Featured Review #27: PERFECT RAINBOW by LM.C

[beni 2149]

Artist: LM.C Single: PERFECT RAINBOW Score: Just a couple colours off from being a "PERFECT RAINBOW"

If you’ve previously released a mini-album titled "PERFECT FANTASY" within the same year with a similar tracklist of eight songs in total, then you’re asking for comparisons. Since "PERFECT FANTASY" was a personal favourite release in 2014, you might already have guessed that I’m not that impressed with the rap rocking electro duo this time. I must confess I judged "PERFECT RAINBOW" with their other mini-album in mind, but who can really blame me? It did, indeed, fall short of my expectations on first listen. But let’s get on to the undeniable comparisons later and dive head first into this colourful rainbow.

Instrumental opening track ‘VantaBLACK’ is a very fantastical and imagery inducing intro. Starting off with some futuristic, spacey sounds, faint piano keys can be heard after these inclusions, then turning into electric currents. It flows into ‘JUST LIKE THIS!!’ wonderfully, which starts with more fittingly used piano taps and Maya soothingly sing a few romantic Engrish lyrics. After this quiet starting point, we’re treated to that massive electro party sound we all know and love by these dudes. The track is brilliant and really stands out after the strong opener. It’s sure to get long-time fans comfortable with its reminiscent sound to older LM.C jams. With a catchy beat and a chorus bursting with energy, it’ll get you up, dancing, and hyped for more. In contrast, ‘MOGURA’ is a dark and heavy song. As the only song to be spotlighted outside the mini-album release, it’s a solid track. However, within this tracklist, it stands out like a sore thumb due to it having a sound not all gumballs and rainbows as would be expected from the pair, ultimately making the track fall flat in the long run. What follows is ‘Amnizia,’ an instantly toe tapping number thanks to its repetitive drum beat. The simple structure and sound actually make this one of the more enjoyable tracks. It's catchy as soon as it begins!

‘Minor Leaguers’ Song’ comes next, and similar to 'MOGURA,' this one's got an interesting spin on sound. It's reminiscent to punk bands like ‘Good Charlotte,' due to it sounding as perfect as one of those cheesy school anthem sing-along songs. While there’s more going on than in previous tracks, it’s actually not that captivating. This track mixes the rapping with an anthemic approach vocal-wise with little bits of parade/orchestra marching like features such as the trumpets and overlapping vocal effect. However, a nice addition to it is the trumpets at the end of the chorus that play in tune to the lullaby ‘Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star;' fitting for a band who often sing about stars. Enjoyable as it is during the listen, in the end, all this makes for is a forgettable track. ‘LADY TALK’ has an 80s disco sound which is a very charming inclusion. The electro currents are old school sounding, and it’s a smooth and slow track which reminds me of ‘PLASTICZOOMS.’ But you know it’s still LM.C you’re hearing with their cheerful tune and sparkly chorus! The following track, ‘キミヨサラバ,’ has a steady tempo just like 'LADY TALK,' and it keeps to a straight path as well. Being the ballad of the mini-album, it's a very pleasant one which still keeps your attention. We come to the end of the rainbow with 'BRAND NEW RAINBOW.' Opening up with a playful funfair sound, the track is highly energetic and doesn't tire, giving the mini-album a closer more pleasing than its opener.

What LM.C has accomplished brilliantly is sticking to the same types of tracks in both releases. We’ve got the disco tune, ‘JUST LIKE THIS!!,’ the mysterious piece, ‘Amnizia,’ the positive track, ‘Minor Leaguers’ Song’ and the ballad song, ‘キミヨサラバ,’ to name just a few examples. The opening and closing tracks are, really, the stand out points of this mini-album, starting and ending the mini-album on a high. The release has a few new and different sounds, which indicates the duo are experimenting with their style. This is all good on its own, but it’s still got some polishing to do. When I’m not comparing it to "PERFECT FANTASY," it’s good. When I’m judging it on its own, it’s still just good. Maybe if both mini-albums were put together as a full-length album, it would've gotten four stars, since "PERFECT FANTASY" is truly perfect. While "PERFECT RAINBOW" is far from perfect, don’t judge this release by its title.