Hazey's Musings on Melodic Motifs - Shibuya-Kei on Sundays!

[Komorebi-D]

[dihansse]

[HazeyTwilight]

Hey guys! If you follow this diary thing (oh who am I kidding, of course you don't) then you're probably wondering why there hasn't been any activity as of late. And the reason for that being is that, as I've mentioned in previous entries, I'm a bit stumped as to what to do with this thing. I know I've been doing Shibuya-Kei on Sundays thing somewhat consistently, but frequently, the albums I choose are not planned in advance and are usually last minute decisions, and part of that is that I'm focusing on other things and not making this thing a priority and I'm constantly stressing about having a post on this when I don't have the interest or motivation for it right now.

So, to give you the long and short of it, I'm putting this thing on indefinite hiatus for the moment.
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[HazeyTwilight]

Well, long time no see. Decided to temporarily return with this post about Fishmans in celebration of the 20th anniversary of 98.12.28 Otokotachi no Wakare. I was actually going to make this into one of my silly YouTube video essays, but I don't think that'll be possible at this point as I've just haven't got the energy for it right now. But I don't want to let all my hard work go to waste, so I decided to post my transcript of it here. I hope you enjoy!



Introduction

One of the best things about music is that feeling you get when you find something new to latch onto. Discovering bands/artists for the first time - that have been making music for years - and that resonate with you. Music that expands your horizons and deepen the knowledge that you have for music. With the likes of the Internet and streaming services have made the process of exploring new music easier than ever. However, it’s one thing for an individual to find new music, it’s another thing when an entire online music community uncovers a musical treasure that hasn’t been unearthed in a very long time and wholeheartedly accepts it into their canon. This is exactly what happened to the band Fishmans? Who are Fishmans, you may ask? Well, let’s take a closer look.

Part 1: Humble Beginnings

Fishmans formed in Minato, Japan in 1987. The band comprised of vocalist and guitarist Shinji Sato, drummer Kin-Ichi Motegi, and guitarist Kensuke Ojima, with the addition of bassist Yuzuru Kashiwabara and keyboardist Hakase, a couple of years later rounding out the original lineup. The genre they specialised in was dub and reggae, but their early material also skirted around the stylings of shibuya-kei (and if you don’t know what shibuya-kei is, well... that’s a video for another time.) They signed to Japanese independent label Media Remoras and released several albums under the label.

Part 2: The Media Remoras Period

The first of these was Chappie, Don’t Cry released on May 21st 1991, followed by the Corduroy’s Mood EP that same year. These records showcases the two prominent sides of the band, the former being more focused on dub/reggae whilst the latter sported a Shibuya-Kei edge, devoid of the skanks you’d normally associate with early Fishmans. With the exception of Sato’s distinctively high vocals, there was nothing about their music, firmly rooted in the conventions of their respected genres, that grabbed the attention of the listener if you weren’t already a dub aficionado. And I think the band themselves were aware of this, because on their next album, King Master George released on October 21st 1992, they heavily experimented with different styles on top of their usual reggae sound. These experiments fringed on ska-punk to neo-psychedelia with varying degrees of success. The next couple of outings sought out a more streamlined, back-to-basics approach. Neo Yankees’ Holiday, released on July 21st 1993, merged their dub influences with more pop sensibilities, most noticeably in their single “Ikareta Baby”, which garnered significant airplay when it was released. Orange, released on October 21st 1994, goes into funkier territory. And while these aren’t bad albums by any means, they’re competently performed, produced and arranged and they still have a certain charm to them. However, it was obvious that these weren’t the albums that garnered them the amount of acclaim they would go on to receive, as at this point they were about to undergo a significant shift.

Part 3: Up in the Air with Kuchu Camp


空中キャンプ [Kūchū Camp] by �...[Fishmans]

Fishmans would gain and lose a lot as a band after this period. In 1995, the band signed to Polydor Records, however Kensuke Ojima and Hakase had left during the process. Since they hadn’t replaced their roles, the band were now officially a trio, so this was their opportunity to take their music in a different direction. The first album on Polydor, and fifth overall, was Kuchu Camp, released on February 1st 1996. While there are still traces of their dubby past, on this album it’s filtered through a dreamy lens and a washed out production, courtesy of the addition of producer ZAK, who’ll become a permanent fixture in the sound the band has embarked on. And while the album creates an excellent atmosphere around its dive into the world of dream pop, the track that perfectly encapsulates this new direction is its lead single “Nightcruising”. It starts with leading the listener in with Sato’s subdued high pitched vocals, dreamy guitar melodies and a steady and unobtrusive rhythm section before progressively adding more layers upon layers of instrumental overdubs and found sounds that culminate in a soothing wall of sound which concludes with a gorgeous piano motif buried in static - it’s such a beautiful track! And while Kuchu Camp is a great album, bigger things were yet to come, as later that same year the band released their most ambitious project.

Part 4: Sitting Through the Long Season


Long Season by フィッシュマンズ [Fishmans]

Their sixth studio album, Long Season, released on October 25th 1996, was the biggest undertaking Fishmans had done up until this point. Consisting of one 35 minute track split up into five movements, this album is widely regarded as the band’s magnum opus - and it’s not hard to see why. It sets up its tone straight away with atmospheric noodling from guitar, bass and keyboards before we are plunged into the main piano motif, a simple four note melody that persists throughout the entire song. From this point forward, we are exposed to the many colours and tones that make the journey through this dense sonic landscape so rewarding. The breakbeat-like drum fills of Motegi and fluid bass work of Kashiwabara complementing so effortlessly with the array of timbral diversity on display - ranging from violin, accordion, whistle, electronics and even a chorus. The masterful polyphonic songwriting with hypnotic hooks that will relay themselves in your head long after you’ve heard them. The entire third movement comprising of found sounds of splashing water that is accompanied by a flurry of percussion and electronica. ZAK’s atmospheric and scenic production elevating the entire thing to epic proportions. And, not to mention, Sato’s otherworldly vocals are absolutely breathtaking. The word that best describes this album is organic, because everything about this album flows so naturally and there is always something new to unravel with every listen. This record is an outstanding achievement for the band and is an experience that I doubt anyone who gives it a spin will be forgetting any time soon.

Part 5: Taking Flight with Uchu Nippon Setagaya


Uchū Nippon Setagaya by フィッシ�...[Fishmans]

Their seventh and final studio album, Uchu Nippon Setagaya, released on July 24th 1997, set out to further expand upon the dreamy and spacious nature of their newly acquired sound. This led the album to lean towards a more ambient pop style, putting more emphasis on nocturnal settings, programmed beats and longer, almost improvisational song structures. It’s a very chill and laid-back album compared to its loftier predecessor and while the production on this album is a lot cleaner with it straying further away from their dubbier roots, it still retains a lot of the dreamier, psychedelic aspects that were prominent on previous efforts. In terms of their Polydor releases, Uchu Nippon Setagaya is, in my opinion, the weakest out of the three, but it’s still a terrific album regardless. I also point you towards the single “Yurameki in the Air,” which came from the same sessions, as it continues from where the last album left off. It’s just an all around gorgeous track and quite a somber one when you consider that this was one of the last things the band would ever do together...and I guess I should talk about that, huh.

Part 6: A Men's Farewell


98.12.28 Otokotachi No Wakare by フィ...[Fishmans]

It all started around 1997/1998, when Yuzuru Kawashibara not only decided to leave the band but wanted to retire from the music industry altogether. Sato and Motegi still had plans to continue Fishmans without him, but since Kawashibara was such a pivotal member of the group they decided to put on one last final concert for him. That concert took place at the Akasaka Biltz, a venue based in Minato on December 28th 1998 under the subtitle Otokotachi no Wakare, roughly translates as “A Men’s Farewell”. Normally I don’t talk about live albums for these videos (which is why I skipped over the other live albums they’ve done), but I’ll make an exception since this is one is so significant. For this concert, they played some of their most well known singles and tracks from across their entire discography, displaying the growth the band had made from their humble beginnings playing dub/reggae to their evolution towards otherworldly dream pop and neo-psychedelia - their journey to being better performers and better songwriters. Hell, they even topped the show off by playing Long Season in its entirety. Suffice to say that this was a very special live show, a live show which was intended to be a send off for Kawashibara turned in to something . On March 15th 1999, 3 months after the concert, Shinji Sato passed away due to heart conditions that he suffered with since birth, making this live album the last thing the band would ever put out.

Part 7: The Aftermath

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Over their history Fishmans had gained a massive cult following in their native Japan. An appreciation that continues to grow with every year. This has led to the band reforming in 2006 and collaborating and supporting musicians on tour and in 2003 HMV Japan placed them amongst the top 100 Japanese Pop Artists of All Time, at no. 83. Despite all this they never managed to reach a Western audience. That was until around 4-5 years ago when their albums started circulating on music websites like RateYourMusic and the /mu/ board on 4chan. In fact, it was through browsing RYM’s overall chart is where I discovered Fishmans, specifically Long Season, for the first time back in August 2014. And while I enjoyed it and thought nothing more of it afterwards, many users who were more enthusiastic about it spread the album through word of mouth in their communities. It was at this point that the album skyrocketed up the overall charts and with every burst of acclaim they got the more attention their discography garnered. This activity over the course of a couple of years eventually culminated in Spotify obtaining the rights to stream their music on their platform during August 2018 - making their music even more accessible for more people to discover them.

Conclusion



Which brings me back to the my point at the beginning of this post: one of the best aspects of consuming music is that feeling of discovering something new. It’s the kind of feeling that drives you to learn more about them and to share them with your fellow listeners which can lead to greater things. And I hope this video inspires you to pursue further into Fishmans’ history because not only is there a demand for it but also as an honour to the legacy that Shinji Sato and everybody else left behind for the whole world to enjoy.

Thank you for reading this post.
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