Yuma Uchida arrived unannounced with a groovy digital single “1 LOVE 1”, Anthos* stole the show with “FAKE”, Takuya Eguchi and Kenichi Suzumura impress. This and more in this article – and video – of MONTHLY REVIEW May 2023.
This month’s episode is all about the music released in May 2023.
May was the grooviest month so far in 2023. It seems like, everywhere I looked, a male seiyuu artist or 2D group was releasing music with citypop, funk, R&B, or even nu-disco just to tease us all into the summer that is almost here (at least, in the northern hemisphere).
Yuma Uchida arrived unannounced with “1 LOVE 1”, kicking off a series of digital releases with it, Takuya Eguchi seems to have found his voice and sound as a solo artist in the laidback single “PIZZA SUSHI planet walking”, Kenichi Suzumura showed what he does best alongside guest composer and vocal Showtaro Morikubo and Anthos* arrived to steal the show with the stellar “FAKE”.
And standing out this month were:
- Yuma Uchida’s unannounced “1 LOVE 1”,
- Kenichi Suzumura’s emo sound in “ROOTS”,
- Takuya Eguchi’s laidback “PIZZA SUSHI planet walking”, and
- Anthos*’s outstanding “FAKE”
As promised, in the video version of this article – which covers many more CDs and features your comments as well – I bring my impressions of VadLip‘s debut song “KING OF VOXXX“. Make sure to watch the episode if you are looking for my first impressions of the group.
Yuma Uchida “1 LOVE 1”
Yuma Uchida arrived unannounced with the digital single – the first of many in his 1st ever digital single series – titled “1 LOVE 1“.
The talented solo artist celebrated his 5th anniversary with this groovy and nostalgic release.
This latest release falls in line with his previous work in “Equal” but it takes a giant leap forward, showcasing a more mature sound and an unexpected – but welcome – exploration of the nu-disco genre.
So prepare yourself to be immersed in the groovy goodness that permeates this track, leaving an indelible mark on you.
Kenichi Suzumura “ROOTS”
Kenichi Suzumura’s music is always a blast to listen to and this time around it was no different with “ROOTS”.
In this mini-album, Suzumura explored his passions, his work, and his origins, all in a condensed 5-track release. You can feel the passion, nostalgia, and pride in his performances across all songs.
This is a must listen for both fans of Suzumura as well as good rock music with an emo twist.
Takuya Eguchi “PIZZA SUSHI planet walking”
Takuya Eguchi has vastly upgraded his sound in “PIZZA SUSHI planet walking”.
Straying away from rock and pop, Eguchi’s sound now is more mature than ever as he brought a sound – across all 3 songs – that is heavily influenced by 90s hip-hop, jazz, R&B, funk, and disco music.
As a result, the sound is richer than ever however, at the same time the trade-off of bringing such sound is that most of the songs are in a comfortable mid-to-low tempo. You get all the good vibes in this release with a lot of quality on the vocal end.
If you haven’t checked this release, don’t miss it.
Anthos* “FAKE”
Easily the highlight of May 2023 is Anthos*‘s “FAKE“.
“FAKE” easily enters Anthos*’s top best CD releases, featuring yet again a majestic b-side track that completely overshadows the leading track.
Fully embracing its dreamy, atmospheric sound while adding a mature layer of grooviness, Anthos* is on top of its game.
These and more thoughts/comments can be found in the almost 1-hour-ish episode that just dropped on the channel. Check the links on this article as well if you haven’t subscribed to the channel.
What is THTFHQ’s MONTHLY REVIEW?
As the name says, Monthly Review is a monthly feature in which I find yet another excuse to talk about male seiyuu music and 2D groups.
This is a feature in which I get on camera – unscripted (and usually looking a bit tired lol) – covering the most impressive/buzzworthy releases in any given month – and hidden gems that not many people may end up paying attention to -, counting on your participation as well in all 4 corners:
- Best of the month (3 best/buzzworthy/gems of every given month as picked by me + 3 suggested by THTFHQ readers
- Monthly Choice (3 CD suggestions by me – regardless of when the CDs were released – and 3 suggestions by THTFHQ readers)
- Music in the Horizon (a look at next month’s releases – it mixes my and your comments on upcoming releases by male seiyuu artists, bands, units or 2D groups)
- Ask Vanessa (ask me anything about male seiyuu or 2D music, if don’t ask, it turns into a “Soma Saito” corner)
Do you want to participate in MONTHLY REVIEW?
This show is a collaborative work between you and me, sharing our love for male seiyuu and 2D music projects. Don’t be shy to participate.
And don’t worry about not having perfect English writing or the sort, we all make mistakes and even I am not a native speaker – and typos are really my bread and butter here on the website – so don’t let that stop you from participating, should you want to!
As always, several times during the month, the survey to participate in next month’s episode is shared on THTFHQ’s social media (Facebook and Twitter) and on THTFHQ’s YouTube channel‘s community tab (make sure to subscribe to not miss the notification, or lurk if you don’t want to subscribe).
You can participate as many times as you want, I only ask that you avoid submitting the same answers in the various entries you make in this feature.
The goal is to feature as many CDs as possible, not to talk only about 1 or 2 CDs.
Please remember that these episodes are much more enjoyable with your insights. Every month I share a survey on social media for you to leave your impressions on new music.
Although only 3 people are chosen for each corner (less if there were fewer submissions), know I read them all. I read everything and keep being impressed by your musical sensibility!
THTFHQ’s community is filled with talented individuals, fans of good music, and voice acting. You geek as hard – or even more – about both things as I do!
If the links are not working, CLICK HERE to check the video.
