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Old 2015.06.20, 04:37 AM   #7
kalmia
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I've been in Japan for almost two weeks and I've been asked what kind of music I've liked several times already. Most of the time, people don't know who I'm talking about. But just the other day when I said "Shiina Ringo", this guy made a face like they knew who I was talking about. "What about Tokyo Jihen" they asked. I said I liked them too. That's when he proceeded to first bump me -- "I like them too". The Jihen this guy was probably thinking of was late Phase 2 Jihen. Sports and Discovery Jihen. In fact, in my local CD store, those were the only Jihen albums available. Someone finally knew the name Shiina Ringo but immediately associated it with Tokyo Jihen. Did he even know of Shousou Strip era material? In terms of popularity with the Japanese youth, the mainstream Tokyo Jihen was where it was at for Ringo.

But should Jihen make a return? In years past, Ringo's music was becoming less and less unconventional and more and more mainstream. This upset many fans but she gained many new casual fans in the process. This was the progression from the pre-Jihen EM band all the way up to the Jihen break-up. And how does the music compare? Her current output is more experimental than the last Jihen albums but still pale to her previous solo endeavors in terms of ambitiousness. But the real question is whether or not us fans would gladly embrace a Jihen reunion over more music like Sunny. In fact, that's all this is. Which is better? Sunny or Discovery? Either way, Ringo will evolve her music, I'm sure. Either Jihen Phase 3 or... well, the alternative. The unknown. More collaborations...?

IMHO, post-Sunny singles have been the worst music connected to the Shiina Ringo name. Very Jihen like but just plain in every way. At least all of the members of Jihen brought something interesting to the instrumentation. That said, Jihen has been gone for three years and I don't miss them that much...
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