miracle life! / YURIA-plugged-HOSOI
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Album Title: miracle life! / YURIA-plugged-HOSOI |
| Record Label: hosplug |
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| Catalog No.: HSPL-013 |
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| Release Date: May 27, 2017 |
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| Purchase: Buy at iTunes |
Overview
miracle life! is an original album featuring original compositions and the occasional remix from Soshi Hosoi and vocals by YURIA, under the name YURIA-plugged-HOSOI. Most of the tunes have a pop feel to them with a retro flavor. Is the end result an enjoyable listen?
Body
The album opens with “Happy Tea Time,” a bubbly synth tune with pop and jazz tones. The melody itself is quite nice, although I’m not the biggest fan of the vocalist, and it sets the tone for much of the album. There is also a bonus remix of this tune by YMCK, which takes a more retro approach and a slower minimalist sound. While it does fit with the vocals, it can also be a bit cacophonous and a bit jarring at times. “SEEK☆ANGEL” is a more upbeat pop driven tune with a super catchy chorus and an extremely fun instrumental section. Similarly, “Weekend Shopping” is another bright and upbeat pop tune with a catchy melody. “Sunny Day Drive” retains the pop flavor but also adds more jazz influence and chiptune elements, making for a great blend of modern/retro sounds with a fun melody to boot.
“Under the Starlight” is a bubbly tune featuring vocoder with jazzy chords abound. The blend of jazz piano and FM synth makes for an interesting combination that creates a fairly memorable tune. There is also a bonus remix of this tune by Soshi Hosoi, transforming it to a more ambient and ethereal atmosphere with more of a techno influence. All said and done, I prefer this to the original. The titular tune, “Miracle Life,” incorporates techno beats with its peppy pop sounds, catchy melodies, and rhythms. There are also two tunes on the album originally composed by others. The first, “The Sound of Rain -YpH ver.-,” composed originally by Kazunari Tanaka, offers a very different sound from the rest of the album. It has a rustic meets jazz sound, yet still manages to tie in the various styles heard on the rest of the album. There is a beautiful instrumental section featuring acoustic guitar and strings that manages to impress. The other tune, “Spring of 120 Yen,” originally composed by Hitoshi Fujima, of Elements Garden, features a quirky sound with a bright melody, jazz tones, including a piano solo, and a beachy/tropical vibe overall. The end result is quite enjoyable overall.
Summary
miracle life! is certainly an interesting and enjoyable album when it comes to the actual composition and sounds. The combination of pop, jazz, and retro sounds makes for an engaging listen. However, the vocals are sure to be more divisive, featuring high pitched vocals that fit with the style of music, but will certainly not be everyone’s cup of tea. Fans of Hosoi’s more pop oriented works will certainly find something to enjoy on this album, but I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
3.5
Posted on October 3, 2017 by Don Kotowski. Last modified on October 3, 2017.
About the Author
Don Kotowski Currently residing in Philadelphia. I spend my days working in vaccine characterization and dedicate some of my spare time in the evening to the vast world of video game music, both reviewing soundtracks as well as maintaining relationships with composers overseas in Europe and in Japan.
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