With engaging choruses, exciting melodies and energetic vocal performances, High✕Joker‘s “Sunset★Colors“ is the perfect energizer, a bundle of fun from start to finish.
Highxjoker consist of Sho Nogami, Yusuke Shirai, Shouya Chiba, Takuma Nagatsuka and Hiroshi Watanabe.
Title: Sunset★Colors Label: Lantis Release date: 17/01/2018 Genre: J-Pop/Rock
Tracklist:
01.Sunset★Colors 02.Reason!!（Highxjoker Ver.） 03.Sunset★Colors -Instrumental-
Track by track analysis:
01.Sunset★Colors
HighxJoker bring to the table yet another exciting pop-rock tune. Sunset★Colors focuses on showcasing the band’s uplifting, friendly vibe through a rather simple high-tension instrumental. The band’s formula is still in motion: drums, guitars, synths/piano, bass and vocals blend to create an exciting tune.
The chorus will instantly grab your attention. Its pacing, the way the guitars were used and the vocals, all felt incredibly good on that specific part of the song. The verses are rather quiet and simple, with guitar riffs and snary drums accompanying the vocal performances.
The vocals are as you’d expect from this unit. The choruses are engaging, with all members performing in unison. The emotions and energy on those sections of the song will make you unconsciously join in the singing. There wasn’t anyone that managed to standout more than the other members, everyone performed on par for what is a thoroughly entertaining and energetic performance. A bundle of fun. 5/5
02.Reason!!（Highxjoker Ver.）
We’re not getting into too many details on this song as the full version (with the 6 main Idolmaster SideM units) has already been reviewed. “Reason!!” is the song released last year that got the first RIAJ Certified Gold record to this franchise. The song is bright in its essence, a characteristic that might not fit that well with some of the groups that originally performed this song.
The instrumental isn’t that far from what is a trademark for this band – which is immediately one of the reasons as to why this attempt sounds so natural -, on the other side the fact that HighxJoker have the biggest lineup among the units that performed the original 315STARS version plays in their favor. There is more diversity in tones, a blend of completely different vocal colors that add some spice to this performance. HighxJoker’s take on “Reason!!” is, alongside Jupiter’s attempt, one of the best sounding and most natural performances. 4.5/5
Final rating:
In the good old HighxJoker tradition, this release is a bundle of fun. The title track “Sunset★Colors” set an uplifting tone to this release, delivering exciting guitar riffs and memorable basslines enveloped in a fun, mid-tempo drum beat. Simplicity is key on this release, making HighxJoker‘s youthful pop-rock sound entertaining and catchy. We found ourselves enjoying this song more than we’d initially predicted. Their vocals were on par in quality, something that isn’t quite easy to achieve.
Their take on “Reason!!” was surprisingly natural due to several things: the instrumental being in familiar territory and the band’s lineup being the biggest among the 315STARS that performed the original version of the song. The results were rather interesting: HighxJoker‘s vocals dominated the performance, being a central piece into making it one of the best attempts at the original. We weren’t expecting that almost everyone in this unit would be skilled at using their vibrato, especially when in the original we barely notice that – mostly due to the fact that the units take turns into tackling the verses. “Reason!!” sounded natural and laiback by the hands and voices of HighxJoker.
With engaging choruses, exciting melodies and energetic vocal performances, High✕Joker‘s “Sunset★Colors“ is the perfect energizer, a bundle of fun from start to finish, a release that needs to be listened.
“Sunset★Colors” is available for purchase on CDJAPAN for all overseas fans.
