Shinbangumi

南カリフォルニア出身のマルチ・インストゥルメンタリストGinger Rootによる新作が完成。2023年の来日公演も大成功し熱狂的なファンを増やし続ける彼の新作は手作りでありながら完璧に洗練されたシンセ・ポップ、オルト・ディスコ、ブギー、ソウル。1970年代と80年代の音楽、特にフレンチ・ポップからフィリー・ソウル、ラム時代のマッカートニーに至るまで日本のシティ・ポップと西洋の対応する音楽との間の創造的で文化的な対話に魅了された彼独特のサウンド。

Ginger Roots fourth album, SHINBANGUMI picks up on the narrative from his 2022 concept EP Nisemono, which envisioned his music career as one intertwined with a rising pop star in the mid-80s. On SHINBANGUMI (which translates to "new program" or "a new season of a show"), project mastermind Cameron Lew casts himself as a fired TV music supervisor who overcomes the odds to build his own media conglomerate -- in the year 1987. For listening purposes, these details are less important than the sense of giddy ambition conveyed on what is Ginger Roots most swaggering, ebullient album yet. With cited influences spanning everything from boogie and Philly soul to Japanese city pop and Paul McCartneys Ram, it also marks his Ghostly International debut. The stagy intro "Welcome" kicks things off with 40 seconds or so of ascending, orchestrated sci-fi effects before the playful keyboard funk-bossa "No Problems" -- with its lush strings, backing vocal chorus, tubular bells, and grooving rhythm section -- makes it impossible not to move with the beat. He goes on to persevere on funk entry "Better Than Monday," returns to orchestral bossa nova on the poppier "There Was a Time," and lands somewhere between cartoon music, Japanese pop, and commercial jingle on the percussion-heavy "Kaze" (a track inspired by Yellow Magic Orchestras Harry Hosono and recorded in a karaoke bar). Approaching the bottom of the track list, Lew preaches going for it on the elated, racing "Giddy Up," which stops just short of rocking out toward the end. Closing track "Take Me Back (Owakare No Jikan)," the Japanese portion of which translates to "Time to Say Goodbye," brings SHINBANGUMI home on an easygoing fusion of most of the aforementioned styles. Along the way, there are short spoken-word broadcast and elevator-music-like interludes that remind us that were tuned in to a production. In the end, Lew impresses most by making something so ambitious and eclectic (sometimes bordering on chaotic) so much fun. ~ Marcy Donelson

もともとヴルフペックやトム・ミッシュに通じるインディー・アクトとしてその筋で脚光を浴び、HALFBYやReiとのコラボでも支持層を拡げてきた南カリフォルニア出身のマルチな才人がゴーストリーに移籍して新作をリリースした。〈日本のシティ・ポップと、フレンチ・ポップ、フィリー・ソウル、『Ram』時代のポール・マッカートニーといった西洋の音楽との創造的で文化的な対話〉に夢中になって育った……という資料の形容で何となく雰囲気をイメージできれば、それ以上の説明は必要ないような気もする。2022年のEP『Nisemono』の続きを描くというコンセプトをウィットとセンスと遊び心で包んだ好盤だ。
bounce (C)狛犬