Rain / Water

Click here to pre-order the vinyl! (Bruit Direct Disques label site)

東京を拠点に活動する“俺はこんなもんじゃない”のリーダー 狩生健志の3年ぶりとなる2024年作！オルタナティブでレフトフィールドな感性で綴られるミニマムなポップソング集！今回も工藤冬里やMamitri Yulith Empress Yonagunisan等でも知られるフランスのレーベル“Bruit Direct Disques”からのリリースです！

音響を意識させるエクスペリメンタルなポップソングという印象に変化はありませんが、前作『Sekai』がエレクトロニックな要素をベースにしていたことに対して、今作は人力でも打ち込みでもない曖昧な人間/機械らしさを意識して制作された作品となります。“打ち込みの手法で捉え直した人間の演奏”というトロ・イ・モアにも通じるサウンド・ヴィジョンを用い、そこで生成された音響空間に抽象/幻想的な独自のポップスを浮かび上がらせることに成功。ロック、ポップス、ソウル、ボサノヴァ、フォーク、ジャズ、サイケデリック、ベットルームポップ等、様々な音楽的要素が入り組んでいながら、ジャンルを掛け合わせることで楽曲をダイナミックに拡張させるような手法はあえて避け、むしろ静的な音響感覚でミニマムにまとめ上げていくという特異で独創的なセンスが最大限に発揮されています。“ポップであること”への鋭い批評性に裏打ちされた音楽の姿を明確に提示した大傑作と呼べるでしょう。

それから、“ただの声”を歌声として機能させる独自の歌唱法はますます磨きがかかっています。“意味”と“音”の間を行き来しながら、異物感とも呼べるような圧倒的な存在感を放つ声が、ソフト・サイケデリックな音響体でもある楽曲を完成させるラストピースのような役割を果たしています。声を音響として扱いながらも、音響に縛られない歌としての魅力が引き出されていく。ここには意志を超えたところに存在する音楽の魔法のようなモノが宿っているのかもしれません。

また、現代に暗い影を落とす様々な事象に直接的な言及はないものの、音にも歌詞にも今の時代のムードはしっかりと刻まれています。音楽の持つ快楽的なロマンチシズムと、閉塞感に満ちた日常にさらされ続けるリアリズム。その狭間を無意識/意識的に描いているからか、本作における浮遊していくような淡いアンビエンス/音像には色を塗り重ねた絵のような重量感が含まれています。それは、心地良い夢を見ながら過酷な現実と向き合わなければならない、アンビバレントな葛藤を抱えながら生きていく人間（音楽家）の心の模様とよく似ているのではないでしょうか。この作品はオルタナティブでレフトフィールドな感性で綴られるミニマムなポップソング集です。そして同時に、多面的な錯綜を抱え込んだ現代社会に呼応した1つの音楽のあり方として、確かなリアリティを感じさせてくれる希有な作品でもあります。

清水久靖（Record Shop “Reconquista”）

rain/water is the fourth album by Tokyo’s Kariu Kenji. Following 2021’s Sekai, which was also released by Bruit Direct Disques, rain/water is a gorgeous haze of song, a modern driftwork that’s creatively rich, and full of fleeting sensation – it’s an album that captures its artist in process, moving through ideas and sounds with a deft hand. It’s also another step in a ‘career’, of sorts, that’s been continually compelling, from the experimental prog touches of Kariu’s group OWKMJ (Orewakonnamonjanai), to his first two solo albums, KK (2009) and KK2 (2011), both released on the Japanese label Manso-Sha, and soundtrack work for Sawada Thunder’s Hikari no Tabi.

These twelve lush pop songs point in multiple directions, outwards to bossa nova, modern R&B and soul, ambient bliss-outs, city pop confections, and electronica. But rain/water also has a sly experimentalism at its core, the kind of experimentation that doesn’t need to call attention to itself, but that exists ‘between the cracks’ of the songs – in small, curious gestures of arrangement, in a sudden twist in melody, or an unexpected detour in a song’s narrative. In this way, they share something of the stylistic free range in other great recent avant-pop moments – think, perhaps, of the music of Maher Shalal Hash Baz; Stereolab’s more late-night, hermetic moments, or High Llamas’ recent Hey Panda.

Like those artists, there’s both intimacy and openness at the core of rain/water. It has a bedroom-studio mood, in that it’s very clearly the conceptual work of one intensely focused mind, but the music isn’t closed off to wider possibilities. You can hear this spirited riskiness in the way Kariu garlands his songs with lovely details – see the sly harmonies and vibrant purr of keyboards in “Flower Name”, for example, elements that benefit from the support of an insistent two-note figure for guitar. “Water” has a sugar-spun fragility in its chord progressions, and guitar playing, that’s pure bossa – you can hear the spirit of Vinicius Cantuaria in the music here, or maybe Arto Lindsay’s run of nineties albums, where he enacted a rapprochement between his No Wave past and the Brazilian tapestry of his early life.

rain/water feels borne of a similar impulse, to bring together compellingly divergent aesthetics. The cherry on top, though, is Kariu’s unassuming way with melody, and the sweet cadences of his voice. The lightness of breath in Kariu’s delivery is perfect for the stylishness of these songs; it’s soft but characterful, and the melodies here crumble at the edges of Kariu’s lips. It’s a lovely album – light but never slight; breezy but with a curiousness and wisdom at its core that belies the gentle touch of these twelve delightful songs.

Jon Dale

Kariu Kenji - All Music and Lyrics / Instruments and Vocals / Recording and Mixing,Mastering, Art work

歌詞

A-1 夢で会いました / I saw you in a dream

夢で会いました　暗い夢でしたね 濡れた髪　かき上げ　夢を踊り明かす

夢で会いました　夢で会いましたよ　濡れた花　踏み分け 小舟に火を放つ

雨の雫が　頬を伝う 泣いていたのか

夢で会いました　暗い夢でした　舟は揺れてる 夢で会いました

I saw you in a dream. It was a dark dream, wasn't it?

You brush up wet hair, and dance away the dream.

I saw you in a dream. I think I saw you in a dream.

Stepped on a wet flower, set fire to a small boat.

A drop of rain runs down my cheek. Was I crying?

I saw you in a dream. It was a dark dream.

Boat is rocking. I saw you in a dream.

A-2　水 / Water

足元を流れる　深く濁った川 世界を追い抜いて　記憶を漂う

映画の主人公は　流れ着いた水辺 貧しい川べり　月はどこに出てる

足元を流れる　深く悲しい川 川底をさらって　金貨を数える

年寄りは静かに　水面を眺めて 口ずさむ歌はない　水はどこで出会う

深い川　沈む勇気　舟に隠した　古い写真を

昔から流れる　名も無きこの川 いつか一つになるのか　月はどこに出てる

A deep, muddy river flowing beneath my feet.

It overtakes the world and drifts through memory.

Main man of the film arrived at the water's edge.

Poor riverside. Where does the moon come out?

A deep, sad river flowing beneath my feet.

Scraping the riverbed for gold coins.

The old person quietly gazes out over the water.

There's no song to hum. Where water meets water?

Deep river, sinking courage. I hid an old photograph on the boat.

This nameless river flowing for ages. Will they become one someday?

Where does the moon appear?

A-3　舟 / Boat

窓ガラス　雨が叩くから　熱もないのに　ワルツを踊ってる

ビニールの傘が　空を飛ぶ　誰かのシャツも　大きく舞い上がる

午後五時発の方舟に　積み込んだ荷物　忘れられる歌

ダンスは停まる　世界と別れる

帽子は風を追いかけた　鼠は猫を　時計は針金を

賛美歌流れる客室で　老人たちは　ケーキを取り分ける

ギターを捜す　透明の手袋をつけて　刻むストローク

汽笛が鳴った　陸地を離れる

風が震えて　歌になり　傾いた船で　ディナーが始まる

音楽は続く　世界を忘れる　私は忘れた

Since the rain beats down on the window.

I’m waltzing around with no fever.

Vinyl umbrellas fly in the air.

Someone's shirt is going to fly up big.

The Ark leaves at 5:00 p.m. Loaded baggage, Forgotten song.

The dance stops, so we're leaving the world.

The hat followed the wind, the mouse chased the cat, the clock chased the wire.

Hymns are flowing in the guest room. The old folks are sharing a cake.

I look for my guitar. With clear gloves on, playing fast and loose.

The whistle blew. We're leaving land.

The wind trembled and became a song. Dinner starts on a tilting ship.

The music goes on. I forget about the world. I forgot the world.

A-4　それから光が / And Then There was Light...

通りで男が　何か口走る　無意味な車が　音もなく過ぎる

ビルの上から　神様が見てる　銃を手に　雨を浴びて

砕けたガラスに祈りを捧げる　色褪せた街に　朝がやってくる

子らは手を引かれ　湖を目指す　若者は酒場のドアを破る

それから男は歌をうたいだす　ビルの窓から天使が眺める

血の付いたシャツを鳩は狙ってる　墓場で音楽が土を揺らす

絡みつく蔦に　オイルを振り撒く　怒りの季節に　そっと火をつける

ため息の後で　銃声を聞いた　ベルが鳴る　さっき生まれた

通りで男が　何か口走る　不気味な車は　音もなくすぎる

ビルの上から　神様が見てる　銃を手に　雨を浴びて

それからまた光の中へ　全ての皆様ずっとお元気で　いつかまた光の中で

A man on the street says something. A meaningless car passes without a sound.

God is watching from the top of the building. Gun in his hand, rain in the air.

Praying for shattered glass. Morning comes to this faded city.

The children are led by the hand to the lake. Young men violently breaks down the bar door.

Then the man starts singing. Angels look out of the building's windows.

Pigeons are after the bloody shirt. Music shakes the earth in the graveyard.

Sprinkling oil on the tangled ivy. Gently set fire to the season of anger.

After a sigh, I heard a gunshot. The bell rings, just has been born.

A man on the street says something. The creepy car go too silent.

God is watching from the top of the building. Gun in his hand, rain in the air.

Then back into the blinding light. All the best forever to all of you.

Someday again in the blinding light.

A-5　お菓子の夢 / Sweets Dream

暗い石畳　さまよう心　パンが切れたから　ケーキを食べよう

マッチに火を灯す　お菓子の夢

街は燃えている　お菓子の夢　おかしな夢

響く石畳　さまよう子ども　水はきらめいて　ワインを飲んでる

マッチは湿ってる　お菓子の夢

街は燃えている　お菓子の夢　おかしな夢　おかしな歌　お菓子の夢

Dark stone pavement, wandering heart. We're out of bread. Let's have cake.

I quietly lit a match. A dream of sweets.

The city is burning, a dream of sweets, a funny dream.

Echoing cobblestones Wandering children. The water is sparkling and I'm drinking wine.

The match is damp. A dream of sweets.

The city is burning.

A dream of sweets, a funny dream, a funny song, a dream of sweets.

A-6　とおりすぎる / Going Through

プールサイド雨が　汚れた夢流す　何か見たことある空

虹色の点滅　体を貫いて　何度も繰り返す

今　新しい羽をまとい　プログラムどおり街を　通り抜ける

遠ざかるクラクションは　おどけたシナプス揺らす　通り過ぎる

商店街、雨が　並んだ野菜洗う　薄目あけ痺れる午後

ホログラムの旅人　電子レンジが欲しい　テントは吹き飛んだ

今　新しい風が吹いて　ローディング中の街を　通り抜ける

怖気づく機械の列　預言者は鳥を放つ

通り過ぎる　通り過ぎる　通り過ぎる　通り過ぎる　通り過ぎる

Poolside. The rain washes away the dirty dreams. I have seen this sky before.

Rainbow-colored flashes through my body. It repeats itself over and over.

Now with new feathers. Passing through town as programmed.

Distant horns shake frightening synapses.

Going through.

Rain at the shopping street. Washing vegetables lined up. Dawning Numb Afternoon.

Holographic Traveler. I need a microwave oven. The tent was blown down.

Now a new wind is blowing. The city on loading. Going through

Rows of scared machines. The prophet released the bird.

Going through. Going through. Going through. Going through. Going through.

B-1　花の名前 / Flower Name

花の名前　聞いたけど忘れた　悪い薬みたいな名前

吸い込んだら倒れそうな　冷たい響きの君の名前

花の名前　呼んでまた忘れる　どこかの海みたいな名前

口ずさんで　踏むステップ　日が沈んだ後　砂に書いた　その名を　波がさらう

懐かしい歌も　長い手紙も　届かない朝に　深く沈む

君の名前　呼んでまた忘れる　帰り道　雨に濡れて　名前　呼びかければ

みんなが振り向いてしまう　不思議な力が宿った　君の名前

Flower name. I heard it, but I forgot. Name like bad medicine.

A cold sound that makes me fall down if inhaled. Your name.

Flower Name. Called out and forgot again. Name like some ocean.

I hummed its name and took the dance steps.

After the sun sets, the name in the sand will be washed away by the waves.

Sinking deep into the morning when neither nostalgic songs nor long letters reach me.

Your name. Call it and forget it again. On the way back, drenched in rain.

If I call the name. Everyone turns around. Magical power dwells in it. Your name.

B-2　コンビニへ / Convenience Store

雨が降っている　街に降っている　胸に穴が開く　風はどこへ吹く

夜のコンビニへ　負けがこんできた　意気地をなくした　失った

誰もいない　ためらいがちに明るい 夜のコンビニで　何もしない

笑ってる　今何時？

雨には慣れてる　だけど休ませて　空に穴が開く　修理をよろしく

今日もコンビニへ　水を買いに来た　上着を失くした　失った

誰もいない　別に構わない　夜のコンビニに　期待しない　座ってる　今何時？

誰もいない　広い駐車場　誰もいない　笑ってる　今何時？

Raining. It rains on the city. A hole in my chest. Where the wind blows.

At night, I went to a convenience store, starting to feel defeated. I lost my nerve. I lost it.

There's no one there. It's hesitantly bright. In a convenience store at night.

Nothing to do. I'm laughing. What time is it?

Rain is OK. But I need a break. There's a hole in the sky. Please fix it.

Went to the convenience store again to get some water. I lost my jacket. I lost it.

There's no one there. It doesn't matter.

I expect nothing less from a convenience store at night. I’m sitting. What time is it now?

No one there. Large parking lot. No one there. I’m laughing. What time is it?

B-3　砂 / Sand

どこへ行った　ブランコ揺らす　覗き込んだ鉄格子　風のない午後

どこへ消えた　スコップかつぐ　年老いた兵隊に　ぶつけるボール

どこから来て　どこへ向かう　消防車　埋まってる　どこへ行った

二つ並んだ　ラクダのこぶ　軋むバネ　揺らす身体　どこへ向かう

山は崩れる　踏みつける足　大きなカエルは砂を吐く　割れたバケツ

どこから来て　どこへ向かう　ブラウスが揺れている　どこへ行った

Where did it go? The swings are moving. I looked through the bars. A Windless Afternoon.

Where did it go? Carrying a shovel. An old soldier get hit by a ball.

Where did it come from, where is it going? A fire truck is buried. Where did it go?

Two camel's humps in a row. Creaking springs, Shaking bodies. Where are they going?

Mountains crumbling, stomping feet. A big frog spit out sand. A broken bucket.

Where did it come from, where is it going? Blouse is swaying. Where did it go?

B-4　泡 / Bubbles

舟を浮かべる　夜に浮かべる　遠い街の灯を目指す　旅人の舟

夜は流れる　舟を浮かべて　暗い海底漂う　王様の夢

沈みゆく世界　今は気づかぬふりで　あぶくを数える

並べた舟を　波がさらって　一人遊び　夜空に　声が響いていた

明かりが揺れる　窓に揺れてる　旅は終わり　また今日も　汽笛がなった

沈みゆく今夜　今は気づかぬふりで　あぶくを数える　百まで数える　あぶくを数えた

Float a boat into the night. A traveler's boat heading for the lights of a distant city.

The night flows on, the boat floats on. A king's dream drifting on the dark sea bed.

The world is sinking, now pretend I don't notice. Counting bubbles.

The waves swept away the lined boats. Playing alone, voices echoed in the night sky. The lights are flickering on the window. The journey is over. The whistle blew again today.

The night is sinking, pretending not to notice for now.

Counting bubbles, count to one hundred. Counting bubbles.

B-5　蜘蛛 / Spider

昔見た映画　蜘蛛が戸棚に隠れて　浮かぶシルエット　空が怪しく光った

笛を吹いて　追い払って　不吉な塊をどこかへ　魔法は解けて主人公を惑わせる月

昔の人たち　夜更けに輪になって踊る　揺れる松明が　若い傷口を照らす

血を流して倒れていた　ぶどう酒の杯はどこへ　魔法が解けた村に郵便が届く朝

昔の手紙が　今頃になって届く　祝いの言葉は　読めない字で書いてある

昔見た映画　蜘蛛は戸棚に隠れる　不吉な白い蜘蛛　村で干し草が燃える　けむりが人々を隠す

I saw a movie before. A spider hides in a cupboard.

A silhouette appeared. The sky flashed suspiciously.

Blowing the flute, shooing away, the ominous lump away it goes.

The magic was broken. And the moon, bewitching the protagonist.

Ancient people. Dancing in a circle late at night. Flickering torches illuminate young wounds.

He was lying there bleeding. Where is the cup of wine?

The morning the spell has been lifted and the mail arrived in the village.

An old letter arrives now. The celebratory words are written in illegible script.

I saw a movie before. Spiders hide in cupboards. Ominous white spider.

Burning hay in the village. A haze of smoke covered the villagers.

B-6　傘 / Umbrella

雨がやんだら　この傘をプレゼント　濡れたビニールどうしが張り付いた

にじむ赤信号　ああ　雨がやんだら　この空をプレゼント

雨がやんだら　この傘をプレゼント　濡れた道路に　こだまする誰かの声

バスで夢を見てる　ああ　雨に退屈してる

折れた蝙蝠　舞い上がるポリ袋　路地裏　バス停　魂は還らないが　腕時計の針は夏を覚えてる

雨がやんだら　この空をプレゼント　傘の雫は　憶えてた暗い路を

バスに揺られている（バスに揺られていた）　窓に　空が映り込んでる

When the rain stops, I'll give you this umbrella. Wet vinyl will stick to each other.

The red light is blurred, yeah. When the rain stops, I'll give you this sky.

When the rain stops, I'll give you this umbrella. Someone's voice is heard on the wet street.

Dreaming on the bus, yeah. I'm bored with the rain.

A broken bat Umbrella. A soaring plastic bag. Back alley, bus stop, souls never return.

But the hands on my watch remember last summer.

When the rain stops, I'll give you this sky. A drop of an umbrella remembers a dark street.

I'm rocked by the bus. (I was rocked by the bus. )

The sky is reflected in the window.