Magnetic Fields and Oddball Beginnings – The Melancholy of Sokura (Review)

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Let’s say you’re a big fan of those J-pop anime intro/outros and you have this desire to launch a singing career based off of that niche. And I don’t mean use anime as a career springboard either; all you want to do is sing songs appropriate for anime intros/outros.

Enter Tekumaku Junction, a duo which seeks to do just that. Their debut album, The Melancholy of Sokura is for an anime titled Senatorekku no Tate. But before you actually head to any of the various anime databases out there to look it up and see what it’s about, don’t. The anime doesn’t exist. It’s all made up. A fiction, in more ways than one. How’s that for a background story?

With such a story in tow, there’s no way I could let this pass. Tekumaku Junction, who auditioned as the Showa Kayo Duo managed to survive a rigorous process and so, debut with this single. It’s promising to say the least, and if you’re curious to see what they have to offer, read on after the jump!

If Senatorekku no Tate were to be an anime, what kind of anime would be? “The Melancholy of Sokura’s” tone puts it squarely in the mecha/sci-fi category. Its sound is brash and bold; the male vocalist of the duo delivers a commanding presence, one that nails the atmosphere of heroism by allowing us to feel the singer’s desire to defend justice and punish evildoers. This hot-blooded approach is exciting with its passion and energy as it weaves that epic tale to engage the listener from start to finish. Though it’s not often that I delve into the mecha/sci-fi genre, I’ve been impressed with many of the songs that accompany those shows and “The Melancholy of Sokura” makes for a nice addition alongside them.

Before I move on to the B-side, “The Melancholy of Sokura” does feature a section of dialogue during the bridge. The sequences adds in electronic sound effects on top of the rock instrumentals as though the two characters were in their spaceship and are about to enter combat. It’s a minor aspect of the song, but entertaining to listen to nonetheless.

The B-side, “Shelter Eternal Theme – Hull and Mary” wouldn’t be out of place as an outro song. Its music is really soothing and there’s an air of love and nostalgia all about it, which works if its goal is to transition out of the combat-oriented atmosphere of the previous track. I particularly love the way the two vocalists weave in and of each other to create that wistful, balladic air, full of hope and optimism with only a slight tinge of regret. Furthermore, the female half of the duo, while not as prominent in the previous track, shows that she’s capable of conveying the softer emotions required in this song which, I’d have to guess, is more of her specialty. Needless to say, the male half shifts to calmer music quite well and overall, the two singers complement each other seamlessly.

Oddities might abound in terms of this single’s backstory; nevertheless, the album managed to impress with quality of the music and the clarity of Tekumaku Junction’s duo, with their strong, impressive opener followed by a softer, more soothing B-side which are both engaging through and through. This delving/exploration might have been done on a whim, but it turned out to be a rewarding one as this is a solid single, one that I hope will see light as an actual anime series someday.

[Much thanks goes out to polymetrica ^[2], who provided crucial background details!]