Zenbu Kimi no Sei da. - Mudai Gasshou Single Review

Zenbu Kimi no Sei Da is one of the poster groups for the recent "yami-kawaii" subgenre of alternative idol music. Their debut album "Yamikawa IMRAD" is already one of my favorites of the year, so of course I had to check out their latest single! "Mudai Gasshou" is surprisingly light on the elements that make the group so unique, but it still has its positives.

"Mudai Gasshou" is a pretty standard-sounding idol song, at first listen. The melody is really pretty and I already know I love the girls' vocals. Something that stands out to me is their wavering voices. Just slightly at first, but near the end of the song it's pretty noticeable. I actually love this. It matches their style very well, and sounds fantastic on top of that. There are some thick downstroked guitar chords in the mix but nothing TOO out there musically. I like the tempo changes though. This song does have an edge that lets you know Zenbu Kimi no Sei Da aren't just your standard idol group, it's just not as clear as it was on the album. The MV for this song is beautifully hand-drawn and animated. It's a fairly dark video if you look into it, actually. It's an emotional ride I don't want to just lay out for you here, I really recommend watching it. There are heavy themes of depression here, and potentially even suicide. It's a beautiful sentiment, though.

The first b-side song is "When You When You Want ~Hine kure no tari~". This song is HARD. With a digital hardcore vibe hovering in the production, the song is one of the fastest things this group has released to date. Their vocals have a thin vocoder effect which gives the whole song a mechanical feel. The pounding bass drum of the chorus turns this into a dance floor hit in an instant. There's not really an infectious melody to be picked out here, but the song keeps changing throughout in a totally un-structured and experimental way. It's this insane cyberpunk romp and it's over far too soon. Definitely the highlight for me! The music video for this one is DARK, and not at all subtle. It has heavy themes of violence, depression and self-harm, and very clear suicidal imagery. Trigger warning on that one for sure! Where as the first video was a subtle and melancholy look at depression, this video is a much deeper look at the darker side of the illness. It's chaotic and destructive, like the girls are trying to literally murder the very concept of depression.

The final song is "Bocchi Connect Tsui" which slows things down considerably from the previous track. Bringing back the vocoders on the chorus, this song still has that slight mechanical vibe but it's overtaken by a wave of sweetness. The synth lines are pure and blissful sugar, almost sickeningly-sweet. It's a great representation of the genre, for sure. It's very pretty, and a strong b-side. Very beautiful end to the single.

I already love Zenbu Kimi no Sei Da. This single does nothing to change that. It's just another great representation of the talented singers and incredible producers behind them who are spearheading this crazy new style in idol music. I can't wait to hear more!

-Justin

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Mudai Gasshou:

1. Mudai Gasshou
   
2. When You When You Want ~Hine kure no tari~
   
3. Bocchi Connect Tsui
   

Zenbu Kimi no Sei Da. is:

• Mogeki Aza
• Kisaragi Megumi
• Narumi Gomochi
• Mashiro
• Hitomi Yotsu
  

Website: http://kiminosei.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zenbukiminosei
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenbukiminoseida