IDOLiSH7‘s Riku Nanase steps on stage to perform the seventh song in the 12 SONGS GIFT series. “SEPTET for…” may lack the flashy elements that previous songs in the series had, but it still manages to capture your attention with a discreet, quality performance that makes it a must listen in the series.
For those that have been out of the loop: “12 SONGS GIFT” is a series of solo songs that started being released in this past January. A total of 12 singles, one for each member of IDOLiSH7, TRIGGER and Re:vale, are scheduled to be released throughout the year. The solo songs releases coincide with the character’s birthdays.
Title: SEPTET for... Label: Lantis Release date: 09/07/2018 Genre: Synth-pop
Tracklist:
1 – SEPTET for…
Track analysis:
1 – SEPTET for…
After a short visit to rock and R&B, we’re back to pop music for Riku’s solo song. “SEPTET for…” lends a bit from dance/electronica to create this fun, yet dreamy synth-pop instrumental. EDM’s influences on this song are felt through the heavy usage of synths – that range from sawtooth to arpeggiated and atmospheric pads – and the build up to the chorus, characteristical of the genre. Although EDM elements takes a big chunk of the spotlight to itself – but in a minimalistic fashion -, there’s a rawer twist to this instrumental giving a solid body to this instrumental. Acoustic guitars, electric guitar (featured in the bridge for a simple solo), bass and drums (these ones are sampled) add a “band” feel to this song. This lush instrumental counts as well with an exciting synth lead, a clear piano and glockenspiel melodies, noticeable bass line, clap track and strings. “SEPTET for…” counts with subtle tempo changes, making the transitions from verses to chorus rather enjoyable. This song exudes a warm, peppy vibe that is bound to put a smile on the listener’s face.
On the vocal end, Kensho Ono delivered what is quite possibly one of his best performances as Riku. His vocals are sweet and full of emotion as he tackled the energetic chorus and melodic verses in “SEPTET for…”. Adding to this is the fact that his singing tone sounds easy to the ears and his singing is much more polished than in previous performances. This is a performance that feels and sounds right.
This song might not stand out in the 12 SONGS GIFT series – that has the bar set incredibly high after several stunning releases – however, even if there’s nothing flashy about “SEPTET for…”, this song still presents the listener with a strong performance and lush instrumental that make it a must listen.
Final rating:
This song is available for purchase on iTunes US.
