Review | Anthos* “INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~”

Anthos

Anthos* brings summery vibes to the spotlight with the tropical/EDM-inspired “INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~”.

Hana-Doll* is an idol project created by movic (TSUKIPRO, VAZZROCK, Tsukiuta, etc). 7 idols are part of Anthos, group signed to the fictional talent agency Amagiri Production.

Anthos* is comprised of Kent ItoWataru KomadaToshiki MasudaShunichi TokiDaiki Hamano, Seiichiro Yamashita, and Shun Horie.


Anthos Incomplica IF ES cover
Title: INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~
Label: Movic 
Release date: 24/09/2021 
Genre: Electronica/Tropical Pop

Tracklist:

1 - Project Archive: A 2-6
2 - Project Archive: A 2-7
3 - Project Archive: A 2-8
4 - Project Archive: A 2-9
5 - Project Archive: A 2-10
6 - Lay it down
7 - Paradiso

Track by track analysis:

6 – Lay it down

Dark, dirty synths lead the way on top of the hard-hitting bassy beat. The verses are intense, made for the dancefloor however pretty simplistic at their core.

The focus is, instead put on the vocals, with all members going for intimidating performances in those verses, fancy harmonies, and fast-paced rap.

The chorus opens the song a little bit, adding atmospheric synths to it but still making the song incredibly violent on the bassline.

The break tones things down the song for a bit before turning into a powerful dance break section.

Unexpectedly intimidating and addictive, “Lay it down” is a strong intro to this CD.

7 – Paradiso

Things tone down and Anthos* embraces a tropical-inspired sound in which marimba melodies and groovy basslines paint the background in summery colors.

The verses are simple, allowing everyone to take the lead on vocals and shine. You find this song riding on a comfortable mid-tempo, never going crazy and intense in its presentation. This alone is a massive change from the previous track.

In this instrumental, I found the lead synth melody to be really nostalgic. It plays in a wide space, echoing in the background, complementing that marimba + bassy beat combo.

It was interesting to find those fading in and out vocals in the verses, leaving a warmth in their wake, further enhancing the good, gentle vibes in this song.

Kent Ito, Shunichi Toki, and Shun Horie went off in this song, adding a well needed melancholic touch to this song, with Toshiki Masuda moving to a supporting position as he performed in a slightly higher range, serving as a bridge with the baritones and/or rappers Wataru Komada, Daiki Hamano, and Seiichiro Yamashita.

When this song wraps up, you’re left with that nostalgia for that paradisiac soundscape that Anthos* presented you with.


Final considerations

Anthos* seems to be changing their sound little by little. Their dreamy, ethereal sound is slowly fading away to give way to generic tropical pop songs and heavy EDM tunes.

While this is not necessarily a bad thing, I feel like that unique sound Anthos* had a couple of CDs ago is no longer here as both songs, while good, didn’t sound particularly unique or innovative like their earlier entries.

Still, for fans of hard-hitting EDM music, “Lay it Down” is a song that goes slightly in line with the sound you could find in “S.T.O.P”, however, it’s way more intense and certainly a better fit for the dancefloor.

This song was tailored for the rapping team within the group, not putting much focus on singing.

Paradiso”, however, is a downtempo tropical pop song with a melancholic touch.

You can find some elements that carry over from the group’s “old” sound, with some atmospheric synths creating a distant, almost dreamy soundscape. In this song, the focus was on making the vocals sound melodic, carrying a lot of emotion.

All in all, this is a strong entry by Anthos* however, one that shows their once unique sound slowly diluting into a generic brand of tropical pop music, stripping them away from what made them unique in the first place.


INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~ is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.


INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~” is available for streaming on Spotify.


Do not support piracy. Remember to support Anthos* by streaming via official outlets.

Vanessa Silva
Vanessa Silvahttps://www.handthatfeedshq.com
The Hand That Feeds HQ founder, content creator, and music reviewer. Basically, the only person managing everything at The Hand That Feeds HQ. Stumbling upon Mamoru Miyano's "Orpheus" in 2011 was the start of this journey. If music is thought-provoking or deep, you may find her writing almost essays (not limited to, but it happens a lot with Soma Saito's music). She's the producer and host of the male seiyuu-centric podcast, SEIYUU LOUNGE (see Spotify link in this profile).

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Anthos* brings summery vibes to the spotlight with the tropical/EDM-inspired "INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~". Hana-Doll* is an idol project created by movic (TSUKIPRO, VAZZROCK, Tsukiuta, etc). 7 idols are part of Anthos, group signed to the fictional talent agency Amagiri Production. Anthos* is comprised of Kent Ito, Wataru Komada, Toshiki Masuda, Shunichi Toki, Daiki...Review | Anthos* "INCOMPLICA:I/F~es~"