- CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
- Six Organs Of Admittance "Ascent" 2012 (USA)
Today is the release date for Dempagumi.inc's sixth album Aiga Chikyu Sukuunsa! Datte Dempagumi.inc Wa Family Desho. Apparently the deluxe version comes with a bonus EP of six solo songs by the six members of the group: here's the preview link. The most interesting are Eimi's tune which is totally METAL(!) and Nagi's song which is in the same lo-fi/futuristic "vaporwave" style as the group's recent "Moshi Moshi Internet" single. The other four tracks seem pretty "on-brand" for their respective members: Mirin's sounds like Dempagumi only "more earnest", Risa's is "a bit goth", Rin's is "more childish" (and further evidence that she is the weakest singer in the current lineup), while Pinky! simply updates the bouncy disco bubblegum of her first solo record from 5 years ago (warning: dangerous levels of kawaii). I haven't learned to read Japanese, I have just listened to this silly/awesome group enough that I can instantly recognize each of their voices!
But wait there's more! This morning Dempagumi.inc released an extremely topical new song & video "Nanto! Sekai Konin Hikikomori!" which means something like "Oh My Gosh! World-Approved Shut-Ins!", or as a bit of text in the video puts it "Stay home, otaku the world." This song celebrates how Japan's nerdy (otaku) shut-ins (hikikomori) were "social distancing" before it was cool.