Mikunology Reviews: Boku wa Hatsune Miku to Kiss wo Shita (2013) (Pt.2)
Alright, here we are with Part 2, where I will chat about the album's second half! Let's get to it!
Part 1 here
Ii, Er Fanclub: I think anyone who vaguely knows of Mikito has heard this one, if it's not ROKI. XD This is another more goofy, fun track about Rin and Gumi being fans of Chinese culture. And I love it! It's a great song, the back-and-forth between Rin and Gumi is so fun to sing along to - the inclusion of actual Chinese words is really fun as well. The drums are great here too. There's not really much I can say on this one that isn't just regular praise?? I highly recommend checking out it's PV by the wonderful Yori and Ryuusee! (Actually, I do have one comment I want to make: unpopular opinion, but I like this original Rin & Gumi version a lot more over Giga's Miku & Len mix. The goofy charm of the original song just jives with me more, although Giga's tuning is stellar.)
Wednesday Blue: This is another remaster, this time of one of Mikito's much older Miki originals. This is more typical rock'n'roll-style track, and it's a bit noisier than Mikito's usual fare. Unfortunately, I do think it's my least favorite on this album: it's a bit…all-over-the-place, compared to Mikito's later work? The Miki vocals are clearer and a bit better than the original NND upload, but they're still notably clunky in some places which can kinda take me out of the song. That said, the song as a whole isn't bad or anything, and it's actually pretty catchy after a few listens - it's just kinda clear this song was written by a less experienced Mikito. (Not to poke fun - everyone starts somewhere!)
Setsuna Plus (Momentary Plus): And here we are, back to Miku Dark again. This song is a bit more abstract in terms of lyrics, I think, but I still find myself coming back to it. There's not much I can say about this one either, honestly? Other than that it's good and that I like it - it has that usual great atmosphere again. However, I do have a slight criticism, I think - as much as I love the way Miku sounds here, I think this song could have done with a bit more powerful vocal instead, after hearing a few covers with characters like Amaga Eru (who can be pretty loud in her base voicebank).
Sarishinohara (Distant Fields): I remember not being too keen on this track at first for some reason? I don't know what was up with me because this song is really lovely XD This is a rock song about the forbidden love between a boy and his best friend and classmate, who has become an idol (and since idols can't date, she can no longer see him). There's such a tragic, melancholic feel to this song that really gets across the pain the boy is in, both in that he can no longer be with the girl despite her being "everywhere", in a sense, both in the instruments and in Miku Dark's vocals. Personally, I find this to be my favorite in the "Sarishinohara" trilogy, since 1) I think the melody is a bit easier to get into compared to the others and 2) just the sheer vibes.
Secret DVD: Ah, this one…the spicy one. A more straightforward rock track with a bit more "vanilla" Miku voice instead of Miku Dark, about doing sexy things. I actually like this one quite a bit despite the mature subject matter - it is pretty catchy, and the guitars are really good here. There's a part in the second verse where there's a harp-like strum and it's really satisfying. I also gotta say, something I always appreciated about Mikito's more sexual songs is that they're usually written in a manner that actually makes the act sound romantic rather than…well, you know. XD (*looks at REOL and Umetora*) I recommend this one for the music alone even if you're not into the song lyrically.
Salad Banya Cauda: Now for something completely different! XD This is one of the very few completely album-exclusive tracks, since I believe all of the tracks on this list have been released with PVs with the exception of this and Gariben Hirose no Shouri. This isn't really a rock track at all - it's a cute little folksy-type song with more acoustic instruments and simple Miki vocals (with the exception of some electric guitar between verses). I like it, though! It's a cute song, it makes you feel like marching through some sunny trees to find some berries or some adventure. However, I do think it can come as a surprise given the vibe of literally everything else. I think you might enjoy it, still!
Gariben Hirose no Shouri (A Geek's Huge Victory): OK, back to rock - this is the other completely album-exclusive track, and honestly? I've come to like it quite a bit. It has that signature nice Mikito J-rock vibe, with some lovely Gumi tuning to go with it. There's not much I can say about it that I haven't said for other songs on this CD, though? Just more of the same good stuff, I suppose. XD However, I really like the end part, where Gumi starts singing some "lalala"'s - something I like about Mikito's rock songs is that some of them feel like they could be played at the end of movies or as ending themes to anime episodes, and this is definitely one such song with the way it plays out.
Sayoko: Ah, this is another famous one. Sayoko is a soft J-rock track about severe depression, and once again uses Miku Dark - I think this is a really brilliant use of her, though, it really fits the song's theme since Miku sounds so melancholic and tired here. The melody is again a bit more understated, but it also really fits. I'm running out of things to say about the music itself XD I really think this song has a great calming vibe to it, despite the sad lyrics…I think someone could find it a great comfort, especially if you relate (like me!).
kiss: Finally, the last track, and the single collaboration on this CD: featuring the great Vocarock producer keeno! Together, he and Mikito form Mikeeno! (I love it when producers do that.) Predictably given their respective work, this is a slow, calm rock ballad about love. Now, I'm not the hugest fan of rock ballads? But I really love this one: the lyrics are really sweet and wistful, the lead guitar is perfect and Miku Dark returns to the gentle sound usually associated with both these producers. If you really like songs like "glow" or the slower songs I've already talked about on this album, you'll definitely love "kiss".
And that, my pals, is the whole CD! Yeah, all in all, for a first album, I think this is an amazing start for Mikito-san and an absolute must-listen if you are an enjoyer of Vocarock. Sure, he isn't the hard-rocking 164 or Utsu, but the soft and atmospheric yet fun and lively tunes by Mikito are incredibly worth hearing. Thanks for reading my first album review, please let me know if you enjoyed it ;v;
now if only I could get this album physically orz
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Boycott mikito p, yoasobi, vaundy, syudou, and marasay. 164 has since apologized for buying from mcdonalds since they didnt know and has donated to palestine. Syudou has posted a picture of himself holding a starbucks drink. Yoasobi and Vaundy are collaborating with mcdonalds along with mikito p and marasay. I know this may be sudden and perhaps theres artists on here you do like, but it's for the greater good 🙏. If you could perhaps leave a comment about it... be polite if you can because misunderstandings happen (like 164 didnt know). And hopefully-! These people can change their minds. Hopefully they just didn't know.
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