#not really tho because it was my only cd from 2020 to like a month ago in my car and Everytime it came on I thought it was real

[daylightandlongnights]

While we're getting different variations of albums, I wouldn't complain if we got a 'Driving in a car' variant of Evermore so I didn't have to think I'm getting pulled over every time no body no crime comes on

[ystk-archive]

We always look forward to your thoughts about each and every Nakata album release, and we know that we've seen the partiality of them about PLASMA (album) here. I guess you may take the floor and share to us your overall or detailed thoughts about the album. Either way is fine. :)

I don't generally enjoy talking about Perfume releases because their audience is touchy (there was some minor attempted drama last month because of my commentary on Spinning World? or something? lmao idek anymore) but since you asked and since I apparently love attention... 🥴

The singles for this era were very heavily J-pop, moreso than they've done in the past, and having not read any press for any of those releases I don't know their explanation for the shift in style (if they provided one). It's a strong appeal towards mainstream tastes; on PLASMA they're safer than they've ever been as a pop group and they were already very safe to begin with. These singles naturally led to a very poppy album with no big dance track moment and also little new content to pick from: most of the Polygon Wave EP being dropped unceremoniously onto this is a bit of a slight. Granted it provides much-needed balance against things like Saisei and Sayonara Plastic World, but that just gives the impression that there could've been a Polygon Wave LP (full-length album) that got cut down into an EP -- they did say in late 2020-ish Nakata made all the songs that eventually were the EP + meager new offerings on PLASMA. I'm splitting hairs about this basically because I would prefer an album made from scratch (this will never happen with them tho) but I also think their fans would rather hear fresher material with an album. And also in this industry you don't, like, release a mini-album and then put those songs on an album later lmao...

Bear in mind I'm not saying they had no J-pop in their sound at all -- the core of this group is a balance between elements that are palatable to a non-electronic-music-listening audience and elements that are not. I just think they've swung harder in one particular direction this time than they have before. Nobody really discussed the fact that Polygon Wave was presented with an entire chunk missing as its de facto, public-facing incarnation; what a huge contrast from Polyrhythm which has an almost completely forgotten "extra short edit" and a fun #inspirational story about how Nakata went to Tokuma HQ and lobbied for them to not excise his CD-skip-esque polyloop bridge… It's just weird for me lol.

But yeah anyway, the track order here is more up-and-down that their usual as a consequence of the contrast. PLASMA (intro) is somber and ~mysterious~ and sets the stage for… Time Warp? Lmao this is why it's not really worth talking about J-pop albums in a serious context, they're just not planned and created as standalone works 90% of the time, they're always functionally singles compilations with bonus material and serve as a basis for a live tour… He knows this and he's talked about it plenty and I think he tried here to tie things together and even it out, but he can't just leave off A-sides like Saisei, Flow, and Time Warp that completely break the mood (and genre). What I'm left asking myself is if this was always such a glaring issue in their albums or if it's more pronounced here because they serve me stock-standard idol-y Saisei and then go back to their normal selves in the following track. Like I love GAME to death but does it hold up as an album? Or was it just the new songs that made it so incredible?

(Someone's going to say "well this just shows they can do a diverse range of styles," like yea I guess, but they did it before in a way that wasn't so…glaring. Like Nakata could've just sold Time Warp, Saisei, and Plastic World to any run-of-the-mill J-pop act. I think the only other song in their discography that's similar is Puppy love, and that was cute and fine as a feel-good album cap, but…)

At this point I probably sound like I hate PLASMA and I don't, it's just not an album to me. It feels as if nothing was released at all: the intro is two minutes of unremarkable ambience, Time Warp has barely audible modifications, Mawaru Kagami appears here in an inferior (though more album-oriented) form. Drive'n The Rain is clearly the only standout album-specific track, but that's…one song. I disqualified Spinning for being pre-release but I could be nice and say it and Drive'n are good. (I don't want to talk about Hatenabito. It isn't worth the words and it shouldn't have been released. Lol.)

However I am entertained by stuff like Spinning World and Drive'n for the self-indulgence of it all production-wise. (I'd praise Saisei for the same but no amount of sleek music producing can counteract the sheer corniness.) They're also different and mature in a way that feels "right" for them. But it'd be nice if they could someday overcome their lifelong intimidation and actually work with Nakata on their music or, better yet, do what should've been done many years ago and threaten their company to allow them to work with other music producers… I don't understand why they're permitted concert-only pieces by other people but can't canonize this music in release format. I actually really enjoyed this performance at their little tech demo showcase with music done by Kurotaki Setsuya. I don't think they're gaining much from having that "exclusively produced by Nakata Yasutaka" aspect in their marketing. And there are only so many things one person can draw with the materials provided, though he's done well with a sort of return to form with Polygon Wave.

But uh, I suppose it's fairly cohesive despite the whiplash track order. Future Pop was pretty cohesive too though, and we all know how their fanbase largely thinks of that album... For people who really get into saccharine J-pop melodies but also enjoy the quirky robo-chic that is (was?) this group's bread & butter this is probably a great album. I don't know! The poll results were pretty funny because the cornball bloc of songs ranked the worst, but I'm also aware that there are about ~5 people who still regularly check this blog and their preferences in his music may align with mine and skew the results. Elsewhere I've seen overall praise for it. I guess I generally agree that it's a step in a better direction for them; I am still left craving dance music and the small challenging components of Perfume that made them so fresh and interesting 10-15 years ago.

[checkoutafrica]

Ami Faku; SA’s highest streamed female artist part one

There’s something so incredibly beautiful about listening to music in your own language. For me I never really deep lyrics when it comes to songs, I just listen because I vibe with the song but listening to SA soul just does something to me, I feel every single word and so much more! So it’s no surprise that I adore Ami Faku’s voice. 

I first discovered Ami in June last year whilst watching an episode of Uzalo (my favourite SA soap), her song Ubuhle Bakho played as Lindiwe walked down the aisle. It was at that moment that I knew I had found my first dance song! Regardless of where my husband is from, this will be our song, forever and always. You truly have to listen to it to understand where I’m coming from! This was the first time in a very long time that a song had brought me to tears. Her voice, the lyrics, her sound, the melodies, everything about it was just breathtaking. To this day I can’t go a week without playing the song, it’s on repeat none stop. I’m probably one of the huge reasons why she’s SA’s most streamed female artist of 2019, she’s without a doubt my most played SA female artist! 

Ms Faku has collaborated with some of SA’s biggest and greatest musicians I.e Amanda Black, Sun el Musician and Prince Kaybee just to name a few! She released her debut album in September and the more I listened to the album the more I fall in love with her, I kid you not, this woman will probably go down as one of SA’s greatest and I honestly cannot wait for her to get the global recognition she deserves. Within the first day of her album being released, it hit #1 on Apple Music, her album was #1 in physical sales of music for 4 weeks, she had 5 songs in the Top 50 of Radiomonitor Top 200 chart of 2019 and she was the ONLY newcomer on Spotify’s top 10 most streamed female artist. Imagine all of this was achieved within the space of a few months, so imagine what she could achieve In the next 5-10 years!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ami (@ami_faku) on Mar 31, 2020 at 2:38am PDT

I had the privilege of interviewing this incredible woman on Monday and here is what she had to say; 

How does it feel to be named SA’s most streamed female artist by Deezer? How did you hear the news?

“It feels great, I keep saying all of these things are a blessing because at first, I did not think that all of this was possible so I’m very happy and grateful.

I found out whilst I was alone at my place and I called to confirm because I was like there should be a mistake but thankfully it was an actual thing and there was no mistake.”

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We are on the lead! Number #1 on physical CD sales on MUSICA SA

Grateful for all of you! The support is real.

A post shared by Ami (@ami_faku) on Jan 28, 2020 at 10:12am PST

How would you describe your music in 5 words and why have you chosen these particular words?

“Modern, Soulful, Truthful, an Experience and Quality music. Every time I think about it I would say those are the elements that my music has.”

Obviously, as an artist, you take inspiration from so many things, for example; your surroundings, life experiences and other artists. How did you discover your sound, how long did it take you and what advice would you give to other artists looking to find their own sound?

“It took time because if I look back to when I was 18 I wouldn’t have done this, I was not exposed/ around people who played live instruments but I always knew that I had this deep love for instruments and soulful music but unfortunately I couldn’t – It was just this experience of doing all these other genres to actually make this decision to say, no this is the music that I really love the most. It was just experiencing and looking at the music I connect with the most – afro soul and RnB but mostly very youthful, nothing old or anything, that’s why I incorporate youthfulness in my afro soul because it’s part of what I like so it had to be part of my music and sound.

To new artists, I would say just be sure that this is the sound that you want because it’s not easy to write on, it’s not easy to create a melody on because it sort of has to compliment cause the production is always so great so it’s quite intimidating, you have to really work hard into making sure that your delivery is just as good. Make sure you know what you want, don’t do it because everyone says you should do it and stick through what you believe in and just always be you because I am me in my writing and everything about this journey. I am fully 100% myself so I would encourage them to do the same.”

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Thank you so much for attending my #SincerelyYours showcase. I had the time of my life, I love you guys! Tonight we continue

A post shared by Ami (@ami_faku) on Mar 13, 2020 at 1:18am PDT

Most of your songs are related to the idea of love, is this romantic love? Have you yourself ever been in love, or are you in love right now?

“My music involves platonic love as well as romantic love, because I myself am such a lover. I express love even in songs I dedicate to friends and family so It can be however you interpret it.

I was definitely in love at some point, it’s always so weird when people ask me this, I’m like no why??? but I am grateful for the experience as it helped me to create songs that people love, so I guess it was worth something in the end, I got something out of it at least, so yeah I have been in love! My experience is very limited tho, so in order to broaden my audience I always also write in other peoples perspectives and tell their stories too.”

The post Ami Faku; SA’s highest streamed female artist part one appeared first on CheckoutAfrica.

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