FEMM - PoW! / L.C.S. Review

FEMM (Far East Mention Mannequins) pretty much blew up in 2014 when the PV for their song "Fxxk Boyz Get Money" went viral. Even if they never made it onto the charts that song became an instant hit for the group. With their debut album "Femm-Isation", FEMM solidified their spot as international pop stars that broke through barriers typically set for Japanese artists. This new release, "PoW!/L.C.S." is a bit of an odd one. The title songs make up a brand new single for the group, but this was actually released as a double album, including both the English and Japanese versions of "Femm-Isation", both previously released digitally. Since "Femm-Isation" came out two years ago, I'm only here to review the new songs. That said, "White Noise" (from the "Femm-Isation" album) is an amazing song, and never got as much attention as it should have. Now on to the review.

My first thought is that "PoW!" really lives up to its name. Featuring superhero imagery and lyrics, it's basically just another super catchy radio pop song. The production is great, the song just explodes in a perfect way. I also love the group's look in the PV, another iteration of their well-known mannequin style.

"L.C.S." starts out with some Daft Punk-esque vocoder, and it certainly fits the theme. It's a robotic, electric-sounding song. It's actually pretty unique within FEMM's discography so far, just in terms of melody and structure. There's a little more risk, a little more experimentation. I love it! The video features the "mannequins" in motion capture outfits, in a computerized environment filled with 3D models and CGI effects. This song is a natural progression for FEMM, I think. I love the idea that they can make such radio-friendly pop sound so strange and robotic.

I think it's a little odd that FEMM decided to tack on their entire debut album (TWICE!) onto this single, but it's not like it hurts the release in any way. The two new songs are pure gold, and I cannot WAIT to hear more from FEMM. I'm 100% on the bandwagon with them, and I won't be getting off any time soon.

-Justin

FEMM Is:
RiRi (MS-00000 / Honey-B)
LuLa (SW-000000 / W-Trouble)

For More Information:
Website: http://femms.jp/femme/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEMM____
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Pp-ffsPH8ozLKFMdxOvFw/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femm____/

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FEMM - PoW MV