Paradox Live’s fans and hip-hop win in cozmez and Akkan Yatsura‘s battle for FAMILY.
Title: Paradox Live Stage Battle "FAMILY" Release date: 02/09/2020 Label: Avex Genre: Hip-Hop
Tracklist:
1 - This Is My Love (cozmez) 2 - CALL FOR FAMILIEZ -悪漢奴等 is Forever- (Akkan Yatsura) 3 - Voice Drama "FAMILY" Part1 4 - Voice Drama "FAMILY" Part2
Track by track analysis:
1 – This is my love
Overdriven guitar riffs paint a nostalgic and gritty soundscape.
“This is my love” counts with a deep bass line and a punchy, slow paced crash driven beat in the background.
The verses have varying levels of intensity, ranging from pretty stripped down with only the looping guitar riffs and a dirty bass line in the background to an all-out, intense affair with distant guitar licks.
The chorus has the same vibe and goes on the same note.
As a matter of fact, the transitions between verses and chorus are so well done that you barely notice that you’ve already went through 2 chorus sections when the song wraps up.
It really goes by in a flash, which leaves me wanting more. It really doesn’t feel like the song is complete which may be intentional.
On the performance side, Yusuke Kobayashi and Toshiyuki Toyonaga deliver a passionate performance counting with rap and singing.
2 – CALL FOR FAMILIEZ – Akkan Yatsura is forever –
Akkan Yatsura bring the tropical vibe with some touches of afrobeat with CALL FOR FAMILIEZ – Akkan Yatsura is forever –.
The verses are warm and danceable despite being pretty stripped down, flowing on top of that groovy beat and synths.
There are some guitar riffs in the background, adding a melodic touch to this song.
Although it may go unnoticed, the bass line in the verses is so good, have the right bounce that makes this song all the more danceable.
Things change in the chorus, with the song getting more intense as the lyrics get more passionate.
Awesome job as a team and individually, I was feeling those lyrics and those bonds between the members in their performances.
Final considerations
Akkan Yatsura’s“CALL FOR FAMILIEZ – Akkan Yatsura is forever –“ takes the crown as best song in this release. Their take on the family concept was intense and connected more with me than cozmez’s “This is my love”.
Akkan Yatsura’s hip-hop meets afrobeat sound is quite familiar to me as, in Portugal (where I am based), afrobeat is a massively popular music genre and it is common to come across afrobeat playing in stores, clubs and even on TV and radio.
So, to find it across the world in a rap team for a 2D hip-hop project is quite an awesome thing. It is familiar territory for me to explore, with only the language changing.
Commendable how the sound and vibes were captured to perfection.
Props to cozmez for their effort with “This is my love” but, taking account their previous release and Akkan Yatsura’s entry in this battle, it sounds a bit weak in comparison.
Loved the vibe going in the song and how guitars found their way into it.
Vocals wise, Kobayashi and Toyonaga continue to impress with their teamwork, fierce rap and clean singing.
Regardless of the final results, what matters is that we have in hands 2 more awesome hip-hop entries in this franchise and all teams are growing with each release. Can’t wait to review their next work.
[…] [As previously reviewed] […]