Re:vale continue to impress with their growth and newfound approach to their music in “Mirai Notes o Kanadete“.
Title: ミライノーツを奏でて Label: Lantis Release date: 26/08/2020 Genre: Pop-rock / Jazz-pop
Tracklist:
1 - ミライノーツを奏でて 2 - Fly! More Liberty 3 - ミライノーツを奏でて (Off Vocal) 4 - Fly! More Liberty (Off Vocal)
Track by track analysis:
1 – ミライノーツを奏でて
An emotional piano melody and violin melody – way further in the back – set a delicate tone for Mirai notes o Kanadete.
However, as we progress through the song and the 1st verse makes its entrance it is more certain that this won’t be a full-on ballad but a sweeter, more carefree take on the genre while embracing pop and rock elements.
Its dynamics change from the intro to the 1st verse but after that, the song follows the same comfortable tempo and counts with natural build-ups to the chorus, smoothly leading the way towards the beautiful and hopeful soundscape you find in the chorus.
On the vocal end, Shinnosuke Tachibana and Soichiro Hoshi showcase perfect teamwork as well as their skills when it comes to singing, as both performed this song with a lot of comfort and confidence. You can feel how gentle they tried to be with their performance and the results are here, this song will give sweet and warm feelings.
2 – Fly! More Liberty
To wrap up this release Re:vale perform, Fly! More Liberty. Muffled vocals introduce us to this playful jazz-pop tune.
Blues-y guitar riffs, classy brass, a funky bassline and tight, snare-driven drums create a playful vibe. A note that those strings in the background – not that easily noticeable – add a cool layer of mystery to this track.
I am particularly fond of the dynamic in the verses. Strings, a Rhodes piano and bass leading the way in that funky and intoxicating way is something fits so well with Re:vale’s recent maturity in their music – and also sounds really good if you’re a fan of jazz and funk.
The vocals are powerful and in total sync in the chorus. When it comes to the individual parts, Shinnosuke Tachibana and Soichiro Hoshi go for performances filled with flair and a little bit of mystery into it.
Perfect way to wrap up this release.
Final considerations
Mirai notes o Kanadete (the song not the single) is a first for Re:vale, group that was initially known for their intense dance sound but that lately have showcased a more mature, jazz-filled sound.
The song is sweet, gentle and really mature in its approach of a sort of ballad-esque, uplifting pop-rock tune.
The absence of synths shows how Re:vale are distancing themselves from that intense sound from their debut and continue to trail their new, mature path, now even tackling these kinds of uplifting songs in a tasteful way.
I really enjoyed how they went for a simple performance: grab a rock band, give it a pop touch, add some strings and do not overdo it. Simple and effective. Some times you don’t have to have everything in a song or follow a trend to sound good. This song is a good example of that.
But my absolute favorite on this release is, hands down, the playful and slightly zippy jazz-pop track, Fly! More Liberty. It is fun – without overdoing it and going the cheesy route -, it is classy and it sounds exactly like the perfect sound to highlight how much Re:vale’s Shinnosuke Tachibana and Soichiro Hoshi have improved as a unit.
The vocals continue to improve with each release. Re:vale are, by no means, a flashy group with powerful vocalists. They have the tools to get the job done and they do so in a simple way.
Only thing lacking in their first releases was chemistry as well as confidence on their own vocals. As soon as those issues were solved, the group immediately started to showcase their quality and, in this release, that is no exception.
All in all, Mirai notes o Kanadete is an excellent addition to Re:vale’s repertoire, another awesome, mature release coming from them.
Mirai Notes o Kanadete is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.
