Happy new year my friends! Hope you had a great holiday season, filled with all the beautiful music that’s been released in Japan in the course of the last year.
In the last few days I’ve been thinking about how to kick off 2018 here at Land of Rising Sound, and while I definitely have a few topics I want to talk about as soon as possible, today I’ve finally stumbled upon the perfect chance to write my first post of the year: a new Suiyoubi no Campanella track!
With the release of one of the best albums of the year – and all the great singles that followed it – it’s no secret that 2017 has been the best year to date for Suiyoubi no Campanella. The trio has no intention of slowing it down though, and just yesterday, they released yet another digital single (the fifth after the release of “SUPERMAN”) titled “Edokko Doko Doko“, that also served as opening theme for a NHK educational show aired back in November.
The song features elements that reminisce of Campanella’s both recent and past productions, with layers of acoustic guitar reminding of last year’s “Melos”, but also a chorus boasting Edo-inspired soundscapes that brings the mind back to Zipang’s beautiful “Ono Imoko” (though in a slower and more relaxing key). KOM_I‘s interpretation and vocal versatility is once again the highlight of the track, seamlessly spacing from soothing vocals enriching the verses to a brief Rap break halfway through the track that shake things up a little without sounding out of place; the singer’s ability and confidence in bending her vocal skills to different approaches is always a pleasure to the ears, and it successfully enriches the number while keeping it cohesive. Spoken parts and male vocals that occasionally couple with KOM_I’s voice are also featured here, and while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it hardly ruins the atmosphere the track pulls off so well.
“Edokko Doko Doko” may not be the most exciting post-SUPERMAN single, but it’s yet another proof of how Suiyoubi no Campanella can capture a precise sound and use it as a base to expose its trademark songwriting as well as KOM_I’s charisma and impeccable vocal skills.
You can buy “Edokko Doko Doko” and listen to a preview of it here, or watch the opening of the NHK show featuring a shorter version of the song here.
– Alex
Land of the Rising Sound 