Review | Anthos “BOXED”

Anthos’ BOXED is a release that puts the group in a league of their own.

Hana-Doll* is an idol project created by movic (TSUKIPRO, VAZZROCK, Tsukiuta, etc) in 2019. 6 idols are part of Anthos, group signed to the fictional talent agency Amagiri Production.

Anthos is comprised of Daiki Hamano, Kento Ito, Wataru Komada, Toshiki Masuda, Shunichi Toki, and Seiichiro Yamashita.

Title: Hana Doll*1st season ～Flowering～ Volume 2 「BOXED」 
Label: Movic 
Release date: 11/10/2019 
Genre: Tropical/Electronica

Tracklist:

1 - Project Archive1-6
2 - Project Archive1-7
3 - Project Archive1-8
4 - Project Archive1-9
5 - Project Archive1-10
6 - Juliet
7 - Stay away

Track by track analysis:

6 – Juliet

Juliet mixes tropical electronica elements with traditional Eastern instrumentalization and melodies.

A slow-paced, dubstep-ish beat in the verses leads the way as tropical, minimalistic synths create a summer-inspired, distant soundscape that engulfs the listener.

Shamisen, harp, and vibes melodies add little details to this release, making this track more than a dancefloor anthem.

On the vocal end, the group showcases their consistency with solid mid-toned vocals and exciting harmonies.

7 – Stay away

The single wraps up with Stay Away, track that explores tropical music from a different prism.

Gated funky guitar riffs loop in the background as fancy piano melodies, a triplet beat, and tropical synths create a danceable, salsa-inspired sound.

Stay Away is a minimalistic take on tropical music and does it extremely well. The fancy chorus brings brass to the table, setting a classy, alluring Latin vibe to this track.

Vocally, Anthos‘ members once again showcase their teamwork with solid group parts as well as bright individual parts in which we have our fill of fancy falsetto and vibrato enhancing this song. Unique and tasteful take on the tropical electronica sub-genre.

Final considerations

Anthos’ 2nd album takes the group to explore tropical melodies in two contrasting takes on the electronica sub-genre. Juliet mixes traditional Japanese elements with orchestral and Stay Away brought Latin instrumentalization to the table.

One thing that is always enjoyable in their sound is the fact that it is deliberately slow-paced and often hard-hitting. Add to this tropical and traditional Japanese music explored in a tasteful fashion and you have a release as unique as it is entertaining to listen to.

Anthos has a lineup able of tackling a wide variety of music genres.

After tackling electronica and R&B, they tackle tropical-inspired electronic music with a unique flair, delivering melodic performances while making good use of the strengths of each member.

BOXED is a must-listen release that continues to put Anthos in a league of their own even when exploring sonorities and genres that are far from being a novelty. Refreshing release with a nostalgic taste of summer.

This release is available worldwide on Spotify.

Boxed is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.

Hana Doll* 1st Season – Flowering – 2. “Boxed”

Drama CD