Hyorotto Dashi might still be a bit rough around the edges, but they managed to impress us with unexpected instrumentals and interesting performances, all in a fun release.
Title: おしえてョ Label: Lantis Release date: 21/02/2018 Genre: J-Pop/Rock
Tracklist:
1．おしえてョ 2．俺とお前のラブゲーム 3．Midnight HyoroHyoro Groove Shuffle [RADIO]
Track by track analysis:
1．おしえてョ
“Oshiete yo” welcomes the listener with a peppy pop-jazz instrumental. From brass to a funky bassline, percussion, playful piano melodies, jazzy guitars and a bassy drum sound, this track hits all bases with an overall entertaining instrumental. Although its intro is far from catchy or interesting, what follows redeems it. The verses are melodic and funky, leaving the spotlight for the vocal performances. When the chorus kicks in, the listener is enveloped in a sweet, laidback vibe, vibe that this unit excels in setting. The vocal performances aren’t the best, but are passable enough for us to conclude that this is an entertaining song, meant to be enjoyed without a care for technicality. However, if you’re looking for technicality, this song won’t satisfy you. Nishiyama lacks emotion and technique in his singing, most of the times dragging Umehara – that does everything on the vocal end – down, leaving us with an inconsistent vocal performance. 4/5
2 -俺とお前のラブゲーム
If you’re one that really enjoys funky basslines and old-school surfer rock instrumentals, this one is for you. This is a massive throwback, at least on the instrumental end. “Feel-good” and “laidback” are just two ways to describe this simple, yet playful instrumental. Melodic guitar licks, playful drums and piano melodies set the pacing and mood for this track; adding a clap track (a must for any surfer rock song), acoustic guitars, old-school synths, and blend everything well in a slow tempo tune did wonders to this instrumental.
The vocal performances are clearly better than on the title track. The contrast between Umehara’s low vocals and Nishiyama’s higher pitched ones sounded and felt good on this song. Additionally, both fit well with this instrumental, something we weren’t expecting at all. This is the kind of song you’ll want to have on your summer playlist, it’s fun and will have you singing along to it in no time, also it has a cool vibe that fits well with the summer. Top marks for this one. 5/5
Final rating:
Hyorotto Dashi are still a bit rough around the edges. The unit has a lot of work to do on the vocal end. More specifically, Nishiyama must up his game if he doesn’t want to bring down Umehara’s efforts on the vocal end. With fun, entertaining instrumentals, it’s a bit of a letdown that some of the performances aren’t equally enjoyable. Nishiyama sounds a bit out of it in his singing, failing to add emotion to his performance and, at least, be on par with Umehara’s consistent singing skills. Thankfully, that was solved on ORE TO OMAE NO LOVE GAME, song in which both delivered an entertaining and solid performance. Don’t get us wrong though, not everything is lacking on this unit.
They impressed us with unusual, or should we say, unexpected instrumentals and a sweet/laidback vibe that fits them surprisingly well. It’s not every day that you listen to a surfer rock song. That surprise itself not only was a major throwback for us, but also a nice way to show that this duo works well on these kinds of relaxed, fun instrumentals.
All in all, “Oshiete yo” is one of those releases that will put a smile on your face. It’s simple, with the right amounts of brightness and sweetness, both the instrumentals and vocals are entertaining and will have you singing along in no time. This single is a thoroughly entertaining listen.
“Oshiete yo” is available for purchase on CDJAPAN for all overseas fans.
[…] You can find our review HERE. […]