Maya B - B[1]

 

Maya B is a promising singer/songwriter (artist) and multi instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California.  Her debut EP 'B[1]' released in 2021 as a pop/R&B hybrid that stands out for its lyricism and smooth voice.  The seven tracks touch on self-empowerment from within, as opposed to achieving it through the belittling or bravado over other people, and likewise rising above those negative projections (the metaphorical "Balloon Bitch").  Accompanied by other topics like the often fakeness surrounding social media and materialism, the subject matter is a refreshing listen, administered by an accessible and honest voice.

Listen/Download

TORIENA - PURE FIRE

 

TORIENA (Fujimoto Sae) is a chiptune-based artist from Kyoto, Japan.  She has been releasing albums since 2012, among a myriad of compilations, some of which she herself distributed as the co-owner of Mad Milky Records in Tokyo (supposedly the very first chiptune label in Japan).  Like her artist/co-owner counterpart NNNNNNNNNN, she primarily composes her music using LSDj through the interface of a Nintendo Game Boy.  She has had commercial success in Japan as well, contributing to the Team Sonic Racing soundtrack, anime, and literal commercials.

Her latest album 'PURE FIRE' is more hardcore EDM with strong chiptune overtones, accompanied by TORIENA's own vocals.  Admittedly this isn't a musical realm I'm too involved or familiar with (about the only chiptune artist I can reference is early Anamanaguchi), but after running the album back a second time it really started to click for me as being something unique and enjoyable, further appreciated I think by recognizing the means in which it was created.  As far as I can tell this album and potentially her entire catalogue is only available to purchase digitally, which might be apt when you hear her music.

Digital

KASHIWA Daisuke - program music III

ALL (half) CAPS

KASHIWA Daisuke is back with the third entry in his 'program music' series of albums, typically and consistently as around one hour single tracks forming a similar themed running compilation.  Now that he is on Virgin Babylon Records aside founder Maeda Katsuhiko (world's end girlfriend), it seems he's returned a bit to his post-rock roots of playing guitar, instead of his long running stretch playing keys (on this album handled by Hiromi Kurosaki).  Daisuke still handles the knobs and production, and he describes the newest entry as "expressing everything in my musical activities so far": glitch, electronic, classical, post-rock, et al.  In some sense it almost appears like Maeda Katsuhiko's guitar tendencies of world's end girlfriend have rubbed off on Daisuke and vice versa with Daisuke's pension for glitchy electronics becoming more apparent for Maeda since his inclusion to the label.  

I need to dive back into 'program music II' to see where it fits in the middle, but my first listen of 'program music III' immediately brought me back into the first time listening to 'program music I', in a sense like two trains in opposite directions but parallel.  The track on this entry is called "sons", and a classical slow build turns into something brilliant around 13 minutes in, where his signature sound of these compilations becomes a bewildering and enthralling mix of electronic and classical, punctuated by a smattering of chopped and tagalong aesthetic vocals throughout.  The song lets off of the pedal (literally) for another comedown before entering into a concluding romp that even features a foray into rapping (by SHADI).  

The digital track is $16 dollars which might seem high, and it being included with the CD version for $19 may also seem high, but I would be surprised if anyone would be disappointed in that end result trade off.  Anyone not familiar with his catalogue, I'd definitely encourage and endorse seeking out his music; his works are as excellent as they are unique, even to his own albums.

Digital/CD