gnkosaiBAND "Suikirenai" CD

The style of poetry reading and female vocals on reggae, blues, and psychedelic performance is one of a kind. gnkosaiBAND, who could become the most important band of the 2020s, has finally released their latest album "Suikirenai" nationwide.

Formed in 2013 by gnkosa (iDr/Poet), gnkosaiBAND has been active mainly in Shonan and Yokohama, while also performing at domestic festivals such as FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL and Celebration Spring First. The album "Suikirenai", released on an independent label in April 2020, will be re-released as a distribution work. The international sound and ensemble, which is based on reggae, blues, and psyche and mixes breakbeats and dub, is similar to Khruangbin. Gnkosai's style of poetry reading may also have roots in dub poetry represented by Linton Kwesi Johnson and Mutabaruka. However, for them, reading is merely one element of the band sound, and the separation of the three powers of "sound, words, and beat" leads to a completely original expression.
This is the first recording since Okazaki Emi (synth bass/Cho), who also works in the solo project moqmoq, joined in 2018. "Haruichiban" is a Latin rock song in which gnkosai's leading and Okazaki's singing seamlessly interact, and in the second half, different lyrics are uttered in parallel. "POSSE" is a dub mix that draws you into a vortex of chaos with other songs cutting in while using Chinese-style sounds as the base. "yajin" starts with gnkosai's leading part and then goes into a bossa nova groove, with Okazaki scatting throughout, and there are 10 songs in total that take various approaches not only in the sound but also in the contrast of vocalization. In particular, the opening song "Journey" is a song in which gnkosai reads out the names of the events and venues they have appeared in as "One Two," and also includes the names of the members who have worked with them so far. The lyrics, with their simple blues structure, reach out beyond poetry. It's like a memory stick that traces their achievements and journey. However, now that the situation where they can't perform live shows as before continues for a long time, the "one-two" also resonates as a response and confirmation to cheer on each and every venue. It's their own real level music, hoping to somehow overcome the difficulties and return to perform live. "Sukkirenai" is released to the whole country. gnkosaiBAND is now calling out to you to "Check One-Two".

Daiki Mine (ANTENNA - a web magazine that unravels independent "people, things, and events" from around the world through a cultural perspective)

■Track list