Music Elixir
Eavesdrop on a conversation between two friends about their favorite Asian artists and music and how music is their tonic of life.
Music Elixir
Exploring the Depths of Number_i's 'No.O -ring-'
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Ever found yourself in dire need of a break but felt guilty for taking time off? Join Sarah and DJ Panic as they humorously recount their recent experiences with PTO and the unexpected joy found in simply staying home and rejuvenating. Whether it's a manicure, a massage, or just indulging in takeout from a new restaurant, these moments of self-care are crucial, and they remind us that it doesn't have to cost a fortune to feel fantastic.
Switching gears, Sarah and DJ Panic take you on a unique backward journey through Number_i's sensational new mini album "No.O -ring-". Starting with the emotional depth of "Yume no Tsuzuki," they explore this nostalgic 80s R&B ballad that tugs at the heartstrings. They also dive into the playful, doo-wop vibes of "Banana (Take it Lazy)," drawing delightful comparisons to Billy Joel's classic "The Longest Time". Imagine a carefree day spent with a loved one, and you're right there in the midst of this charming track.
But it doesn't stop there. From dreamy synth-pop tunes evoking summer nostalgia to intense, dark tracks inspired by the raw energy of proto-punk and hardstyle, this episode covers it all. Sarah and DJ Panic dissect the album's standout moments, including a powerful "blackout song" that demands high-quality headphones for full appreciation, and a dark, intense track with gripping, demented undertones. Tune in for an electrifying musical journey filled with complex emotions, cathartic energy, and nostalgic harmonies that will leave you hitting the replay button.
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DJ Panic Blog:
OK ASIA
Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Music Elixir with me, sarah, and.
Speaker 2DJ Panic Woohoo, yeah, why does it feel like we took a break?
Speaker 1I don't know. We recorded, did we? We did, actually, we did take a break, we did, we did. Okay, we did take a break. The two of us are like what?
Speaker 2Yeah, we did, okay, did okay.
Speaker 1Oddly enough, we recorded like on father's day, but for some reason the weekend after we didn't okay so it was a very strange, usually with like a holiday you know, quote unquote holiday we take a break that weekend, but for some reason we managed to record right and then I don't remember why we didn't, but we had, we had a little backup, so we were good yeah, yes, we're good we cheat sometimes, and we cheat sometimes. We need to take breaks, you know exactly.
Speaker 2So we plan ahead yes, that's it.
Speaker 2We don't cheat, we plan ahead on june 20, 20, 26, 27, okay, today's june 20, 30th, yes, okay. So on june 29 I said on air everybody, please take your pto. You know, take your time, you know? Um, just reminding people out there, because where I work they give us a wellness hour. Every month you have a wellness hour and so I don't forget. I usually take it on the last friday of the month and of course I had to let people who I work admin for that I'm going to be leaving early. So, since I work with a lot of the nurses, one of them say, if it wasn't for your reminder that we have a wellness hour, I forget so guess what?
Speaker 2I'm taking mine too. So I I'm just I said to myself you know what? I just gotta remind people please take your pto yeah, exactly take your paid time off, you know, even if it's just to like putz around the house, you know, or just walk down the street or just anything for yourself. I mean you can. You can schedule a manicure, you can schedule like a massage, you know, you can make it just like a me time through that week. Yeah, no, absolutely go to your favorite restaurant.
Speaker 1Everybody you gotta take care of yourself yeah, even if it's just too like bed rot you know, yeah, no, there are days where you need to just lay down and not move for the whole day. Yeah, it's just, it's a mental health thing. You know, yeah, you're like there's still self-care. Well, you know, because you can't fill all your free time with getting all your chores and errands done, because then you're not having free time. You know, yeah, so you need to take that absolute just do nothing day.
Speaker 2I know when people are like, oh, vacation time, you don't have time to go on vacation. I'm like, well, vacation doesn't have to be going outside your town or state or go to a country or anything like that it's you don't even have to, you don't even have to go camping, exactly you know in the local state park.
Speaker 1You can just stay home. Staycation, stay home, you know. No, you don't have to break the bank to take it easy no, exactly another one.
Speaker 2It could be like I don't know, if you don't want to leave the comfort of your own home, call for delivery. And it's like oh, I've been wanting to test this restaurant, right where, you don't want to put my pants on, I'm just gonna call in see if I like the chimichangas or whatever you know, and you know, you just stay home, yep, and it's, that's perfectly normal and fine and, like I said, it's self-care.
Speaker 2Yeah, absolutely so, yes, so why am I saying this? We're going to be talking about a very special group Now. Their songs are not about vacation, but I think one of them feels like it might be more of a summer song. Yeah, definitely, but we'll shed a light on that song or give her, I don't know, opinion on it. But on our last singles we talk about number I's Bon and we also mentioned that. Hey, let's also just talk about the album. I'm calling it no Ring, like no Ring. I'm sure that's not the way that is pronounced. Fans, please let me know. Or should I say ilees, that's the name of the fandom. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know the ilees can let us know how to pronounce their mini album, which I'm calling it no ring, like no ring, like no ring on the finger ring like no ring.
Speaker 1Like no ring on the finger.
Speaker 2That could be instead of number, zero ring or number. Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, we were making fun of it the last time because we're like huh, well, anyways because, you know, I mean depending how you pronounce things, depending what country you're from.
Speaker 1Yes, the, the pronunciation changes the meaning and it was just. If we say it that way here, it means something that just we couldn't even deal with. So yeah like we're just gonna leave it that we don't want to say that, but it could very well be no ring, we'll just we'll just say you know?
Speaker 2no ring. No ring no zero ring no O.
Speaker 1No ring.
Speaker 2There's no ring, no ring.
Speaker 1No ring. We're just going to drag the no out.
Speaker 2Exactly, we're silly. The mini album was released on May 27 with eight tracks. Of course, the leading track for this album was bond. That has been, oh my goodness, it's been charting. I mean it's been streamed heavily, heavily on wait, did I miss a song?
Speaker 1eight tracks, I thought it was only seven. There's seven or eight, sorry, seven seven.
Speaker 2Why did? I said?
Speaker 1eight, I don't know, but I was. I say eight, I don't know, but I was like uh-oh, because we already did Bone.
Speaker 2I focused on the other six tracks. You know what I did? I did bad math, oh, okay.
Speaker 1Because I was like I am obviously going to be unprepared for one of these songs. All right, no, that was DJ Panic, can't Count.
Speaker 2No, DJ Panic Cannot Count. And why am I thinking of the eight?
Speaker 1Maybe you were including the album name in the list of stuff.
Album Reverse Analysis and Production Credits
Speaker 2I don't know. No, why was I thinking of number eight? That's fine, something's going to happen. It's the witchy me, it's the witch in me, the witchy poo me, the witchy poo, delulu happening. Oh girl, have things happen. Okay, I'm gonna leave it like that. Anyways, seven track mini album. All right, all right, cool. Thank you, sarah. Um, we're actually gonna talk about this album kind of backwards, yeah, like in reverse we're gonna start from the bottom, with exception in the middle.
Speaker 2But uh, the first song that we're going to talk about is yume no suzuki, produced by leo anderson, lyrics by mila berry. But apparently there was a ig live that the guys did for the album oh okay, and jen was a co-creator. But there's not.
Speaker 2It's not on the lyrics it's not on the credits, huh apparently, um, yeah, jen had kind of produced as well this song and apparently all the songs in here, with exception, I believe one hold on. The members are not in that one, but apparently each member it's produced the song but it's not on the credits.
Speaker 1Well, you know, once you started saying that, it made me think of something that Arashi did. Each of them on one of the albums, arranged sort of how the vocals, how everybody was going to be singing, how the the production, basically of the song, yeah, but they didn't write it.
Speaker 1The credits weren't theirs as far as writing and music composition, okay, but they each picked a song that they were sort of in charge of saying this is where I want your voice to come in and blah. So maybe that's what they were saying. What they were talking about is like he sort of had vocal direction. I don't know for sure what kind of direct, so, but according to ilese on their ig live.
Speaker 2Apparently jen said yes, I produced this one right well and then there's although you know, and I'm like well, well, part of producing is it will be really it will be nice to like when conversations like that happen, when they have like and this was an ig live, not just for only for the fans, for everybody if there was like a translation somewhere so we don't be lost, because I'm like looking for it in the interwebs, you know. So I'm just picking from whatever I could find from fans and I'm like not sure if it's 100, because it's coming from a fan, you know, not coming from well and is it, you know, the who translated that particular exactly statement?
Speaker 2so, whatever, then I'm saying right now this is taken from what I have seen from fans, so if it's incorrect or you know where we can find this, please let us know. At musicalixer underscore, on our ex Twitter, also on our forum, you can, you know, send it there. You can also DM us on our Instagram. Our Instagram DM is open, right, it should be. Yes, yes, it is. It should be so if you have instagram.
Speaker 1We don't have anything. You can find us there. Yeah, you can find us there music elixir underscore pod or music elixir pod oh you have to ask I don't have my thing open okay um, let me see music. Elixir underscore pod.
Speaker 2Okay, that's our instagram so, of course, uh, the show notes will have the link for our socials and, uh, let us know, because I've been looking and looking to find more about that IG live. That number eyes. Ig live discussing.
Speaker 1Did they archive it? Is it in?
Speaker 2there. No, they know they usually don't archive it that long you know it's like a period of time but, I'm sure a fan out there might've, you know, saved it saved, it recorded translated, or something.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2That's what I've been trying to find a translation of that, just like our friend does for uh the um other people yeah I'm not saying name, but no, so why not say that I said a name earlier, so so I'm like you know.
Speaker 2So this is what we're going for, it feels and what I can find, which is pretty much, this is our talks. So for okay, now that we started with this one and we in um according to fans, jen helped produce this this song to me straight 80s r&b ballad very 80s, especially with that piano, the electric piano. I wow this feels like wow very 80s, especially that ballad from school that you're like awkwardly dancing with your partner.
Speaker 2That's what it felt like. It brought me back to my school dance. I'm like, oh my God, this is weird. But I was thinking. You know, this song is more to showcase the group's melodic vocals and, of course, when you hear that mention of ame rain, something happened here yes, you know, even though there's like a dream.
Speaker 1Oh yeah, you may.
Speaker 2They've got the dream going on, right so, um, I forgot to put down the translation. Did you get a translation for the?
Speaker 1yeah, the, you may know the the dream continues or the continuing dream? Ah, like it depends on how. That's what I'm saying, depending on how you're translating who's translating exactly meaning. But so I sort of got the impression was like the dream that continues right, this is not a happy song no especially with the ame when there's a man there, it's the same as namida exactly it's the tears, there's rain.
Speaker 2Um, I like that. Jen started the song uh with a very somber, but it was lovely tone. Uh show hits those high notes that just just grab your heart, even though he has that husky voice as well you know, he's our husky boy and, of course and I, what I really really like even though it's not one that I kind of go towards to the album is akishi's vocal range is perfect. It's very lovely. It's just what it supports his vocal range, so I'm happy about that.
Speaker 1Yeah, it does what it supports is vocal range, so I'm happy about that. Yeah, it does what it's supposed to for him.
Speaker 2But the song, you know it's lowly ballady, kind of sad, but it's bittersweet. Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1It is definitely. I was going to say I had sort of the same idea as you, yep, as far as like late 70s, early 80s, 80s, soap opera, rom-com, kind of musical theme. It made me think christopher cross, what you know he did the theme song like laura's theme for general hospital oh yeah, and that, I think was the early 80s you know, yeah, yeah, it was like this very specific sound.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah yeah, so that's what it made me think of too. I definitely had that, because it's, you know, they're talking about the dream. They say sayonara in there, which is, as everybody knows, like a very long-term goodbye. You may talk dreaming, like you said, it's like the synonym for tears, basically rain, um. So it's to me, yeah, it's sort of a reflection back on time with someone or a point in your life.
Speaker 1It's just very sad yeah, it's it's melancholy, yes, even though the the tune itself is trying to be uplifting. It's sort of like this contradiction it's fighting the sadness behind the words. Like you said, though, there's definitely the vocals throughout there. They're harmonizing and just everybody's tone was perfectly fit into where they were in the song, so it was just beautifully composed. Composed, yes, let's just put it that way yes but it was.
Speaker 1You know this isn't. It's not a dancing song and it's not a, you know, driving song. It's a sitting in your room reminiscing about something, you know, something bittersweet, something gone by. But yeah, no, it's. It's still a good song, but it's good song.
Speaker 2I'm like I said, I'm happy with kishu's arrangement here. Kishu was vocals were there. Yes, his true vocals were there. I like that for a ballad. Poor guy, they give him some melodies and I'm like no, turn it down, turn it down, that's nice range anyways, but it's a lovely song yes, it is but not like, oh my god, I gotta go play it right now, you know, and then it's a lovely song right it's, it's the one you save for later.
Speaker 1Relax, yeah, I don't know, just feeling sort of mellow and laid back. Yes, good background sound.
Speaker 2Yes, all right what were we gonna talk about? I, okay, I, I, I, I, I. So for I, I found that that I not just because of I, of the group, but I because of love, love, yeah.
Speaker 1So it's love, not spelled that way, but the sound is, the sound is.
Speaker 2So this one's produced by Carlos K and Keane, but apparently Show was the one that produced this one Guess what.
Speaker 1Supposedly, supposedly, you're going gonna be saying that about every single because I need proof. No, I know I need proof.
Speaker 2It's not written in the credits sorry, no, I understand, I understand.
Speaker 1It's just funny to supposedly allegedly word on the street is Exactly. Gonna have to come up with a different way of saying it for each song.
Speaker 2Do you want to start this one, since I started the other one?
Speaker 1Sure, this one, I think, is sort of another throwback sound to the sort of mellow soul, r&b gospel to it. There's this awesome like jazz piano in there, during the chorus and throughout the whole musical composition. They got the groovy guitar, you got bass, that fills out the sound. Their vocals are sweet, strong, again, the sort of gospel-y sound. I love the going on in the background. You know what I mean. That's what really sort of brings out that gospel feel. You're like, oh, yeah, they're, they're singing along and then all of a sudden you're like all right, yeah.
Speaker 1And then, I don't know, there's point like two and a half minutes in the piano is paired with sort of like a clock or a metronome sound that sort of gave this ticking of time, while they're singing about the good life, because there's words they throw in there A little bit happy good life. They're like smile, love, hope. So there's all these positive words. So this to me feels like a song just really expressing what a good life they've got. Or the this person singing is talking about the good life. Like everything's, you know, not perfect, but I've always been a little bit happy, I've always had a good life, which is also another very gospel kind of theme you know to be singing about. We got our struggles, but it's a good life.
Speaker 1This one made me happy to listen to. It was very upbeat, very just, positive. Just makes you sort of groove in your seat to yourself. You're, you're feeling a little bit happy. So I I really just got this sort of got to keep going and find something to keep you happy, yeah, kind of feel about it. So I don't know how you were I just I loved yeah, the way they did that the gospel is there.
Speaker 2Yeah, definitely, this is give it.
Speaker 2This was actually giving me the 90s vibes oh with that you know, the gospel there was, uh, let's see, like early 90s, very like I don't know. There's a point I'm why I was thinking luther vandross, for some reason, from his like very gospel-y, you know, way. Also it's because of the chorus, I feel more. This is a song for the people, uh song to reach out to those who might not be feeling too good, you know, kind of down. Uh, just to encourage to just look around you and and see what, instead of just like looking ahead of what, what is going to happen, but just what you have right now. Live the moment. You know things are going to get better. You know it's positive vibes, definitely, it's living the moment. You're a little bit happy, look what you have right now instead of what you haven't. Very sweet, of course, and yeah, it peps you up, brings good spirits to you.
Speaker 1Nice, another one with really cool arrangements for everybody, exactly it was just such a a good feeling because, like I said, I didn't feel like they were like everything's great, but I think they were saying find that happiness, find the moment here. You know, think about the moment you had happiness before and bring it to the now. So yeah, it wasn't like this is a great day, but it's make it a great day. I felt sort of like this wash of feel good listening to it, you know.
Speaker 2And doesn't the song kind of feels like show?
Speaker 1Yeah, it does.
Speaker 2You know, every time you see him, you're just like aw.
Speaker 1Yeah, a little bobbing back and forth you know like shrugging his shoulders a little as he sings to the beat Like yeah, da-da-da-da-da, yeah, no, it's very much him.
Speaker 2Right, very much him.
Speaker 1It's just like oh, no wonder, this is so him, but you know if you think about, think about all of the music right, and all of those guys, all of them can emote so well, so many different things, like when they're doing, say, bong and that total like hip-hop, move your whole body, get into it. They can all do that. And then they can all do the simple little like yeah, girl, you're so sweet, I love it. Like they go from being like bad asses to like I'm adorable.
Speaker 2That's what an entertainment, a rounded entertainment, can do.
Speaker 1Exactly so. That's what I like this whole album is that? Yeah, no-transcript banana. Yeah, take it lazy.
Speaker 2Yes, now, this one I remember hearing prior was kishi right, yes, kishi had his hand in this. Kishi produced by shun. This is kishi. You can feel kishi on this one. This is so kishi. Just by when I saw that title and I'm like, why am I thinking of kishi banana, take it lazy. What oh is this? This is like a Kishi talk. This is the doo-wop ballad Doo-wop. I felt doo-wop with this one. This is like it's comedic. For me, this song is very comedic. It might be sweet. Which is Kishi? Which is Kishi? This feels like a morning day with your loved one and they're sharing half a banana. That's all I have to say, because I think the song was kind of all over the place like kishi yeah, definitely a lot of funny innuendos in there.
Speaker 1That's what I was gonna say. I feel there was innuendo to the, the title of this and to what's going on throughout the song. Yeah, but if we keep it on the clean side, no, because kishi didn't start it clean.
Speaker 2He's like I'm an adult.
Speaker 1Now, the minute I heard half a banana, I was like I don't need, no, nope.
Speaker 1The image is in my head. I cannot, I can't keep going with this. Yeah, but no, I definitely. I liked, though, that it starts with the simple, like snapping fingers, yeah, and that talking guitar. The guitar is like saying something to you. I don't know what it was saying. Maybe it was saying just be lazy, that bass kind of R&B, and then they just start there's this whole groove comes in where they add the xylophone and they're like I don't know it's so, it is so lazy.
Speaker 1It is Like in terms of I imagined either just hanging out in a hammock or on the bed or like on a blanket on the floor, like that's all this is. This is you're just hanging out with someone, I don't know who he's with, and you're just chilling, and I think, the tongue in cheek, sort of innuendo aside aside, the idea is that whatever is around us, whatever we've got, we're just going to share and share in this moment of being together and taking it lazy, going at our own speed with everything, no matter what it is, we're just gonna chill and that. So same thing you were saying like this is it didn't have to be in bed necessarily, it was just. Wherever we are, we're just going to, and that the point is that we're going to share all of the experience, all of the physical world, emotional world. It's just, it's us and that's it in our little bubble and it is. Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2I mean they said you know it's going to be all right. At one point it's going to be all right.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, you know what is it In this lazy love With you? Of course you know. So yeah, take it Lazy babe In this lazy love, easy breezy life. Yeah, I think there was something else in there, but I couldn't hear it. But yeah, this is just no need to do anything, but be together hanging out doing our thing, whatever that thing is exactly, exactly, just have your pto time and deal with your friend, and what?
Speaker 1are you love? Well, and it was so funny, though, because, like, because, like this, surprisingly, this song every time it came on, I liked it more and more. I was like wow, I am just really digging this groove, like you know what I mean? I don't know, it was just something. It's so relaxing, it really is. It makes you kind of lazy, I guess. I just I did. I wanted to just sort of sit back, do up songs yeah, then this one is has that do up vibes?
Speaker 2you know there's one that I love. I'm gonna go to a different artist.
Speaker 1It's from from billy joel from the longest time that that just do it yeah I love that song. Well, you know what. The tune to that is actually like a classical, not chopin, but um, it's classical piece, oh my goodness. And I I love that song too. But I was like why does this sound familiar? Because it's some sort of, you know, instrumental classical song we've heard before. Oh my goodness, that's what draws you to it, yeah.
Speaker 2Isn't that crazy? Yeah, and that's like one of my favorites from him Me too and then I hear this like doo-wop thing and I'm like that's so crazy, it's very doo-wop-y, and I'm like, okay, so it's giving me that. That's wicked fun. I've never talk about that song, but I remember it because a lot of people do not like that song.
Speaker 1I love it. Family do not like it was like my favorite off the album. It was on yeah, it's like oh my god me too.
Speaker 2I was like I love this, and then, when it comes up on the radio, that's all I can think of.
Speaker 1I got it in my head now.
Speaker 2But yeah, that is it is.
Speaker 1It's the same kind of thing. Yeah it just. It puts you at ease, it makes you feel just relaxed and yeah and that one was a reminiscent song as well yeah, exactly so okay yes, and this one's just like, take your chill, take a chill pill with me and the half banana.
Speaker 2Okay, with me in the half banana, okay.
Speaker 1I'm glad, though, that we had the same thought there too, though, because I was like am I just, is my mind just dirty, or you know, it's kishi.
Speaker 2So it's kishi, there's a lot of english lyrics he has a certain type of humor. So haven't we said that where there's a lot of english lyrics, the song tend to be a little bit more in the risque side yes, yes, definitely it's like yeah, I gotta do some english in here so our japanese audience don't get it.
Retro Synth Pop Music Analysis
Speaker 2Or just, you know, uh, kishay? Well, they're men, you know it's out there, okay, they're over 25. Over 25. Anyways, moving on to no, yes, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Produced, composed and written by Monjo and Pecori, but also produced by Kishi. Oh really, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Apparently there's another one that Kishi had said too. This is so synth pop so synth pop.
Speaker 2I love 80s vibes. I'm telling you, I think most of these songs, half of these songs, are very like. I think I know their target audience. They know very well, yes, so they're going with those vibes and they're like let, let me, let's go reach this target audience, because we know they got money. Yeah, exactly, I know what you're doing. Boys, you're human, but you're still boys to me.
Speaker 1So I know what you're doing. We got your number. Aye, we got your number. I-huh Aye, we got your number.
Speaker 2Don't want to reach into that pocket, anyways. But oh my God, the electric drums, the drum machine, the synth sounds, obviously it was just like oh, I know, I'm vibing this song. I'm vibing this song very much. This song sounds just, the vibe is so nostalgic for me, you know, thinking of summer days in Puerto Rico, because this was the sound back when I was living in Puerto Rico, just going to the mall with my friends, like let's go to the mall.
Speaker 1I mean you know the way you're saying that let's go to the mall, let's go to the mall. I guess it was're saying that let's go to the mall, let's go to the mall.
Speaker 2I guess it was giving me that you know I was just thinking that, just hanging out at the mall, because that was the thing to do in the 80s. You know it's true the song gives me sweetness, but it could be it has that I miss you song, especially when you hear later Stand by Me you know, Through the song and but you also hear the yes and the no, so it's like but anyways, it's still like kind of cool vibes and still kind of want to dance to it as well, you know, but yeah, just feeling like I was in puerto rico going to the mall today.
Speaker 2You know like, hey, yeah, I, yeah, I was feeling that I was feeling that. How about you?
Speaker 1Yeah, no, I definitely got the 80s feel. It's funny I said that I'm like 80s pop song all the way, that sort of twinkly dreamy synth sound, the whispery vocals at times, you know, during the chorus, just their voices overlapping and and creating this sort of little swirl around you, making it nostalgic, cause you're just like I'm in this little dream state, feeling so good, yes, no, no, yes, yeah, I love the little like peppering of Kishi rap in there, just like it was so brief, but he's like yeah, yeah. So so it breaks up that dreaminess a little bit, but a little bit, but it fit too. It was, yeah, it was perfect. So, yeah, pop, dance kind of feel to this, the way they they're singing, yeah, stand by me. Uh, they say there's no limit. So this sort of gave me like a love can endure, but it's up to you. Yes, do we do this?
Speaker 1No or yes, all right. And so, in a good way, they're analyzing this relationship. They're like, yes, what? Where are we? What are we doing? Are you going to stand by me Because there's no limit? Where are we? What are we doing? Are you going to stand by me Because there's no limit? But it's up to you, no or yes? And the fact that they put no first and yes after is very important, right? Because usually people are like so are we doing this, yes or no? Right? The emphasis on no makes it well, maybe we shouldn't, whereas if you say well, is the answer no or yes, you're more inclined to go with yes, because it's the last thing you heard. So it's very interesting. Where's this relationship going? Are we going to continue?
Speaker 1Yes, so I like the way that this worked. It was very I don't know sweet and tricky and just fabulous all around because, like I said, it's the way these guys have really whoever's helping them, you know, if they're getting directed and produced by someone specifically, or if they're doing this themselves, and finding it. The way they're getting their voices to work together has just been incredible. That's what one of the major things with this album is. There is such a range of sounds going on, but they're really nailing every single one. Yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah, because I'm like like things that I was like I shouldn't like this song, but I do, and it's because of the way they're working okay we got more to talk.
Speaker 1You're kind of getting a coach well, it's because the last two songs I absolutely love anyways oh yeah yeah, so I need to there's.
Speaker 2There's three songs that I majorly love from this album, which I'm gonna leave it towards the end, but let's go with the next one, which is well, we only got two left okay, the next one, which is square one square one square one.
Speaker 2I love this. I love this song, this one that I love. It's produced, composed and written with pon p and jen. Apparently jen and pon p got together. I'm hopefully I'm saying that he's uh the person's name right, pon p. So apparently it's a conversation that they had about them and uh about the group, and in one of him or her, him is I am to co-wrote or help write this song and uh it's okay oh no, because I wanted to read something that I found.
Speaker 2Oh yes okay so I found this blur. I don't know if it's true. So this song was produced by member jin, who asked ponp, who was already a fan of the group, to help produce it. So the lyrics are sprinkled with like anecdotes about the members based on conversations between jin and ponp. Okay, that's why it's a little bit crazy. Well, in some of the lyrics, because there was in there.
Speaker 1I did hear their names being said yeah, along with prince, did you catch that? Yeah, I was like so, yes, all right.
Speaker 2So it's like conversations, so anyway yeah so just talk about fat bass. Yeah, the fat bass, the hip-hop, the latin vibes, the early 2000s miami club anthems. This brought me to miami, my club time. I'm like, yeah, this is awesome. I like the guitar riff, the bass sounds. They're just so sexy. But the song's not about when, but like there's something. Okay, square one.
Speaker 1You know, it's like back to square one yeah, going back to the beginning, starting over, starting over. So this is like that song.
Speaker 2That's like start over, yeah, let's do this. But it's just like, remember. So this song gave me the East Coast hip hop vibes. Remember I was saying like they need to do more East Coast. So did they explore that style? I mean Square One, the delivery for like that vibe, east Coast vibe. It's there At 118,. I can tell Kishi's voice rapping with what I call the unhinged delivery. Yeah, you know, you know he's good at that. He is so good. I love, I love when he does that, he loves it. You can tell he enjoys it. It's like, but it's like, assertive delivery, you know, show, oh, my God. So suave Boy with his husky voice, please, suave. Jim took the range with this song, though his delivery is like conversational, like talking to you about his day, but of course, all three in unison, wow, awesome. But I mean it's just like yeah, no, I love this song. This is one that I just like sound wise. This was full, it was good, it was.
Speaker 2Everybody had their parts and their way that they know how to deliver you know, like kishi wisdom, his unhinged rap, yeah, no, he's show knows very well that the suave and husky works very well with him.
Speaker 1Well, and what I love is he's suave and husky, in a low register oh yeah, girl, and in a higher, like tenor register. His voice, just, he's another one. He can sing the directions off a pancake mix and I'd be like but everybody knows that about me, I know. So yeah, so yeah, no, this one's definitely groove, funk, hip hop. There is so much activity in the background, like there are multiple instruments, oh yeah, but there's also just multiple random sounds like spinning, like pinwheel, spinning a gear winding up the video game, yeah, like startup sound, the modem, like everything. Everything is in there. So it's that's sort of part of this whole. Like just go back to the beginning, start over. Yeah, it's what is everything that's going on? And this is like you were saying, it is very sort of conversational. It's a back and forth. Yeah, they're just going back to basics.
Speaker 1But I know I heard, um, sky's the limit. Was that it? Yeah, sky's the limit, from square one. And I had a delulu moment because they say something in here that I was like oh, we're getting called out. They say I ain't nothing but a number Girl. I thought that too. I was like. I was like I got to hear that again, did they just yes and yeah, I ain't nothing but a number and it's a question. And I was like my Delulu head said, they heard our first talk where we mistakenly why do you think I'm kind of kind of like?
Speaker 1so they're like we're going back to square one to teach these people how to say our name it's I. I was like, oh my god, I took it personally that line, I know me too.
Identity Crisis in Music Analysis
Speaker 2I was like girl, okay, so you felt the same way I did. I was like you felt the same way like I said, it's a delulu well hello why do you think I think they are really okay? Delulu time, here I'm having the lulu time. Why am I saying this in thinking that, yes, they are listening? Kishi hasn't given me the, he's only giving me the in the demented rap which he just did. Yes, exactly, and the unhinged, because you know very well, that's where it works, not in the melodic we've talked about.
Speaker 1Yeah, that he's perfect for that, he was built for that and so, yeah, and now he's delivering this, so this whole song. I'm like they're going back to square one teaching us what they're all about. I ain't nothing but a number. I was like, oh my god okay, this is.
Speaker 2This is the part when we get the lulu and is, you know, panic and Sarah, the Lulu theater where we're just going to be like, of course. Why are they saying that? You know, this song is about square one? Yeah, because they heard us talk about them. They're like well, we got to start again because they don't like the way that is. They don't like the way they don't know how to say our name. Ok, so she doesn't like how I sing melodic away. They don't know how to say our name.
Speaker 1Okay, so she doesn't like how I sing melodic, so forget me. Well, and we also, with that first mini album we talked about like going back to that old sound from the old. You know. We were like we hope they're trying to find their own sound in their own. And that's what's happening. This whole album, like I said, every song appeals to me on a different level, for a different reason. They went back to square one and said all right, we're gonna start over and make them like us for this sound and this sound we're gonna show these ladies we're gonna get canceled.
Speaker 2We were all about we're.
Speaker 1I ain't nothing but a number. Oh my God. Like I said, I had to, I had to go back. I was like did I hear that right, Are they making?
Speaker 2fun of us. They probably are Kishi, probably is. He was like what, what you know? Then Jenna's like yeah, we'll show them. Okay, I got something, I got something and show is just like. I'm just gonna do what I do it's like just tell me what to do, I'll just do it I'm just doing what I do oh my god sing husky, sing smoky. Yeah, yeah, all right, but yeah, so I just want to say that this track was a diss to us but we liked it, oh my god.
Speaker 1And I like this song.
Speaker 2Oh yeah, no, definitely like my one of my favorites. One of my favorites me too on this album just so cool oh yeah, and very much in line with you.
Speaker 1Know what I was sort of saying before. The feel of this whole album is like just go yeah start over. We're gonna hit each of these sounds and we're just gonna we're gonna nail them, make them perfect, and they did exactly so yeah exactly.
Speaker 2All right, of course, on the uh yeah, but the one okay so now we left last, but not not least at all.
Speaker 1No, no, not at all, jeez this is my blackout song.
Speaker 2Yeah, no, this, definitely this one is my blackout song. It's been a while since we have talked about a blackout song. I think we did talk about blackout song, but I think it was somebody else.
Speaker 1Yeah, anyways, it's been a while.
Speaker 2Because there was a time that we were hearing a lot of blackout songs, but it just but lately it was like what happened? It's like nothing, like is giving me that, me that vibe. So, anyways, the song that we are going to talk about is okay complex oh this is, like I said. It's my blackout song from this album, album um. This was also uh produced and composed by uh manjo and uh pecorie and kishi he had his hands in a lot of things.
Speaker 1Huh for this album.
Speaker 2He she apparently, according to ailes, this bass oh my god, this bass, this bass that just touches every part of your body.
Speaker 2Edm, just this hard style. Oh my God, talk about a dance. This is like so tribal. You know the vocal style. It's just the low and the raspy and the breathy and the cocky and the seductive. My God, like what? What? Yeah, this is.
Speaker 2You have to listen to this one with headphones, not earplugs, not the earbuds, headphones. You need to get good headphones or a very, very stereo to catch everything that hit. This song has to deliver. It is I don't care what they're saying, I I just just just taken by everything they're just saying. I just, you know, if they could be talking, they could not be singing in even japanese, they could be singing some other language.
Speaker 2And I just love the song, the power that emanates through not just the composition but through their vocals. It's total roller coaster. The vibes is just like blankly, like, oh my god, especially with like with me, okay, I'm like, okay with you, right, let's go. It's just like the breathiness, oh my God, I love that. The whole thing it just made up of like complicated or like intricate parts. You know the whole thing. And then, hello, okay, complex.
Speaker 2The song was so just complex. It's just like the group express and desires, like memories or dominating or influence, or just like their personalities just coming out of there. I'm just, I'm telling you, it's just like. This is so extravagant. Oh, anyways, what I so like they start with like Kimi wa complex Okay, I forgot to write the kanji, the other stuff, but like they're going like Japanese and then complex. So what I did is actually took the kanji out and translated just that and the Kimi wa ore no koeru uta. It's you sing a song that surpasses mine, that surpasses what that surpasses mine. So the verse is like Kimi wa complex, ore no complex, koeru complex Utau complex. I took all the Japanese out and I just translated that and that's what it gives me. You sing a song that surpasses mine. Interesting, I'm like omg, this.
Speaker 1This is even getting more like heavier because, like kimi wa, is you complex. So, so it's very interesting the use of complex here, because complex is, it's intricate, it's detailed, it's multifaceted. But complex is also like an identity crisis, or, well, yeah, an identity crisis, because you can have a God complex. You can have a Napoleon complex, right, something that makes you feel you're better than others, something that makes you feel you're not as good as others, right? So even having a complex is complex, yeah. So for them to say kimiwa, which you complex, and then what are the other parts you can?
Speaker 2say like you're complex, I'm complex singing, like you're seating complex you sing.
Speaker 1You're singing complex.
Speaker 2Yeah, I mean, this is like so it's so taking out the complex out and just using all that, kanji, you sing a song that surpasses mine so you complex, sing, complex, song, complex, think about just that too.
Complex Emotional Dark and Intense Music
Speaker 1It's because, right, those are the bits before. Okay, I see. So, yeah, no, I mean everything. When you listen to this, you definitely get this feeling of like. I mean the angstiness in kishi when he, oh yeah, you're like whoa, this is like an identity crisis, but I don't know. Yeah, let me. Let me go to to what I thought of the music. I agree with you very much. This electronic, that bass oh my God that bass, oh my God that bass, it was very. It sort of made me think of a lot of those sort of proto-punk, early phasing into punk sounding things like Iggy Pop, that dun dun, dun, dun dun dun. The Pixies at times have that bass, that's, it's sort of sinister, almost. It's very, it's very dark, it's very edm, yeah, and hard style, yeah, it's, I mean, it's very complex, right yeah this sound, these sounds going on.
Speaker 2Yeah, I don't know that bass really, really got to me holy moly I couldn't call this drum and bass, but it just has bass, yeah, oh yeah. No, you know, it does have a little bit of a goth to it as well when the industrial in there, just because it's so hard, you know well it's like the last episode or a couple episodes ago, we talked you misheard me thought I said angry disco.
Speaker 1Yeah, this is kind of. If you were to think of angry disco, it kind of is.
Speaker 2No, no, no, I don't want to give it an angry. This is not angry disco. No, no, no.
Speaker 1Well, I'm not saying it's disco sounding, but like it was just funny, Cause I was like this is it's sinister, it's dark, it's angry and then I was like it's angry disco, haha.
Speaker 1But no, no, it's not. It doesn't have a disco sound at all. No, which is why angry disco would have. You were like, how does that even work? Yeah, but somebody will make it work, because I said that they picked up our new genre. They do listen, yeah, anyways. So it's in the way they use the distortion and the auto tune on their voices, like especially again, kishi, like you're like this is really sort of demented sounding, yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1It's unhinged and that's what makes it complex and also a complex. Yeah, they do have some very intense drumming at one point, yeah, and all of their voices are sort of echoing around, giving you like this, like they are in my head, beating into my brain about this complex, and it's just swimming around and you're like oh my god, like 30 seconds towards the end yeah, yeah, it's like complex well, I'm like, oh, mg like what?
Speaker 1in the world. Well, also, in almost not quite exactly in the middle of this song, there's that, yes, the, the pause and the sigh, like the anguish and the angst going into what they're talking about. Like I need to take a moment exactly of this complex. Like, yeah, there's something just so insanely gripping about this song. It does, it grabs you and it is it's blackout, because I kept having to to re-listen, because I was like wait, I know they did that sigh, that like hold your breath and then let it out.
Speaker 1I was like but where did it happen? I kept just missing it because it was so incorporated into everything going on. Yeah. I was like what, where am I? What's happening? Yeah, so it's definitely got that blackout element to it and this is just something dark and a little menacing going on, but it's awesome, it's just amazing, it's. Yeah, I wrote down some of the uh, sorry, it's dark in here, so I can't read my notes.
Speaker 2I did turn the light on, but it is not enough.
Speaker 1Plus, I'm blind as a bat, so you know I can't even read my own. But they say tired, sorry, my journey, nonstop. And then there's everything, something beat. So this is there's a lot of Japanese on this one? Yeah, absolutely, but the English you pick up, these are things that add to this whole sort of complicated emotional conflict idea. Right, tired, sorry, my journey, it's just non-stop. You know, I mean like I don't even know how they actually fit together because there is so much japanese. But like, when you hear those words, you do you feel the, the absolute crushingness of this. It's okay, it's complex, it's okay, it's my complex. You know what I mean when they just, yeah, complex, complex, complex, complex. You're like whoa, whoa, what is happening?
Speaker 2yeah, towards the end, they just like release this, like pen up energy and they just let out of like complexes happening. You're like they just let out to them, just let it out. For some reason, they just needed to let it out with complex I would say I love bond, but I think this one oh my god. Yes, yes, you know, I know because of the accent I kept hearing compress it's fine, but I know it was saying complex. Even I have a problem saying complex?
Speaker 1well, even compressed would be like everything's more.
Speaker 2You know towards the end. That's how it sounds like compressed. You know, it's just. They're like, like I said, pent up energy just coming out it's frustration and like anger, but just release.
Speaker 1Yeah, you know, like every this is complex. I just I hope that.
Speaker 2I just like I don't know. This is the, the secret message that you sing a song that surpasses mine. Yeah, I hope that is. That's what it is, you know. Oh my god, but I love that song yeah, no, definitely I love this song, like I had it on repeat like, yeah, no, well, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1I just kept having to go back because I would get lost in it and I was like. I was like, oh, is this the? No, wait, where's the? Oh, my god. And so it's same thing. Just kept playing it over and over again because I I couldn't focus when I was listening. I'm like I'm supposed to be paying attention to this and I'm like just in this trance, right mesmerized by it right.
Speaker 2So that's how it is. And and why isn't one of the heavy streams there? Because it's so good. I'm looking at the heavy streams there Because it's so good. I'm looking at the stream.
Speaker 1Oh, are you and it's not.
Speaker 2It's in the 3 million category. So I'm looking to scores or the streams from Spotify. So I see number one of course is Bond. That's the most stream one, with uh over 11 million. Um, coming up next is no, yes, okay, with uh over 4.3 million. Then coming up next will be square one with 4 million. Then is okay, complex, with uh 3.1 million. Then following that will be I with 3 million, then the banana song and then, last but not least, the banana song has a set to 2.7 million and the uh you may want, it's uh 2.3 million.
Speaker 1So it seems everybody else feels about that the same way we did. Most people like the first four songs.
Speaker 2Well, if we take out Bond, so it will be OK. Complex Square One no, yes, and I Interesting Very cool.
Speaker 2That's just to let you know. But of course I'm telling you, I think when it went from like I, banana and Yumeno, they wanted to give more of a nostalgic feel. For you know those fans who were like in that era. Did you know the 80s and 90s vibes? You know? They know yes was very club anthems for like 2000. I'm thinking like I was in miami. That was really cool. I really really like that song. In conclusion, this, this album is well-rounded, different genres. Very happy to hear that all the members have actually put some kind of production to it.
Speaker 2I would like to know if this real yeah, you know fortunately it's not on the credits, but at least, if you know, please send us a link of where we can find this information of the apparently it's from the ig live that they had when they were talking about the album um, so if there's like a manuscript translated out there, please send us?
Speaker 2yeah, send us a link I want to know, you know because this is what I found from the internet that each of the members you know help. I know I even went into their website, unless you have to be in the fan club. So I just went to their regular website, to to the Tubi website under their page, and now it didn't talk much about this. It's just their activities and that's it which. Come on, taki, come on, you want them to be more global, but you're not giving me much information on your website and not everybody can have. You know Instagram, youtube, and you know everybody has a platform. I want more information.
Speaker 2Well, put it on the actual music credits, yeah even on the stream, not everybody can get the CD. No, I do have a local CD store here, but they don't carry Japanese music. There's a lot of K-pop. I'm not don't carry Japanese music, there's a lot of K-pop. I'm not saying they don't have a store, but you know there's a lot of K-pop. And I go there like, hey, do you have any J-pop? They're like well, we have some here and there, or it's just special order and I'm like well, I can do that on my own through other.
Speaker 1Yeah, exactly yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2Other means I can, you know, go online and be waiting for it for a month to come out.
Speaker 1All right, well, definitely great album. All the way through, everybody's been honing their style and finding their voice and making it work. Every single song on this album it's awesome, just awesome.
Speaker 2We can't wait for an actual album. I I hear that this mini album is just, you know, like the appetizer, because there's an actual album in the works.
Speaker 1Well, I mean seven songs, is you know getting there?
Speaker 2They're called a mini album. I'm like OK, so seven songs, a mini album. What's an actual album? Eleven, ten, eleven.
Speaker 1Ten eleven, yeah, OK, so yeah any album.
Speaker 2What's an actual album? 11, 10, 11, 10, 11, yeah, okay. So yeah, they were like a couple of songs, short, they'll get there all right so, yeah, definitely check it out.
Speaker 2It's on streaming service oh yeah and I want to hear from you. Know fans, you know which songs that talk to you the most? You know which one do you stream them? Well, if you go by the streaming profile oh yeah, I'm going by the streaming profile definitely, but if it was me, okay, complex will be. One of that will be in my repeat love that song yeah, definitely with bond and square one, of course, just like my top three is bond's Bon, square One and OK Complex.
Speaker 1Well, I've got Bon OK Complex. I'd have to throw Banana.
Speaker 2Take it.
Speaker 1Lazy in there first, just because I kept going back to it. I don't know, there was just something about it, it was just you need it. I don't know your soul needed that one Right and then it would be. You know the rest of them sort of in the order. They were Right, but no great album, Awesome. So thank you everybody for listening and we hope you enjoyed. Please rate, review and share, share, share. Give us five stars because we love our constellations and, if you're so inclined, please become a subscriber maintain the podcast.
Speaker 2Help us maintain the podcast and, of course, you can send your request.
Speaker 1Yes yes on the show notes.
Speaker 2You will find a link to a form where you can put in your thoughts. You don't have to put it on our ex twitter because not a lot of people like to put in out there, don't want to be yeah, so you can put it in the form or, anonymously, you can put it on our Twitter. You can send us also a DM on our Instagram. Let's stay cool, my friend.
Speaker 1It's a hot summer. It's a cruel summer, alright.
Speaker 2Until next time. Bye-bye, johnny. Until next time, bye, bye, ciao.