Product Description
Content Introduction A "free zone of music" by a young colony. It was Takashi Matsumoto of Happy End who once "saw the rustling of skyscrapers soaking the pavement" through the cracked glass of a coffee shop. About 40 years later, Lamp sings, "A train runs on time through the twisted skyscrapers, carrying you" ("Lovers and Rain Clouds"). They also sing, "I vaguely remember the windy city outside the window" ("If You Cry"). Lamp sings about "cities." Moreover, they express not just the "landscape" that is visible to the eye, but also the "scenery," "scene," and "image" accompanied by color, light, and temperature, and even the "afterimage" and "lingering scent" of cities that have already disappeared. In that sense, Lamp is one of the few bands that deserves to be called "the children of Happy End." Furthermore, the album cover for "Tokyo Utopia Communication" features a painting by Oji Suzuki. Therefore, many people will likely associate it with "Happy End" due to its connection to the magazine "Garo." However, naturally, Lamp has built its own unique sound world upon the musical foundation pioneered by Happy End. Indeed, the first track, "Imaginary Night Flight," is musically reminiscent of riding on "Samba of Jet Planes" towards Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport, and there are other tracks that faintly evoke the dreamlike echoes reverberating through the mountains of Minas Gerais. Also, compared to their previous work, "Lamp Fantasy," the songs feature more complex rhythmic arrangements, which is a major characteristic. I believe "Lamp Fantasy" was a culmination for Lamp, for them as "the children of Happy End." In contrast, "Tokyo Utopia Communication" is an album that shows Lamp has taken a step up a new staircase and begun aiming for the top. The ladder of tradition known as "Japanese city pop," built up since the 1970s. For example, the ladder that Kirinji had already climbed before them. It is now clear that the EP "August Poetic Sentiment," released in the summer of 2010, was a beautifully formed run-up to climb this ladder. "Tokyo Utopia Communication" is more refined than ever before. Yet, even now, Lamp still has an atmosphere of refusing to mature, much like Sugar Babe, a Japanese band of the past, or L? Borges, a contemporary Brazilian artist. I think this is the essence of Lamp, and that is why I love their music. To match the title of "Tokyo Utopia Communication," I would like to conclude this essay by quoting the title of Katsue Kitazono's poetry collection published in 1953, "Young Colony." The three "young colonies" have dug into new land and begun cultivating a fertile field of music. This field is a "utopia"?a "free zone of music." About the Artists Formed by Taiyo Someya, Yusuke Nagai, and Kaori Sakakibara. The beautiful, poignant harmonies and catchy melodies played by Nagai and Sakakibara have gradually gained popularity. Their well-regarded melodic sense is based on the soft chord progressions of bossa nova and the sophisticated sounds of soul and city pop, and the sweet voices of the two intertwine with a unique tension, creating an atmosphere that is sure to tug at your heartstrings. Their songs, which incorporate various high-quality musical elements and feature somewhat melancholic lyrics that evoke the unique humidity and scents of Japan, have received high praise. They have released five albums to date (including a Korean version). Every track is brimming with the freshness of a band that is still in development. Despite the fact that their music is one that immediately evokes a sense of "maturity," there aren't many people like that?and that's what's so wonderful about them. Tomita Lab (Keiichi Tomita)
