gokigen
[review-body]
what i like most about chelmico is their ability to make music how they want. damn the crushing, ever turning industrial machine, its about what Rachel Watashiga and Mamiko Suzuki feel like fit their latest vibe. above all, i really respect that. its a strong feeling that comes through in their music. while not everything, or even most, of gokigen sticks the landing, i think there is still a huge amount of personality seeping through every inch of the album. the very least you could say is that what is here, is meant to be here.
in this go around, gokigen broadens the duo’s sound expanse. there is an interesting addition of light reggae and some other growing, larger sound expanses. it feels like the group is trying to spread their wild identity as much as they can. if they don’t have the butter to spread across all that bread, they’re gonna throw some jam (and whatever else is in the fridge) on it to make it work. mostly, frankly, it doesn’t. but that doesn’t make it singularly poor. i can definitely appreciate the effort, and not in a pitiable way. in fact i find what they are doing pretty brave. if only because it’s so wild and brash. intentionality carries a lot of the weight here. even if it doesn’t sound clean, or aligned, or just-so, gokigen sounds like THEIR party. they may be eating some butter/ jam/ etc sandwiches, but, like, damn, they’re having such a good time over there. i kinda want to get in on that.
might as well.
that said, half the album doesn’t land. especially the first third, and the back third. the reggae additions in the first part feels non-cohesive. like they wanted to find larger implementation, but dropped the idea halfway through. or maybe chelmico just wanted to throw some in, purely because they felt like it. either way, the first third of the album is a departure from their lovable sound. it comes off abrasive. i look forward to listening to their sound for a good time, even if it is a bit hectic and haywire. sincerely, i was hoping for more of that. i’m just a wide-eyed hamster coming to the chelmico water-drip for a bit more of whatever is they are serving up. “Roller Coaster”, for instance, has definitely got juice, but it’s just not the juice i’m looking for. it gets a bit too crazy. the high-pitched flute felt like a bridge too far on a list of new ideas. it’s certainly a strong intro, but also immediately off putting. “San Okuen” is another brazen entry that lens further into this new sound. it’s a pretty tuff sound. it’s bombastic and beat heavy but also quite exotic, especially for them. i wanted to mention these songs because i actually really like what they are attempting here. if anything, it feels like an evolution in line with their track, and even if i don’t fully vibe with it, they’re kinda really cool. if anyhting, i appreciate that. a signiture of my growing appreciation for the group.
“December” is when the album kicks into a cleaner gear. it feels more like what i was coming into this album anticipating. the deep beat and playful electronica collide, where chelmico take their place to rap and chant their way through middle. it’s an example of how equally bizarre but interesting they can be. “December” specifically feels like their most mature offering to date.
however it’s “Touhikou” that wins the album for me. something about its melodic sway and ocean-floor heavy bass create a particularly entrancing atmopshere. the girls’ vocals are perfectly complemented as they float above the plodding track. it is this song where gokigen reaches a zenith. while it may not be a zenith long held, it is one that definitely sticks with me long after finish.
i’d also love to call out, strangely enough, the “interlude”. it ties the album together both thematically and sonically. especially the use of eletronic effects and background party sounds that pull the identity of the album into much better focus. “bff” brings the album away from its open, into a much more lively verve and energy. it made me think “ah, they’re finally having fun again”. and “ISOGA♡PEACH“ is, wierdly, the right amount of hectic and ballistic pop drop the album needed. the frantic song should be an assault on the ears, but only ever feels exciting and ballistically FUN. it’s just a sort of touch that i really really dig.
gokigen is an album that scores low. at least on principle, it is a bit obtuse to approach and maybe takes a bit of prior enjoyment of chelmico to properly understand. at first blush chelmico and especially gokigen are dismissable. but so are some of the most interesting and memorable parts of life. not everyhting that is worth visiting is a 5-Star experience, but it will probably take al little effort and homework to come to terms with. for me, i think gokigen will continue to grow in a sort of ugly-but-adorable lovable kind of way. it’ll be the sort of album that won’t be widely aproachable, but it’ll hit just right for some. at this point, i don’t really know what i expect from chelmico anymore, but i do know i somehow end up having a blast every time. the haters can go find a more accessible party somewhere else.
[review-footer]
Highlights
December
Touhikou
interlude
bff
ISOGA♡PEACH
Tracklist
intro
Roller Coaster
San Okuen 「三億円」
moderation
December
Touhikou
Where you at?
interlude
COZY
bff
ISOGA♡PEACH
O・La
Meidaimae
Miterudake
