MC＋シンガー＋ドラマーに、プロデューシング・エンジニアのSUIを加え、かつての6人編成から4人の新体制で再スタートを切ったのが2010年のこと。その間にはlyrical schoolやSALUなどを手掛けるSUIの活躍もありつつ、ここにお目見えした9年ぶりの新作は良い意味で以前と変わらず、バンド・サウンドっぽいヌラリとしたグルーヴが堪能できる一枚になりました。アイズリーズ使いの“酩酊”や、ファンクに乗せて男女の情事を綴った“Prime Shock”などアダルトな路線も肌に馴染んでくるし、ソフトな歌声がハマるフィッシュマンズ“いかれたBABY”のカヴァーや、ジャジーなドラムンベースへ展開する代表曲“In the Rain”の新ヴァージョンも文句ナシ。全編を通じて夜遊び慣れした音の雰囲気で、こちらも行きつけのクラブで見覚えのある顔を眺めながら、夜更けのひとときをぼんやり楽しんでいるような気分に。FU-TENとか韻シストとかThe Cavemansとも通じる、ナチュラルなヴァイブスに酔わされます。
[English Translation]
Welcoming new member SUI as the producing engineer to the existing band format of an MC, vocalist, and drummer, the four-piece band, it was in 2010 that the band started out their new phase as a four piece, which previously used to be six. While SUI strengthened his own appeal working with other artists such as lyrical school (Japanese female hip hop idol group) or SALU (rapper), this first album in 9 years, in a good sense, bears the same atmosphere as before, allowing listeners to enjoy the slippery grooves in their band sounds. The adult-oriented numbers such as "MEITEI (meaning Inebriation)" in the style of The Isley Brothers, or the funky number "Prime Shock" which sings about love affairs between a man and a woman, feel just right. Also fantastic are the cover of "Ikareta Baby (meaning My Crazy Baby)" by Fishmans (Japanese dub music band), which matches the soft vocals perfectly, and the new version of one of their greatests, "In the Rain", which unfolds into a jazzy drum'n'bass. Throughout the entire collection, the sounds take on a comfortable mood of people staying out late, making the listener feel like he is also chilling and enjoying the moments of dawn, looking at familiar faces at his favorite night club. You’ll be intoxicated by the natural vibes akin to those of FU-TEN (Japanese hip-hop band) or IN-SIST (Japanese hip-hop band) or The Cavemans.
