fu_mou – Green Night Parade [ALTM-020]
fu_mou is an upcoming beat-producer from Tokyo, Japan and hails from a label called Altema Records, which hosts a wide range of similar artists who are bridging the divide between mainstream J-Pop sounds, and the DIY aesthetic of computer-based electronic beat producers.
Unlike the current LA beat scene and it’s producers, who can be characterized by their hazy, lucid vibes and a leaning towards creating atmosphere rather than upbeat pop melodies, fu_mou utilizes both sides of the musical spectrum, and in doing this, he creates a unique sound that would struggle to be defined by both Eastern and Western audiences. fu_mou’s music is typically heartrending and nostalgic, yet overwhelming joyous. The inclusion of convulsing vocal samples and Nintendo-esque synth melodies bring out a sound that is distinctly Japanese, yet obviously influenced by Western sounds.
The first half of his EP, Green Night Parade, is especially spastic and is much more welcoming to Western audiences who are not necessarily welcoming to the “safer” sounds that J-Pop typically has to offer. With songs clocking in at less than 3 minutes long each, the sound is completely raw and undecipherable in the catchiest of ways. fu_mou’s eclectic use of sampling and rearranging is perfectly introduced here with his rendition of ‘とぎすまそう2‘ by the highly obscure Japanese group, Lantern Parade.
While the second half of Green Night Parade strays off into safer territory, focusing on more straightforward, structured house rhythms and J-pop influence, the ear for experimentation and precise subtlety still shines. fu_mou even offers his interpretation of the Kirby’s Dream Land classic, ‘Green Greens’ (re-titled as the title track, ‘Green Night Parade’). Of course with fu_mou, an interpretation isn’t quite just a reimagining as it is a complete makeover that would throw off even those who are familiar with the original source.
Whether it is testing the limits of glitchy, un-quantized beats uncharacteristically clashing with pop melody or settling for breezy house tunes that recall the most nostalgic of summer vacations, fu_mou manages to create an album that is completely seamless and doesn’t ever stray from its intentions. Green Night Parade is an uplifting and unique twist on the otherwise spaced-out rhythms that most have come to associate with beat-producers today. [GY]
fu_mou – change the parade
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fu_mou - Green Night Parade [ALTM-020],
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