Review | UMake “Double Rainbow”

Fun, unique music, interesting yet simple compositions and quality vocals make UMake‘s Double Rainbow an indisputable top release.

Title: ダブルレインボウ
Label: Art Sonic
Release date: 25/09/2019 
Genre: Citypop/Funk/Folk

Tracklist:

01.ダブルレインボウ
02.レシピ
03.晴れ男、晴れ女、雨男。
04.ダブルレインボウ (Instrumental)
05.レシピ (Instrumental)
06.晴れ男、晴れ女、雨男。(Instrumental)

Track by track analysis:

1 – Double Rainbow

Double Rainbow brings to the table reinvented citypop music. Gentle, washy synths introduce the listener to this track, as slow-paced, groovy bassline and funky guitar riffs envelop the listener.

The instrumental takes us to a nostalgic neon-lit city but at the same time, it has a unique summer touch with a rather romantic vibe.

The bass line is one of the highlights, gently taking the listener by hand and taking you on a laidback yet nostalgic trip. The guitar solo in the bridge is another highlight, it is just so well crafted, so old-school and disco-y, with a comfortable length that fits perfectly in this song and its vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s68UWcpWXpw

Double Rainbow might feature the best performances by Kento Ito and Yoshiki Nakajima as a duo.

Their gentle mid-tones, the sweet high notes, the falsetto, and the way both worked together in the chorus – complementing each other instead of one or the other take the spotlight –, plus the quality they deliver easily make this one their best song to date. 5/5

2 – Recipe

In a surprising turn of events, UMake explores folk music for Recipe. The track has an irregular structure, with shares within verses having different tones and instrumentalization, leading to a folk-inspired, slow-paced chorus in which strings are king.

Castanets, marching band-style drums, bells, wind instruments, and timpani are just a fraction of what you will find in this song.

The vocals are comfortable, riding on the group’s consistent mid-tones and teamwork to grab the listener’s attention however, the song sounds a bit out-of-place in this release, at the same time that the instrumental – for being so exquisite – might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Solid track. 4/5

3 – 晴れ男、晴れ女、雨男。

And we are back to funk-rock for the playful Hareotoko, Hareonna, Ameotoko.

The song picks up its pacing and is quite upbeat in comparison with the rest of the release. The guitar riffs are fun and funky, with some pedals adding unique touches to the final sound. The bass continues to impress with a memorable groovy performance. The drums are urgent in the pre-chorus but for the rest of the song have a playful tempo that makes this song instantly catchy.

On the vocal end, Ito and Nakajima delivered a powerful performance with surprisingly swift transitions between vocals. Fun track that wraps up this single in style. 5/5

Final rating:

UMake‘s Double Rainbow is quite a great addition to the duo’s repertoire. The stories being told are, in general, sweet, and the instrumentals that go along with those lyrics were quite a surprise even by their standards.

This time around the band experimented with the flamboyance and timelessness of citypop on the title track, making up for an interesting and highly danceable track full of flair and fancy twists.

Folk music also managed to find its way into this release. A surprise however one that might not be fancied by everyone. The instrumentalization for Recipe features simplistic chord progressions and, upbeat strings melodies with a rustic flair. The vocal performance was approached uniquely, adding personality to UMake‘s touch to this song. If you are not a fan of how rustic folk music usually sounds, it might not be your cup of tea.

The single wraps up with the funk-rock tune Hareotoko, Hareonna, Ameotoko, a track that ties up with Double Rainbow as the opening and ending to this single are upbeat and fun to listen to.

In all three songs, bass work was off the charts, funky, and groovy, it was the heart of this single.

UMake‘s Double Rainbow is such a great single. Fun, unique music, and interesting yet simple compositions while Kento Ito and Yoshiki Nakajima showcased their chemistry and quality on the vocal end. Easily UMake‘s best single to date.

Double Rainbow is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.

Double Rainbow [Regular Edition]

UMake (Kento Ito, Yoshiki Nakajima)

Double Rainbow [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]

UMake (Kento Ito, Yoshiki Nakajima)