMATSUKI's voice becomes stronger, this is an atmospheric love song. The calm mood is broken immediately with Ojyamachikku Lover. This track is hard to describe: once again they play with the tempo and AMATSUKI's vocal repertoire, but it doesn't overwhelm you, instead entertaining you due to its playful character. This is followed by Hajimari no uta, a lively and life-affirming piece of music with bright piano chords and rousing vocals that leave you wanting more.

Kimagure Merry-Go-Round, like the preceding track, has a slightly mysterious touch, experimenting with electronic vocal distortion again. Nevertheless, this song turns out to be very entertaining, catchy and fresh. The subsequent White Line begins with a calm and dreamy rhythm before it transforms into a dynamic, danceable piece of music, though the piano melody remains through until the end. The last track of the album is titled Good-bye Dramatic and can best be described as an up-tempo, hopeful, energetic pop ballad. AMATSUKI's rousing vocals, backed by piano, electric guitar, bass and drums, create a wonderful closing to Hakoniwa Dramatic.

AMATSUKI's second album offers a modern and catchy pop mix. The 13 tracks initially grab the attention with their high tempo, but the vocals and instrumentation are well worth a listen. Fans of pop music may well want to give this young artist a try. You can preview or download Hakoniwa Dramatic via amazon.co.uk, for example.

You can watch the full video for Mikazuki Resize below: