For his sixth album, LOST CORNER, Kenshi Yonezu – one of the most talented artists of his generation – is ready to conquer the world. Review.
LOST CORNER – KENSHI YONEZU
By opening his new album, LOST CORNER, with two huge bangers, Kenshi Yonezu actually has a lot more up his sleeves. The Japanese artist is phenomenal, full of surprises and multifaceted. Every song possesses a strong universe, whether made of chaos and energy or in softness, melancholia, tenderness and romanticism. Like a scientist, he creates his solutions and we drink them happily. But let’s admit it, RED OUT is quite an introduction with its dystopian atmosphere, its textures, its bass strength, and Yonezu’s passionate vocals. It’s pretty catchy already, and that’s when KICK BACK explodes with panache and its infectious energy that made it an unmissable track in fall 22.
Here comes the album’s only collaboration, Margherita with AiNA THE END (マルゲリータ + アイナ・ジ・エンド). It’s also the album’s first electro-pop turn. Vaporous effects are taking over from saturated riffs. POP SONG follows up with the same idea, matching its own name. Used for a PlayStation campaign, the track is incredibly bubbly and bears the right amount of cheekiness in its attitude. Comes in Shinigami (死神), another absolute banger to me, thanks to returning guitars. Its progression is great, it’s a mysterious earworm with captivating bass lines and an explosive chorus. Incredible!
From there, LOST CORNER lets Kenshi Yonezu show his romantic side. Pop, again of course, and as memorable as ever, Every Day (毎日) is a blast and displays its colourful lightness beautifully. LADY follows with a similar mood, head in clouds and heart on his sleeve. It’s hard not to fall for its charm here! Then, he slides to the dreamlike Daydream (ゆめうつつ) and its R’n’B accents, smooth and soft, before shifting back to the brighter Sayonara (さよーならまたいつか!).
Stop Look Both Ways (とまれみよ) turns the atmosphere upside down. It’s darker. Here, a riff that deepens it all, there, a trembling emotional voice, and here, a superb flow on a spotless production. LENS FLARE has the same logic. It’s Moongazing (月を見ていた) that breaks that cycle and rhythm by bringing in an epic chorus, solemn, tender and yet passionate atmosphere. That epic feel is found on M87 (M八七) and the romantic Pale Blue, which both play a lot with the orchestra, whilst JUNK (がらくた) gets some nice riffs and bass lines to come back. Kenshi Yonezu shifts again, amazes and moves with them.
He’s on a quest for sounds by offering us YELLOW GHOST which might be amongst his most electro and experimental songs. This vivid track goes hand in hand with the sober POST HUMAN. There’s a new turn here, and it’s a tight one. Spinning Globe (地球儀), found in Miyazaki’s The Boy and The Heron, shimmers in like a mirage and goes straight for the heart thanks to its tenderness, nostalgia and purity.
But it is not with this purity that the album closes. Kenshi Yonezu’s solar energy can’t be sealed for too long and shows up again through the song LOST CORNER. Then, lastly, the record reaches its end with the out-of-this-world lullaby OHAYO (おはよう). Another surprisingly tender one. Stunning, Kenshi Yonezu has sculpted LOST CORNER in over four years, with its first singles reaching the top of the charts in 2021. Strong in different genres and styles, the core of this new record is passion and love. Both are burning bright in the heart of the Japanese star. The most notable trait I get from his twenty songs is his musical versatility. That’s his main asset and what makes him such a unique artist.
1 thought on “LOST CORNER – KENSHI YONEZU”