Friday, February 19, 2016

チュムチュム (Chumu Chumu) single review

NOTE: Originally, this review was omitted from my fandom projects list--for the usual reason, busy in RL and all. I began re-working on it months after its release, reckoning I still got time to do it! Can't deny that this single is too awesome to be ignored.

Title: チュムチュム (Chumu Chumu)
Artist: NEWS
Release date: June 24, 2015
Tracks: 5

►L-R: Regular, LE A and LE B jacket covers◄


General comments:


While the previous and the first NEWS single in 2015, KAGUYA, was as fresh as the new years could be, Chumu Chumu is a summer single, and I expected 'freshness' on a summer scale.

Well, as far as the seasons are concerned, Chumu Chumu doesn't belong to a particular season; instead it's a storehouse of seasonable tunes. We get grandiose, instrumental-heavy tracks, and a smooth flow from one genre to another; giving all the five songs a near equal significance in the single. The cohesiveness I was finding in KAGUYA? I've found it here. It isn't as powerful as my overall perception of ONE -for the win- single; although it is not the power I am noting this time, but the needed balance of the tracklist. Standalone and steady, Chumu Chumu is a quality package. NEWS' musicality still soars up high.

The only discord that has made me unsettled is the choice of Chumu Chumu as the carrier track. I know NEWS is creating a pattern of strong lead singles, and the India-themed song has the ultimate bragging rights... but I wonder if it would've been better for the group to deviate and rather chose the less upbeat tracks? As I said, almost all the songs in the single are standalone, meaning they're great on their own. With some exceptions I will discuss later, I find it a little unwise that the other great songs are just B-sides. Don't get me wrong, I looooove Chumu Chumu and its choreo and the costumes. However, other tracks have just-as-huge potential.


Song by song comments:




01 チュムチュム (Chumu Chumu) has the ultimate bragging rights! Lavish, compelling, this kind of music will never leave you without a wham or two. Obviously its inspiration is India, from the title (Chumu Chumu means "kiss" 'twas said), to the melody, to the style, execution, odds and ends. Just a simple reminder: I'm no expert on Indian genres but I've heard enough mainstream to get the idea. Most of us get the idea, don't we? *And please, I do not want to go into talks about Cultural Appropriation, better keep them out of here*

The India flair is most obvious at the intro and the outro having the exact sound, the gallant pattern of 5-bar overtones within a static chord, with a chanted "Chumu chumu" at the end of every measure, ineligible sounds such as "eiyah" and "acchacha" (in the bridge) comprise the Indian highlights, along with the accompanying instruments which set the song into a whooping feast of beats and tones.



It doesn't sound purely India, though. The chorus reminds me of some old NEWS songs--meaning the JPop sound has incorporated itself in here, intentionally or not.

The most entertaining thing in Chumu Chumu is the way the members themselves adapt their vocals to the song. Each of them successfully does the trills put in each verse, smoothly shifting to a less Indian sound in the prechorus (at first I thought it sounded awkward but I came to learn that's how it is arranged), to a strong, melodic chorus. Going to the interlude, things heat up by the ascending instrumental along NEWS' chant-like singing. The bridge is a repeat of the chorus sung by Tegoshi alone on the first two lines, the other three on the third line, and a powerful regroup on the fourth that just pumps a lot till the final refrain. This is one of the interlude-bridge-chorus relationships I like so much!

Strangely, the ending sounds like Chankapaana's. Intentionally or not again, it seems that they're really pushing for this kind of style, which, ironically, is also the most disengaging part of the song.

One thing that should be taken note of, especially by keen listeners, is Chumu chumu changes its meter from 3/4 to 4/4 twice. I don't know if meter change is a characteristic of Indian music; nevertheless, rare in JPop and is something for NEWS to brag about.

02 日はまた昇る (Hi wa mata noboru) gives a magical vibe from start to finish, attributing to the prominence of fiddles and of the occasional loud thumps of the bassline in the down-beats (and the connecting up-beats thereafter). Its dynamics doesn't change, and surprisingly, this unusual style of no volume change works well with the song. It's a pretty plain record, that the practiced reviewer might not appreciate; but I personally think it stands out because of three things. First, the verses as the clear solo parts for the members, and the chorus strictly used as is. It illustrates as follows: Intro-Tegoshi-Massu-ALL-Koyama-Shige-ALL-Coda (it has no bridge and therefore the equal distribution of the members' lines is preserved).

Second, the presence of violins makes it one of the few midtempo ballads that could sound mellow yet rhythmic at the same time. To put it subjectively, it could give you a bunch of feels... from making you stop in your tracks for the sentiments, to making you want to sway along the light sound.

Third. As mentioned, the lack of moving dynamics makes the song literally loud from start to finish. This should be bad in normal cases, but in this song, it works! The ending gives an aftertaste; the violins are still ringing prettily in your head.

03 Sweet Martini is not your typical NEWS song. Sure, NEWS has a reputation of switching genres so easily, and the LIVE album track Supernatural is a sort of a forerunner to this 'new' genre, but Sweet Martini is different in the sense that it is a mix of Jazz, Blues, and Electro in one. It could classify as a lounge music due to its languid pace and a club music due to its clubby rhythm. More on the former, since Sweet Martini obviously hints the liquor Martini, the synth has an intoxicating quality to it that I cannot describe in traditional music terms. (and the shortage of descriptions made me write this review as slow as a snail! Yes, it was this song's fault!)

And who would expect this kind of Autotune-heavy, midranged blues track fits NEWS' vocals like a glove? I cannot imagine any other group singing this as elegantly as NEWS. All the members get their share of Autotuned parts, as well as parts where they can insert their individual brand of nuances; from Koyama's sexy shaky voice to Tegoshi's warbling skill to Massu's low voice to Shige's falsetto--the members' musicality is utilized to make the song even more 'intoxicating'--again, I'm out of words.

What makes it even more beautiful is that it's monotonous in the right places; unlike most songs of today, electro-based or not, that goes monotonous from start to finish. Sweet Martini actually has a lot of things and notes going on. Ultimately, the keyboard + electric guitar combination is prominently present, contributing to the refined sound and jazzy funk.

And believe it or not, the best part of this song is the English lyrics sung properly and is not a bit awkward! The song would even lose its identity if not for these lyrics. It's not just an added spice to the already intoxicating melodies, effects and vocals--it is crucial part and the central hook of the track, because these aren't the cliche English lines we hear in most JPop songs but a descriptive and illustrative set of phrases. We've never heard the line "bewitching smile" in any NEWS song except for this sweet and sensual Sweet Martini.

04 メガロマニア (Megalomania) is one of the weaker tracks in the single in spite of its techno nature, albeit its notable difference could also make it a standalone, but it'd rather not. The song gives an eerie feeling all throughout (though as not as straightforward as BYAKUYA), from the fade-in fade-out vocal mixing to the inset of instrumentations in various gradients.

The chorus is long; even longer than the verses. It has no clear boundaries between parts; only a single, repeating sfx connects the different segments of the song. Thick with effects, it makes the vocals more commanding. Especially in the chorus where the note value changes drastically (1/4 notes to 16th notes), it becomes thrilling and danceable.

I must honestly say that the song doesn't show any vocal nor musical step for NEWS, and it is rather too 'different' for the group, but it is a decent bridge and a fresh intermission between the sensuality of Sweet Martini and serenity of the next and final track.

05 ささぶね (Sasabune) could qualify as an OST of a drama--a midnight drama, although its 'weakness' could not carry itself to the A-side spot so it deserves its place as the fifth B-side of the single. It has a good melodious direction without leaving the middle C range, and the instrumental resembles that of a 80's ballad. Otherwise, it's plain, yet easy on the ears. A good finale to the single after a blowout of musically strong tracks.

--

I've said in the beginning of the review that the only discord I have is the choice of Chumu Chumu as the A-side. I love the song so much, don't get me wrong. But it has a remote resemblance to KAGUYA so I would also appreciate if they chose either Hi wa Mata Nobooru or Sweet Martini (or even Megalomania) that have entirely no similarities with the grandeur KAGUYA already offered this January. Even so, with the excellent connection of all the 5 songs, I'm very contented with this release.

How the 5 songs connect excellently :
• if Chumu Chumu is melodic, Hi wa mata noboru is harmonic
• The first two songs have loud and grand sound; Sweet Martini is relaxed
• Sweet Martini is a slow auto-tuned jazz piece, while Megalomania is an techno treat
• The third and fourth songs are effects-dominated; Sasabune is a melodious ballad


Single rating: 4.5 out of 5!

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