834.194
Sakanaction
genre: pop/ rock • release date: 2019
8.0
834.194 serves us two sides of the same coin that you can find in all of music: one side being something to make you stop, think, and feel and the other something to make you move. Sakanaction was kind enough to separate them into two separate discs. In the album, you can find everything you need for having a good time and for getting deep in your feels. 834.194 is a hefty album with almost one and half hours of music. But it was needed, considering the fact that their previous release (self-titled; "sakanaction") was six years before. I am happy to say that those six years did not go to waste and 834.194 is the result of diligence and dedication that is scarcely seen nowadays. My journey through discovering this album was eye opening and I am all the more better from the investment. At first glance, 834.194 seemed like it was catching up for lost time and a major update from the band turned out to be a story waiting to be experienced.
Disc 1 opens up with one of my personal favorites from the album: “Wasurerarenaino”. And the tone is set. This first track serves more as an introductory as to what is to come: a quick-to-catch beat that doesn’t stop with just a head nod; but encourages you into a groove, some syncopated strings, synths, and keys that guides you through its rhythms, and a funky bass that forces some stank onto your face. And I will be the first to admit that I am an absolute indulger of all of those things. It all sounds like what the 80’s thought what the future would sound like. Sometimes feeling like I am speeding through a neon city highway in my hover-car that talks back to me.
What can be appreciated with this first half is its anthem-like choruses. Something that the crowd can sing and chant to during concert performances. They’re very catchy and contagious melodies and you will more than likely find yourself humming them throughout most of your days. Some of the tracks have your classic “la la la’s” and “na na na’s”. As for someone like myself that is solely an English speaker, it’s highly appreciated so that I may be included in the chorus. For the verses… I’ll quietly mumble what I think is the lyrics. But I will most definitely hold down those choruses! That is my time to shine. “Moth” has to be my go to in that criteria. Its ear attention grabbing introduction immediately pulls you in and locks you into focus as they begin to paint a picture. The visuals in my mind consist of an 1980’s Tokyo, Japan being attacked by some giant monster or alien or what have you and a some classic superhero squad swoops in to combat it and saves the day. What helps to paint that opening image is the sustained horns in the intro. Building the tension of the big bad making its decent onto the city. Its marching-like drums keeping its fast pace mimics the action from this imaginary existential life threatening conflict. With occasional breaks in the track gives the impression that this fight wasn’t easily won as the heroes would’ve liked. As I’m sure you can tell by now, this high energy track as burrowed itself into my mind and refuses to leave. Disc 1 is a lot of fun. It mostly concists of that party pop rock sound that we all know, love, and can’t stop bopping our heads to.
Disc 2 is everything that Disc 1 isn’t. With Disc 1, we had a wall of rhythm and intensity that kept the hype pretty consistent. Intoxicating melodies to keep the mind hooked and instrumental patterns to tell stories. Disc 2 isn’t exactly the black to Disc 1’s white. There is still a pace to the remainder of the album. It is slowing down though. The concert that what Disc 1 was has now ended and now it’s time to drive back home as the adrenaline rush dies down at 2 AM and you just remembered that you have work in the morning. It’s time now to sit back and listen.
The sudden change of pace between the two doesn’t give Disc 2 the proper spotlight it deserves; however, they are well composed pieces of art that still evoke emotion. “Sayonara wa Emotion” keeps in the plane of thought on wasted time spent being hesitant instead of making decisions. The rhodes keys heard throughout have a slow pace to them, but the drums are quietly in the background to remind you that time is still ticking and moving on with or without you. It then breaks into a rock ballad. And for me, that sounds like all the compressed resentment one has for themselves for being too stagnant.
“Chabashira” is a piece that stands out the most to me. What starts out with solo vocals and a piano, slowly develops beautiful swells of a cello for a somber, yet warm, embrace. The song is played in a pentatonic scale and that’s what gives it a strong Japanese folk inflection. As I type, I sit with me: my piano, laptop, and my speaker playing this song. I feel confident enough to tell you that if you wanted to play along with this song, just play with all the black keys. There’s enough space in the song to find where you can fit in and find the melody.
The album titled track “834.194” serves more as a soundscape than anything else. And some small research made it clear why. 834.194 is the amount of kilometers that Sakanaction traveled between their previous and current recording studios. From Sapporo to central Tokyo. And a review of this track greatly reflects that journey. With that in mind, listen to it again. And imagine tracking from Northern Japan all the way to its center. Sounds of the ocean are heard from the coasts and ridges they would’ve seen and all of the sounds of the vibrant city that Tokyo is known for is replicated by the the sequenced synths and the echoed ride cymbals.
This album was quite the ride. And I mean that both literally and figuratively. The album is conceptually mapped around the band’s journey from Sapporo to Tokyo. Disc 1 has the feel of Tokyo, big city and flashing lights and endless possibilities for never ending nights. Whereas Disc 2 inherits the band’s roots. It being personal and heavier in topic. This is even more so reflected in the last track for each disc. Being “September”, but Disc 1’s was recorded in Tokyo and 2’s in Sapporo. Sapporo’s version feeling more grounded than its Tokyo counterpart. Now my mind was blown away when I found this out. It put the entire album in a whole new perspective for me. Two discs to represent a different time in their lives and the journey that they took with them and gave us the opportunity to experience it with them. I have garnered a higher respect and appreciation for Sakanaction on my own personal journey of “834.194”. What originally started as one song I heard a few years ago that I thought sounded fun and upbeat turned into a whole reevaluation of respect for the art. Upon my first listen, I assumed that Sakanaction was simply grouping similar tracks together. As it turns out, they were telling their story. On what the past 6+ years was for them. I really enjoyed my time with 834.194. And I look forward to hear what comes after and what new stuff we can expect from Sakanaction.
written by
Chance Aguilar
- highlights -
Wasurerarenai no (忘れられないの)
Kagerō (陽炎)
Tabun, Kaze. (多分、風。)
Mosu (モス)
Kikitakatta Dance Music, Rikiddo Rūmu ni (「聴きたかったダンスミュージック、リキッドルームに」)
Chabashira (茶柱)
track list:
Wasurerarenai no (忘れられないの)
Match to Peanuts (マッチとピーナッツ)
Kagerō (陽炎)
Tabun, Kaze. (多分、風。)
Shin Takarajima (新宝島)
Mosu (モス)
Kikitakatta Dance Music, Rikiddo Rūmu ni (「聴きたかったダンスミュージック、リキッドルームに」)
Yurika (ユリイカ) (Shotaro Aoyama Remix)
Seputenbā – Tōkyō Version (セプテンバー -東京 version-)
Guddobai (グッドバイ)
Hasu no Hana (蓮の花) -single version-
Yurika (ユリイカ)
Nairon no Ito (ナイロンの糸)
Chabashira (茶柱)
Wandārando (ワンダーランド)
Sayonara wa Emōshon (さよならはエモーション)
834.194
Seputenbā – Sapporo Version (セプテンバー -札幌 version-)