Best new-ish band from Japan. From the remains of the Li-sa-X Band, after the singer left. Li-sa-X and Hazuki- guitars, Kotono- Lead vocals, Kanade- Drums and finally this week Wakazaemon- Bass, who had previously been guesting on recordings while still playing for another Japanese band East Of Eden. For more metal try A New Picture Official Music Video. Got the latest 3rd CD/EP this week and have the previous two, all of which are quality music. Kotono from Iron Bunny. As usual, I agree with everything you said.
What a crapload of talent! Getting Kanade to join was a major coup for them. Wakazaemon has left East of Eden, so there is the possibility that she might join KOIAI as an official member. And your initial pronunciations were correct. :)
I love how the Japanese ladies are so fluid in whom they work with. It seems like such a sorority, with no interband jealousies. I think Show-ya and their example for decades of lifting up the newer generations in a collaborative environment has really helped the creative universe of Japanese female rock and metal. Nao has alot to do with that as well, leading by example. All these ladies interweave throughout time with each other creating astounding music.
While I lament the passing of what Nemo was for 5 years, I still respect Saki for who she is, what she did for the other four ladies, and have no doubt in my mind that she will share the stage many more times in the next few decades with Hazuki, Mayu, H-san and Tamu in new and different incarnations.
I've always pronounced it Koi (like the carp) - Ai (aye like Japanese for love), their name is somewhat ambiguous and can have multiple meaning, including the names of their first two EPs, Deep Love & Deep Indigo. Happy you finally got around to this, been badgering you for long enough. ;) Although I hear the Toto comparison in terms of the intricate drums, the arrangement chops and harmonic content, not hearing 'Africa' itself quite so much other than the laid back elements. One comparison I hear more and would suggest you check out because of the drum groove, would be 'Take Cover' by Mr. Big (one of Li-sa's mentors/teachers is Paul Gilbert). Infact Li-sa, Kanade and Wakazaemon will be playing in Tokyo as the backing band for singer Eric Martin on 18th December at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, doing a set of songs from Mr.Big's back catalogue. Not all of their songs sound like this, they can play almost any style so there's a definite arc to their releases as they're trying to figure out their preferred sound. The first EP for the most part is quite poppy & more electronic sounding with added melodic twiddling. The second EP varies quite wildly in tone, getting pretty heavy in places, 'A New Picture' is a fan favourite with a great live MV. The latest 3rd EP is their first with a proper rhythm section on all the recordings, with Wakazaemon handling the low end throughout and it makes a nice difference to the quality/polish of the overall sound and underlying grooves. Although she'd played support drums from their very first gig, Kanade Sato only officially became a member on the band's 1st anniversary which was a couple of months after the 2nd EP was released last October. Wakazaemon actually left East of Eden a couple of weeks ago, so there's been rumours/hopes that she might became a permanent addition. I'm skeptical only because of the sheer number of other active support gigs she's involved in. To date there's only the 3 EPs (each with 5 songs) and a handful of covers (an arrangement of the Dirty Loops version of Hikaru Utada's 'Automatic' done by the full band with LI-sa's brother Kazuma on bass, Polyphia's 'ABC' done by the core trio before the band was formed and a duet type cover of 'Better' by K-Pop group Twice by Kotono & Li-sa-X). So excluding the extra stuff on the sold out first domestic concert Blu-ray, you can listen to everything they've properly recorded in just eighteen tracks.
“they’re trying to figure out their preferred sound” From the translation of a recent interview with Young Guitar… Li-sa-X: “Up until now, I was trying to figure out what kind of sound would fit Koiai, and had a feeling I could finally release it in the next album.” Next album is referring to the 3rd EP. I did make a post about the interview, but some of the translations came out iffy/questionable, and so I didn’t keep it. I had put the image of the issue into Japanese text, and the text into English translation. Not perfect, but I get the gist of things though.
Hazuki is still playing in Nemophila, she has not left. Koiais’ style incorporates fusion. The EP which I have purchased contains some very interesting tracks. Kotono was a singer in Iron Bunny. The Toto reference is a predictable in the sense that any band the uses particular drum patterns is inevitably compared to them.
If you had watched a different video, like say "A New Picture" perhaps, it would have been more like what you were expecting (but also not). That said this way you get to see a better representation of what this band is like, rather than your expectation (and you can still go back and watch "A New Picture"). Their cover of Polyphia's ABC was impressive, but not just for the guitar work, Kotono matched the vocals of Sophia Black which was no small feat.
Great band, good songs but the production needs some work, IMO. Kotono's vocals often get buried in the mix to the point that lyrics are hard to hear. Your pronunciations aren't far off apart from some slightly weird emphasis on some syllables.
![[UNCUT] เก็บ "สจ.โต้ง" เอี่ยวมาเฟีย รู้ตัวคนบงการ ก่อนสั่งลั่นไก I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 13 ธ.ค.67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/o-J_p62D40w/mqdefault.jpg)
![ค้าง (STILL) - GEMINI [ OFFICIAL MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ftxx3hk5vkU/mqdefault.jpg)
Their song, “A New Picture,” has a change that will definitely catch you by surprise. It’s live and your bass player participates.
Best new-ish band from Japan. From the remains of the Li-sa-X Band, after the singer left. Li-sa-X and Hazuki- guitars, Kotono- Lead vocals, Kanade- Drums and finally this week Wakazaemon- Bass, who had previously been guesting on recordings while still playing for another Japanese band East Of Eden. For more metal try A New Picture Official Music Video. Got the latest 3rd CD/EP this week and have the previous two, all of which are quality music. Kotono from Iron Bunny. As usual, I agree with everything you said.
What a crapload of talent! Getting Kanade to join was a major coup for them. Wakazaemon has left East of Eden, so there is the possibility that she might join KOIAI as an official member. And your initial pronunciations were correct. :)
I love how the Japanese ladies are so fluid in whom they work with. It seems like such a sorority, with no interband jealousies. I think Show-ya and their example for decades of lifting up the newer generations in a collaborative environment has really helped the creative universe of Japanese female rock and metal. Nao has alot to do with that as well, leading by example. All these ladies interweave throughout time with each other creating astounding music.
While I lament the passing of what Nemo was for 5 years, I still respect Saki for who she is, what she did for the other four ladies, and have no doubt in my mind that she will share the stage many more times in the next few decades with Hazuki, Mayu, H-san and Tamu in new and different incarnations.
I've always pronounced it Koi (like the carp) - Ai (aye like Japanese for love), their name is somewhat ambiguous and can have multiple meaning, including the names of their first two EPs, Deep Love & Deep Indigo. Happy you finally got around to this, been badgering you for long enough. ;)
Although I hear the Toto comparison in terms of the intricate drums, the arrangement chops and harmonic content, not hearing 'Africa' itself quite so much other than the laid back elements. One comparison I hear more and would suggest you check out because of the drum groove, would be 'Take Cover' by Mr. Big (one of Li-sa's mentors/teachers is Paul Gilbert). Infact Li-sa, Kanade and Wakazaemon will be playing in Tokyo as the backing band for singer Eric Martin on 18th December at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, doing a set of songs from Mr.Big's back catalogue.
Not all of their songs sound like this, they can play almost any style so there's a definite arc to their releases as they're trying to figure out their preferred sound. The first EP for the most part is quite poppy & more electronic sounding with added melodic twiddling. The second EP varies quite wildly in tone, getting pretty heavy in places, 'A New Picture' is a fan favourite with a great live MV.
The latest 3rd EP is their first with a proper rhythm section on all the recordings, with Wakazaemon handling the low end throughout and it makes a nice difference to the quality/polish of the overall sound and underlying grooves. Although she'd played support drums from their very first gig, Kanade Sato only officially became a member on the band's 1st anniversary which was a couple of months after the 2nd EP was released last October. Wakazaemon actually left East of Eden a couple of weeks ago, so there's been rumours/hopes that she might became a permanent addition. I'm skeptical only because of the sheer number of other active support gigs she's involved in.
To date there's only the 3 EPs (each with 5 songs) and a handful of covers (an arrangement of the Dirty Loops version of Hikaru Utada's 'Automatic' done by the full band with LI-sa's brother Kazuma on bass, Polyphia's 'ABC' done by the core trio before the band was formed and a duet type cover of 'Better' by K-Pop group Twice by Kotono & Li-sa-X). So excluding the extra stuff on the sold out first domestic concert Blu-ray, you can listen to everything they've properly recorded in just eighteen tracks.
“they’re trying to figure out their preferred sound”
From the translation of a recent interview with Young Guitar…
Li-sa-X: “Up until now, I was trying to figure out what kind of sound would fit Koiai, and had a feeling I could finally release it in the next album.”
Next album is referring to the 3rd EP. I did make a post about the interview, but some of the translations came out iffy/questionable, and so I didn’t keep it. I had put the image of the issue into Japanese text, and the text into English translation. Not perfect, but I get the gist of things though.
Hazuki is still playing in Nemophila, she has not left. Koiais’ style incorporates fusion. The EP which I have purchased contains some very interesting tracks. Kotono was a singer in Iron Bunny. The Toto reference is a predictable in the sense that any band the uses particular drum patterns is inevitably compared to them.
If you had watched a different video, like say "A New Picture" perhaps, it would have been more like what you were expecting (but also not). That said this way you get to see a better representation of what this band is like, rather than your expectation (and you can still go back and watch "A New Picture"). Their cover of Polyphia's ABC was impressive, but not just for the guitar work, Kotono matched the vocals of Sophia Black which was no small feat.
Yea a little more sophisticated maturity with this project but they do have heavier elements
Great band, good songs but the production needs some work, IMO. Kotono's vocals often get buried in the mix to the point that lyrics are hard to hear.
Your pronunciations aren't far off apart from some slightly weird emphasis on some syllables.