Nichika – Nichika

 

Track Listing

1. Atarashii Mizu
2. Cream Soda
3. Lucy in the Sky with Parasol
4. Genius Party
5. Parallel
6. Edelweiss
7. Painful
8. Rye Mugibatake de Choushoku wo / Sugar Cube
9. Garage (album mix)
10. Aozora, Naita (album mix)
11. Akichi
12. Snow Hug

1. Atarashii Mizu

We start off with their last single of the era.  Beautiful piano starts off and Issui the female lead sounds husky but not in the zone of Tsukiko or Namie.  The song has a fantasy like sound to it and is great.  The chorus is the highest and loudest part.  It’s a definitly strong song by itself and so beautiful.

2. Cream Soda

Odd title huh.  It starts more mysteriously and then it becomes more of a fantasy tune, even more wondrous than the previous song.  Issui does sound kinda cute and says some wacky stuff.  I heard ~Cream~ and then ~Spaceship~?  Definitly not forward on the lyrics but damn is this song so unusual.

3. Lucy in the Sky with Parasol

Then again, shouldn’t the living Beatles be happy about this title?  It also brings a more rocking beat to it.  Issui sounds pretty cool and once again hits a husky tone.  She says the title perfectly so now we know she’s capable of English.  So far this song is proving this duo is perfect.

4. Genius Party

The 2nd single makes an appearance and OMG.  This song was more fitted for the rock sound.  You can hear both members playing along and damn, they sound great together.  Issui when she takes the chorus shows her powerful vocals and it really surprised me so much.  The music shows a more aggressive side to Nichika and is right now the best track.

5. Parallel

The opening to the song was odd then it Issui comes in a quiet sound.  Somehow it becomes very boring for me.  The chorus was just not right for them and they seemed too bored for the chorus.  The verses was better than the chorus, let’s put it that way.  So, I’m going to say this was a filler track.

6. Edelweiss

The best song is actually their debut song.  It starts with a marching sound then it blows up to a great rock ballad.  Issui sounds like she’s longing for someone and leaving her in a very good state of vocals.  Her vocals are just to die for here.  It’s a very sweet song too, having great piano notes too.  Edelweiss was also the only one to chart on Oricon too.

7. Painful

Painful is a great ballad and Issui sounds even more vacant and very well at it too.  A lot better than “Parallel”, this has a small beat to it also which kind of put this song in a dark mood.  Then the static clears up and drums enter the song.  The song is also gets cosmic with synths sounds in the background and OMG, i think flute enters in too.  So, also u hear the drums get more frequent and more frantic then stops.  I was like damn…Awesome ballad.

8. Rye Mugibatake de Choushoku wo / Sugar Cube

We enter back in the pop/rock mood with this oddly titled song.  Issui sounds just as good.  Then, I find out that it’s like the earlier songs, but I wasn’t turned off.  The drums is what got me in this song.  They picked a great drummer for the entire album.  So the song is referred to either title since, she says them both during the song.  I’ll take the Sugar Cube title Xd

9. Garage (album mix)

Now the next two tracks I have not heard the original, so bear with me.  Garage actually sounds like something you would do with a Garage Band.  It’s also a rock song so it’s a nice change.  Issui actually turned me off here because her voice went so many odd directions.  Youichirou’s guitar solo was great though.  Not the best song though.

10. Aozora, Naita (album mix)

Your starting the song in a minor chord, ouch.  Though this song fared a bit more better than “Garage”.  It sounds like the previous but this had a kind of American touch to it.  Hearing strings in it also made the song work IMO.  The only gripe was the little change of that minor guitar sound.  It was repeated so many times.  So annoying.

11. Akichi

I never knew they would go for an interlude, but Issui actually sings in it.  Barely at a minute this interlude is actually kinda cute, but somber at the same time.  There’s clicking to keep the song in time and Issui is filtered but she sings.  Nifty little intermission.

12. Snow Hug

Wrapping up the album is the feelgood pop/rock track.  Retaining the fantasizing from the beginning of the album, Snow Hug has Issui singing loud and powerful and I was impressed with her.  Especially when she held the note on ~Snow Hug~  That was wow.  What an awesome ending.

Tracks Recommended

• Edelweiss
• Painful
• Snow Hug
• Genius Party
• Lucy in the Sky with Parasol

Song of Avoidance

• Parallel

OMFG, this is definitly up for album of the year for me.  Nichika’s debut album was so strong and full of great songs.  There was only one track I was disappointed in which is rare to me.  I was happy with this album.  Seriously, Issui and Youichirou are a great duo and I cant wait for their next single!