HOUND ROAR elegantly takes the stage with its addictive, loungy brand of jazz-funk with what is its best single to date: “syndrome”.
HOUND ROAR is a rock band fronted by HIBIKI (CV: Toshiyuki Toyonaga), with guitarist SHOMA (CV: Ryohei Kimura), bassist TOYA (CV: Hikaru Midorikawa), keyboardist SHION (CV: Yuichiro Umehara), and drummer SOGO (CV: Takashi Kondo).
Title: syndrome Label: TEAM Entertainment Inc. Release date: 23/06/2021 Genre: Jazz-funk
Tracklist:
1 - syndrome
Track analysis:
1 – syndrome
HOUND ROAR is back at it with “syndrome“, song that kicks off on a melancholic note. However, expect the song to bring you the bass goodness that is now a big greeting card of theirs.
The bassline is punchy and groovy while the funky guitar riffs and rhodes piano melodies paint a summery soundscape in which you’ll want to lose yourself in.
The verses and the chorus have a comfortable tempo, basking in the moonlight as you dance your problems away to the funky rhythms in this song.
The chorus is incredibly catchy and the guitar + bass combo work is off the charts, from the driving bassline to the melodic guitar solo in the bridge, there wasn’t a single moment these two instruments weren’t shining.
I love the good, laidback vibes in “syndrome“.
It’s the perfect marriage of jazz, rock, and funk and it works incredibly well with the band’s whole vibe and, of course, with Toshiyuki Toyonaga, it’s incredibly easy to make it work.
I am talking about the bonafide vocal chameleon in the seiyuu industry. The best singer among seiyuu.
And he confidently takes over the song and makes it his with a stellar performance that taps into his melodic, low-to-mid toned vocal register. And it honestly sounds effortless from him.
He sways the listener with the legato on his vocals in the verses and completely hypnotizes you with a performance brimming with life in the chorus.
This is Toyonaga at his finest.
All in all, HOUND ROAR, are quickly turning into my favorite band in the DIG-ROCK franchise.
They embraced an acid-jazz/jazz-funk sound that I love and it is very reminiscent of SID’s work – another reason why this band’s sound instantly clicked with me -, and to top it all off, Toyonaga is, as usual, a treat to listen to.
Masterful performance.
