Pop Punk

Get Exposed to Chemical X: We Go Behind the Scenes of an Idol Debut

/ DAEMON

On a recent winter evening in Japan, an over-reliance on Google Maps had Papermaiden and I well and truly lost in Shibuya. We were attempting to locate the address of a legendary dance studio that currently serves as the rehearsal space for NEO JAPONISM, APOKALIPPPS and other prominent chika idol units. Google insisted that the sought-after place was housed in a building among the side streets off Dogenzaka, but after fruitlessly circling through several alleyways, Papermaiden took over navigation. Soon after, Papermaiden’s efforts in orienteering led us to a single bright, square sign on a towering storefront among the thousands of others lighting the surrounding buildings and marking the target of our search.

Here, on the sidewalks of Shibuya, we met Hiroshi, the manger of the new chika idol unit, Chemical X. Papermaiden and I had been fortunate enough to be invited to attend the group’s rehearsal as the members prepared for their January 20th debut. It was a chilly evening, so the introductions were brisk: we quickly met Yossy, the group’s creator and producer, and members Amemiya R Galaxy, Chiimayu, Aoi Hitotsuki and Maho Setsuna. KILLERMACHINE, we were told, was running a bit late as she was coming from another commitment. After brief greetings, we hurried inside and upstairs to the warmth of the studio.

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SIPP Shines in Second Single, “The Same Old Sun”

/ DAEMON

A few months ago we first featured SIPP (Super iDOLS Pops Punk),  a new unit out of Osaka that sprinted from obscurity to song-of-the-year contender on the strength of their debut single, “dawn”. With an introduction that unbelievably good, we were trying not to let expectations for SIPP’s follow-up run too irrationally high. There have been any number of groups over the years that stormed in with a dynamite debut and then just faded into the ether.  Still, during this week of A-list music releases, the most highly anticipated song for many of us was the second single and MV from these rookies:

It’s time to get irrationally excited again. Continue reading →

Let’s Discover Some Idols: SIPP (Super iDOL Pops Punk)

/ DAEMON

Brand new idol unit SIPP have introduced themselves to the world with, “dawn”, a startlingly brilliant debut single and MV. If you aren’t yet quite convinced that 2021 contains promise, here’s some definitive proof:

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Lol I Wrote the Stupidest Post Never Listen to Me

/ Homicidol Maniac

Good lord, never take a break from a hobby that involves constant evolution of the subject. I just learned — by accident* that WORL’S END is actually reboot/branded Marionet, which upon that revelation makes all the sense in the world and I’m simultaneously laughing and looking for a bucket of paint to drown myself in out of humiliation.

It was a pretty hot post, though, you guys. I won’t share all of its remnants because I’m not a masochist, but it involved repeated declarations of having no prior knowledge of this idol thing that had been around for a couple of years, and outright disbelief at that fact because “I like to think that I had almost all idols of note doing the Fat Wreck Chords thing prior to mid-2019 at least referenced in some memory hole somewhere” which, wew. Yeah. And it was all celebratory about this tweet that I will reference here with no other commentary but may as well at least acknowledge so that you can see the source of my (today’s) idiocy.

The real tragedy here is that I don’t get to use this sentence:

if you ever wanted that guitar tone played like the soundtrack to the kewlest caffeine-free pool party of the summer between your sophomore and junior years of high school, and then added only the shiniest, happiest vocals possible on top of it, friend, you got yourself a stew going right here

In reference to the actual thing that spawned me writing this in the first place:

Although, hey, it looks like I did get to write it, and with context! Holla!

I am an embarrassment to this profession. Cancel Homicidols. Feh.

*It involved the phrase “Oh shit, that’s Fumimi”

More ELECTRIC HEARTS Than You Can Shake A Paper Bag At!

/ supremenothing

ELECTRIC HEARTS, the purveyors of “FANTASTIC PUNK IDOL FROM OSAKA” are rapidly finding a place in our hearts with their speedy lo-fi punk rock and cheeky style. Chris first brought them up last month and they instantly earned a place on Team Homicidols’ radar as a group to watch.

It’s an interesting strategy to attempt to pull off another anonymous idol group, because while it’s very fun to see girls singing and dancing with paper bags on their heads, there’s a risk that comes with it due to the limitations it places on fan’s ability to connect and bond with the members. Just ask the Dot-chans about the challenges that come with that. I still wonder if ELECTRIC HEARTS will eventually un-bag themselves as their star rises in the idol world.

But the other side of the task is this: Without the more obvious ways to make to that wota/idol connection, the girls have to rely on good music and charasmatic attitude to reach out for new fans. Maybe that’s been their plan from the get-go, who knows? But to help advance the cult of the paper-bag idols, here’s a bunch of partial songs to check out. And you know what? They’re all great!!

Dig that buzzsaw guitar and the vocals on this track!

And here’s some pure pop goodness served under a layer of punk rock…

Also, I love these super-low budget preview videos! It’s about as DIY as ripping holes in a paper bag!

“Ballads? We got ballads!”

And here we’ve got “SKULL BOWES”, another punk-pop sing-along gem, this time accompanied with some highly sophisticated animation..

Dang, these are all pretty good, huh? I checked in on the group’s twitter account, and currently they’ve only got 153 followers…that’s criminal! Everybody who’s gotta soul should be dropping everything to lend their support (And maybe donate some paper goods!) to ELECTRIC HEARTS and their label mates scribble scritch. (Who have the best name for a group right now.)

You can still support those stuffy pretend-punk corporate idols if you want, that’s fine, but we’ve got the real deal right here, and certainly you can dedicate some time to them too. Paper or plastic?? I know what I prefer! 

 

 

 

Let’s Welcome PINKYCASE to the Party

/ Homicidol Maniac / 1 Comment

And speaking of things that people are all HEY YOU JERK YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS about, I submit to you not a new maturation of idol rock, but a new realization of kawaiicore that’s presently* giving vigorous side-eye to all who’ve come before:

That’s PINKYCASE (Twitter), and it suddenly feels like much of the loudol world is turning to peppy pop punk numbers of which I wholly approve**. Here’s a ((very)) (new) live digest: Continue reading →

Is This a New Yurimaru Track?

/ Homicidol Maniac

Update: Jordan with the info!

You guys who are bigger fans of Hirano* Yuri than me (Jordan, I’m looking in your direction), help me out. She added this rocking little corker to Soundcloud last night, and I don’t recall having heard it before, but that apparently doesn’t mean anything because I miss lots of stuff:

I mean, I don’t even have an analog for that much bounce. Supergrass, but with the singer from Letters to Cleo? No idea. Continue reading →

There’s Fresh ayumikurikamaki Available Now Too

/ Homicidol Maniac / 1 Comment

I think all of us were pleased that the lovable ex-bears of ayumikurikamaki made a bit of a return to form for their “Goma slipper” single, from the sound to the fun attitude of the video. The release itself happened last Wednesday, but they put out this additional MV for the B-side, and yes, ayukuma, thank you:

I don’t always associate the bears with pop punk, but it’s basically tailor made for them. Continue reading →

A Day at POP iD with PiGU

/ Homicidol Maniac

I had been sitting on this little video for about a week, and then was going to hold it longer for reasons explained below, but the other teenie pop punk idol news of the day is awful, and I thought, Who better to be the balm right now?

Have you ever wondered what shows at POP iD are like? Like, PiGU isn’t going to suddenly stop being extremely idol and performing for like 30 minutes max; there’s got to be other stuff going on.

Well, now we know some of it!


I had at least three moments where I stopped trying to understand

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My Day’s Been Dragging, So Let’s Enjoy Some PiGU Sets

/ Homicidol Maniac

I don’t know if it’s because I got up really early and then late, or because I’m telecommuting and don’t have the usual “MANIAC COME HELP WITH THIS PLEASE” at work to distract me, but today feels like it needs to end at any time, and it’s still only noon.

So you know what can help with that? Some friggin’ PiGU, that’s what.

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