Charisma.com
 

Overheard them when DG mentioned them in the Currently Listening thread I believe, so I decided to check them out and also saw they just came out with their first LP DIStopping. Literally listened to it three times today. Incredibly infectious and not a single bad song on the record. I'm suspecting this will make it in my top albums of 2014, but it's still early so we'll see.

The best part about this female electronic hip hop duo is watching their videos. Just imagine two tiny Japanese girls in frumpy clothing with confidence and attitude spouting rap at you behind electro beats. It's too hilarious and awesome. I'm a fan from here on.

A few highlights from the album for me:
Mr.Beer - This might be my jam for the Summer. Has 90's hip hop vibes and it's really chill with a good mood.
イイナヅケブルー - I think this is the single from the record. I'll post the video below. So catchy and with plenty of the attitude I mentioned above.
スーパーガール - Based on their videos I watched I didn't expect this sound - It has a more laid back vibe with more sung vocals and a dance-y chorus. Love it.
No Datte -Not much to say here, but I really enjoyed it.
ジェンガジェンガ - Has more of the in-your-face, aggressive sound from the single, but introduces a Middle Eastern/Arabic beat during the verses. Really cool.

The rest of the album follows similar patterns; alternating between the more aggressive songs, and the more laid back. It works well and I'm looking forward to hearing more from this duo in the future. Right now they've set on a good path.

イイナヅケブルー

Coulda sworn there was a thread for them earlier, but perhaps not. Anyway it was TurtleFu who brought them to attention when HATE was released, and I'm really grateful for (Though I'm not sure Turtle likes them anymore, hasn't said anything about DIStopping at all). I consider their first mini a full album, it's got 8 tracks and clocks in at well over 30 mins...

I also find the first mini to sound so primitive in comparison with the new one- theyve reall stepped up everything about themselves- and also have made a massive leap in fanbase numbers too.

Dont get me wrong, the first is great, indie hip hop (I bought it on both CD and vinyl), but this new one really puts them in the real big leagues.

Credit where credit is due! The original person is not me but BlueApple!

I haven't commented on DIStopping because I haven't heard it yet! I will probably go to Tower Records tomorrow to pick it up with the new KEYTALK album as well. I think I'm goign to see both of them at the end of July in Shibuya. It depends on whehter or not I go to Fuji Rock Fes.

I'll be so jealous if you get to see them, Turtle. I would be jealous in general if you get to go to Fuji Rock Fes. Don't miss that chance!

Seriously though, guys - this album is awesome! If you're a fan of electronic and/or hip hop then you owe it to yourself to check this out.

Haha, Fuji Rock Festival is July 25-27. Charisma.com is playing Shibuya July 27, Keytalk is the next day. Both are at Shibuya Liquidroom.

I'm thinking Fuji Rock Fes is not going to happen, besides I really want to see Charisma.com and for some reason the July show is the onlly one they are doing in Tokyo while I'm here.

I struggled to like that first single of their but they progressively got more interesting. I still can't say I'm a fan, but I definitely do think they are pretty relevant a group. There isn't anything else out their solid besides Lyrical School with FeMCees in Japan. I really like Love and Hates and YUPPA's HNC stuff but they've been inactive since their first album as far as I know.

People just don't talk about this band enough.

Anyway. That new 7" vinyl is secured and on its way. If the vinyl edition of Aye Aye Syndrome is to go by, this will be its own master. Then again, this single is being pressed by HMV's "Single Club" so I suppose I shouldn't get my expectations too high.

Either way, a cool collectors item. Until they press DIStopping on Record Store Day 2015 :-p

I listen to them regularly and they've become one of my favorite groups as of late. There isn't much to say at the moment though. I did read an interesting interview with them where they talked about their lyrics, Japanese society and a bit about their lives.

Apparently they work office jobs and do their music on the side, which is respectable. Itsuka, the MC, has very in-your-face type of lyrics and she likes to tell it like it is. A lot of her lyrics about her co-workers, and sometimes she'll get asked about it.

Their name came from one of Gonchi's (the DJ) friends saying she was charismatic, so they chose the name Charisma and added ".com" because they thought it meant a signifier for a company, like LTD, but now they're embarrassed about having that name since searching for them obviously is a bit confusing.

I checked out that vinyl after you mentioned it in the Shiina thread, but figured just for a single wasn't worth it for me. I would have gotten it if it were the whole album. I wish all modern Japanese bands put out vinyls, but I know Japan has a huge CD market.

So happy this thread was revived. I had no idea this duo existed. This stuff is great! Finally something to fill the hole left after HALCALI sputtered out and disappeared. At least I got to meet them a couple of times in NYC.

HALCALI - Tandem

All that old HALCALI stuff makes listening to the later stuff quite the sad experience