Daisuke Namikawa – “Recollection” (Review)

“RECOLLECTION” is the title of Daisuke Namikawa’s 1^st single this year, after 1 year without any single or mini-album releases. Namikawa tries once again to distance himself from any specific genre or style, trying to show how versatile he is when faced with any kind of track. Those efforts were almost completed perfectly with this mini-album. The busiest seiyuu in Japan shows once again that when it comes to juggle voice acting with singing, he does it well.

Details regarding the single:

Single: Recollection
Label: Kiramune/Lantis
Release date: 25/06/14
Genre: J-pop/rock

Tracklist:

Track by track analysis:

1-      RECOLLECTION

RECOLLECTION kicks off in the rockiest way possible. The explosive, strong guitar riffs kicking off the track, together with the unstoppable drums lead the way in this song. But let’s not fully focus on the basic rock formation, the piano also shines in its way in the chorus, not so much in the initial or mid verses where it is almost overshadowed by the rest of the instrumental piece, but it definitely shines in the chorus. The acoustic guitar that one can only notice if paying necessary attention to the background elements is also a surprise in this song, and surprisingly enough is was a good addition to the instrumental, making the whole song blend well together. Namikawa‘s vocal abilities have also shown some improvement, a good proof of that is his quick change between high and low notes without being off key. The buildup before the outro is very strong, especially the work behind the guitar. Overall the instrumental piece, most especially the chorus, is completely addicting. 4.5/5

2 –    デリンジャー(DERRINGER)

Starting with aggressive and very rock-like riffs デリンジャーis probably the “heaviest” instrumental in the whole single. This track goes towards a more eerie, macabre kind of feel provided by the synths before reaching the chorus where electronica elements make their way in the track. The synths and the distortions in the background were not a bad choice to enrich the instrumental piece. Throughout the track the bass is most of the time in “solo-mode”, drawing the spotlight to itself. The slight manipulation in Namikawa’s vocals might make some people recollect fellow seiyuu Takuma Terashima‘s “Scarlet Sign“. The electronica elements are gradually becoming a big part of Namikawa‘s sound and those have turned out to be an excellent addition this track. Solid guitar solo in the outro. This song can easily become the favorite for someone listening to the single for the very first time. The highlight in this single. 5/5

3-      スマイルエクササイズ (SMILE EXERCISE)

Now for a quieter track in comparison with the previous ones, スマイルエクササイズ starts off with Namikawa talking, but then the bass kicks off its performance, leading the way throughout the whole track. This song. unlike the previous ones. is a full-fledged pop oriented track, with the synths in the spotlight making the rock elements not getting the spotlight they had, for example, in デリンジャー . This track turns out to be a funny/unusual choice in this single giving the thought that the previous ones were more rock oriented and this one has a completely different feel to it. Truth be told, this track might make one want to smile but it just misses some of the rock elements that are so much more of a good fit for Namidai’s voice than pop songs. 3/5

Overall: 4.5/5

This single could have been great if not for the last track スマイルエクササイズ that in some way, spoiled the mood set by the first tracks. A mix between rock and pop with elements of electronica is the best way to describe this single with its climax being デリンジャー , the clear highlight in this single release. It’s unusual, yet interesting to listen to Namikawa not trying to get too attached to one specific genre, trying new things and adding new elements here and there in the tracks. If you are looking for an entertaining single to listen to, “RECOLLECTION” by Namikawa Daisuke is definitely a choice that won’t bore you.
RECOLLECTION is available for purchase for all overseas fans on CDJAPAN.

Title is to be announced (3rd Single) [Regular Edition]

Daisuke Namikawa