Once in a while, an artist comes along that blows my mind in the best way. I am always attracted to artists that are out of the ordinary, and the more distinctive they are, the more they will captivate me. Earlier this year, I came across ATARASHII GAKKO! on TikTok (as I have stated on the blog many times, TikTok has become one of my favorite ways to find new artists). Immediately, they intrigued me, because I had never seen anything like them. Everything about ATARASHII GAKKO! stands out. ATARASHII GAKKO! is 4 person Japanese group consisting of Suzuka, Kanon, Mizyu, and Rin. Their music is extremely off-kilter and eclectic; it seems like they incorporate every genre into it, creating fusions I’ve never heard. Whether you like Pop, Funk, Rock, Hip Hop, Jazz, or even show tunes, AG has something for you. ATARASHII GAKKO!’s dance performances and music videos are just as engaging and unique as their music. Their live performances always blow the crowd away because of how eccentric and strange they are. AG’s music videos are intriguing as well, as they represent the deep meanings of their songs in ways that are so visceral and audacious. ATARASHII GAKKO!’s first EP of 2022, ICHIJIKIKOKU, is one of my favorite projects of 2022 so far. I actually wrote about it earlier in the year, so please go read that if you have not. I am also releasing a YouTube video about it with my mom later this week, so stay tuned for that. Recently AG has returned with their second EP of the year, MANINGEN. Here is how I feel about ATARASHII GAKKO!’s new project. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite songs are on this EP, and also comment on how you feel about ATARASHII GAKKO! and MANINGEN as a whole.
ATARASHII GAKKO! gets this project started with the title track. ‘MANINGEN’ is a pretty hard Rock track with an old-school Funk feeling to it. As with a lot of their music, this song is so chaotic and off-the-wall. It is constantly switching its melody and tempo, keeping the listener on their toes for the duration of the track. The instrumental is constantly switching back and forth from fast-paced and brash Rock to Funky R&B music; these transitions are seamless, though, and do not feel awkward at all. This song has a bit of a show-tune element; there is something about portions of the melody that seem like it should be performed in a musical. The vocal performances on this track are excellent. The way that Suzuka’s deep, strong tone contrasts with the light and subdued vocals of the other three members gives the song so much texture and vitality. On ‘MANINGEN,’ AG is singing about how humanity is so one-track-minded and arrogant as a whole. They want to humble everyone that has oppressed them and give a voice to the voiceless. ‘KOIBUMI’ was released two years ago, but was released in this EP as a way to promote the new track, ‘MANINGEN.’ The only way that I can describe ‘KOIBUMI’ is that it is like avant-garde HyperFunk. This song seems somewhat inspired by the video-game-esque Eurodance music that was popular in the early 2000s. I immediately thought of artists like Basshunter or Cascada when I first heard this track. ‘KOIBUMI’ has the kind of ultra-modern European Electro-Pop sound that those artists were known for. There is a super funky element to the melody, which makes the song feel smooth and danceable even though it sounds super turbulent. I enjoy the vocal performances on this track even more than I did on the first one. I especially think that Kanon and Mizyu shine on this track, as their dainty vocals and high pitches contrast the vocals of the other members. ‘KOIBUMI’ is a cute love song where the members of AG are professing their feelings for a significant other they can not get enough of.
Like ‘KOIBUMI,’ ‘QUE SARA SARA’ was originally released a couple of years ago. I wish this song were new to be honest, because I love it and want to include it in my year-end list. This song feels like a futuristic version of Japanese City-pop music. City-pop is a genre that the Western World has become familiar with through artists like The Weeknd. This song fuses sultry and sweet Disco music with glitchy HyperPop. The melody on this track is very pleasant and warm, and it will put anyone in a good mood when they hear it. There are some points of the instrumental that sound super retro and classic, and other points that sound robotic and otherworldly. This back-and-forth in the instrumental creates a riveting contrast that keeps me enthralled as a listener. I really love the vocal performance on this track. All of the vocals on ‘Que Sara Sara,’ even the vocals delivered by Suzuka, are very soft and subdued, fitting the soft nature of the instrumental. The vocals help make the song feel so warm and light. On ‘Que Sara Sara,’ AG is singing about taking life in stride and believing in yourself even through times of struggle. Following this, we get the live version of their viral single ‘OTONABLUE’ from THE FIRST TAKE. A video from this performance is the way that I(and so many other American music fans) got introduced to ATARASHII GAKKO! earlier this year. This performance has so much vigor and attitude; the way that AG sings and dances during this performance is so engaging, and it is bound to get anyone who sees it interested in knowing about everything else they are doing. I do not have to explain this track, as I did in my aforementioned blog about them previously this year and also in the aforementioned video that I am posting about them later this week(once again, please check out both of those if you have not). The only other thing I will say is if you have not seen this performance of OTONABLUE’ yet, go look it up because it is definitely worth checking out. ATARASHII GAKKO! closes out this project with a cover of Linda Yamamototo’s 50-year-old Japanese Pop hit ‘Neraiuchi.’ This is a very modernized version of that track, as the original has a traditional show tune and Jazz feeling and the AG version feels way more HyperPop and electronic. After listening to both versions(and this may just be because I prefer this kind of music anyway), I have to say that I enjoy the AG! version a lot more. The synthesized and glitchy instrumental in their version makes the melody quirky and awesome. ATARASHII GAKKO!’s vocal performance on this cover is excellent as well. Suzuka sticks out in such a huge way, as her deep and sultry tone fits the tone of this song so well and makes it feel so dark and grand. ‘Neraiuchi’ is a song that is about a woman trying to seduce a rich man because she wants all of the luxuries of the world. This feels a bit ironic and tongue-in-cheek when compared to the theme in most of AG’s music since it is usually female-empowering and female-forward. AG’s ‘Neraiuchi’ is a cool cover of a Japanese classic that makes it feel fresh and gives the song a feeling that it had not previously had.
When I saw that this EP had been released, I was pleasantly surprised since I did not expect to hear new music from ATARASHII GAKKO! so soon. As it turns out, this project only has one new song, with the rest of it consisting of two older songs, a live version of their most popular track, and a cover of a Japanese classic. ‘MANINGEN’ is a fun and groovy track that I enjoy a bunch; I can not wait to watch the dance performance that will accompany this track(the music video is already out), as I am sure they will give it way more context and make it that much more appealing and invigorating. The quality of this project overall, is great, and it contains multiple tracks(especially ‘MANINGEN’ and ‘Que Sara Sara’) that I know I will be returning to frequently. MANINGEN is the latest example of why ATARASHII GAKKO! is one of the coolest rising artists in music right now, and I am so excited to see what they do next.
EAST SIDE VIBES 