Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Nogizaka46 recently released the music video for “Sankaku No Akichi“, and while they only officially provide the short version, thankfully there are kind souls that let us experience the full thing.
Given the rather emotional nature of the concept for this song, it was a surprisingly upbeat effort. That allows the rather melancholy, reserved tone of the verses to not bog down, and it even builds well to an apex. The rapid-fire delivery of the chorus was something truly made to hook the listener with its addictive refrain. The addition of the guitar riffs during the chorus, and especially as a post-chorus palette cleanser of sorts, was definitely a bonus and added an edge to it all.
Vocally, things definitely work better when the girls operate as a unit rather than individually. Thankfully, any shortcomings are generally masked well and don’t end up mattering compared to the song’s strengths. Speaking of, an especially pleasant moment comes when the backing almost drops out entirely and the refrain is sung gently, providing a nice contrast for the finish to follow.
While many have encouraged me to get back into J-pop despite being a lazy shit that doesn’t want to make the extra effort to search for full versions of releases, “Sankaku No Akichi” thankfully made it worth the effort for me. There’s definitely a nice change of pace aspect at play here, where groups aren’t as eager to jump on the next rising trendy sound.
