Michita Murasaki (満ちた紫) - Indigo la End
pop/ rock • 2026
5.8
Indigo la End poses a fresh spin on their tried and true style. Michita Murasaki, feels both a step forward and a step stuck in the same past. as i’ve listened to Indigo la End over the years i am repeatedly shocked by how little i listen to the band. they should be right up my alley considering they tend to feel somewhat like the mellow side of an Asian Kung Fu Generation-type of band with a sort of jazzy backing. however i find my hesitancy renewed as both my attention and headphone’s volume begin to decrease.
Indigo la End seems to have cornered the market on a specific style of music, for this i applaud them. in their pop-forward-rock they effortlessly boost their identity with an ensemble of more jazz-ish musical compositions. the novelty is certainly attention grabbing. yet there’s always a bit of friction between the intention and the reception. unfortunately, i can tend to find the lead singer, Kenta Kawatani, a bit whiny and nasally for my prolonged liking. not to mention the unclear malaise of instrumentation from too much happening in one sound stage. so many wonderful riffs, plays and ideas get lost in the fullness of their sound. this combination of singer and composition choices lead to a listening fatigue that i’m never revelatory in finding myself in. unfortunately a problem i find present even in this album.
that’s not to say Michita Murasaki is a lost effort. not by any means. just like with the rest of their discography, there are some songs worth visiting. it just means you might have to wade through a bit of sameness to get there. or, perhaps, a sameness that lessens the effects of the songs worth your attention. i still think a handful of their tracks give me that same feeling of wanting to come back for more. that feeling that has kept them in my orbit, and kept them glittering my many playlists over the years. their recent single release “Kagerō (陽炎)” is the cleanest release in the album. it feels distinct and uncluttered leaving it to soar and really show the band’s special affects. i’ll also mention “Dekiyashinai (できやしない)”, another example of clarity and focus under the band’s identity leading towards a more compelling piece. “Noroi wa Itsu Made (呪いはいつまで)” is a meaningful poster-child for Michita Murasaki’s more brazen and forward sound signature. “Jiguzagu Takatakanī (ジグザグタカタカニー)” leans back into the band’s more jazz-adjacent identity, reminding me what i find so fun and engaging about their music. a collection of strong works linger in the mid-to-late point of the album, making me wish there were more and it showed sooner.
i do appreciate the strength and novelty of their earlier sound more (see album: Nureyuku Shishōsetsu (濡れゆく私小説)), however their new feel has a bit more firebrand to it. a little less jazzy a bit more rock, almost math-rock. in this new frame, Indigo la End has well enough reason to explore a new album worth of music. Michita Murasaki certainly is a fresh, robust and stringent experience, one worth checking out.
don’t let my littering pessimism lead you wrong. for years i’ve enjoyed Indigo la End, and to see a new album on release came with a healthy dose of anticipation. this album offers a sound both mature and invigorated, a sound that has good reason for becoming popular in a well saturated industry. i’m merely a bit disappointed the best songs felt burdened by neighboring tracks that border on annoying. the murky mix of great and poor will keep Indigo la End’s legacy alive for another cycle. flustering opening tracks end up finding their way into a more chill and intentional experience on the back half of the album. on the path to breakthrough and a meaningful effort, Indigo la End gets a bit further off course than their previous works.
written by Marcus Landeros- highlights -
Noroi wa Itsu Made (呪いはいつまで)
Kagerō (陽炎)
Dekiyashinai (できやしない)
Shiranai Umi (知らない海)
Jiguzagu Takatakanī (ジグザグタカタカニー)
track list:
Natsume (夏目)
Whirlpool (ワールプール)
Watashi no Kuse o Yurushite (私の癖を許して)
Noroi wa Itsu Made (呪いはいつまで)
Kagerō (陽炎)
Kagura (カグラ)
Dekiyashinai (できやしない)
Shiranai Umi (知らない海)
Jiguzagu Takatakanī (ジグザグタカタカニー)
Flâner la nuit
Koi no Soko (恋の底)
