MIZUHARA AKIKO – So Crystal
(1) Atmospheric Intro – midpace with nice kbds and minimal gtr. MV 4/5 HNT 8/13 K 8/10. What a great example of “what you think of when you think of silver-age J-Pop. Basically, a minor Akina single (2) Oooh! Fretless Bass & Timpanis. Quieter but what you’d hope for and expect. Some very nice arrangement on this one so far: K 9/10 MV 3/5 HNT 9/13 (3) Lighter and Bouncier. Definately a transitory move from J-F City Pop to True J-Pop which locates us firmly in the silver age now. Again, could easily be an Akina B-Side (4) Most obvious straight HR with almost no J-Pop component. A curiosity but not essential. MV 3/5 K 2/10 HNT 0/13. I’d take a guess, this is a sideways copy of something (5) This might actually have been interesting: how to handle the slow one. Actually, going more for the Goodnight Soft One than more than the heartfelt(tm) dreary peddle; is
- is
more interesting. K 8/10 HNT 8/13 MV 0/5 (6) ANOTHER slow one? Really?? Good job it’s a good one and has a bit of life to it. Good long instrumental section with some nice piano. I do hope the album picks up soon, though. (7) A-HA! Some Tension!! Kbd-vox-clarinet. Charming vocals actually and even a decent bit of energy in the Ill-Advised-English-Chorus. MV 1/5 HNT 9/13 K 6/10. And also a soary soaring middle-eight! (9) Twinkle tube-bells, tiny bit of j-pop-does-4AD here then smoothness. Oh yes. Slow again, but OK!