NOBUAKI KANEKO
SOLO PROJECT 2024
A fusion of DTM and live drumming.
Serenity and turmoil. The crowd and the individual.
Digital and physical. Origins and future.
--2009's "Orca," 2014's "Historia," 2016's "Fauve," and now 2024's "Keraunos"--
This work, "Keraunos," is Nobuaki Kaneko's first full album in eight years. "Keraunos" is the ancient Greek word for "thunder," and is also known as the name of the weapon wielded by Zeus, the god of the sky in Greek mythology.
The project has been in the works for about a year and a half, and Kaneko has been solely responsible for composing, creating beats and tracks, performing, and recording the 11 tracks, all of which were produced in his own private studio, Silencio Studio.
With "next life" as the prologue, the title track "Keraunos" seems to depict a crowd living hastily under the vivid lightning. "Santa Destroy" is a tune named after a fictional town that appears in the Nintendo Switch game series "NO MORE HEROES," for which Kaneko served as the main sound composer.
"MASSSK" seems to question the origins of the physical and the technological. "hail" is a song that seems to be showered with lyricism. (One listen and you'll instantly understand the meaning of the symbolic song title.) "FZKJNY" is endowed with cynical aggression and humor. "Perfect World" is filled with beauty and sadness, reminiscent of a utopia found beyond the ruins.
The album continues with "Glory," a heartwarming song that evokes the desire for victory and prosperity, as well as the sacrifices it brings to mind, and "Silver Knives," whose alternative rock mannerisms evoke the climax of a drama. The breathy "Jaguar Motel" is a fleeting dreamlike coma.
With the storm-inducing "Living Dead Riot," the story of "Keraunos" reaches an ending that could be interpreted as an endless conclusion, before looping back to "next life" once again.
The impressions of the songs written here are purely my own personal views, but there is no doubt that Kaneko's perspective as an observer of modern society runs through this album.
What is the true nature of modern-day herd mentality against the backdrop of the age of social media and the arrival of AI? What are its origins and future? Kaneko critiques today, which can be seen as a "period of transition" of all kinds, from his own unique perspective, and documents it eloquently and radically with DTM (desktop music) and live drumming. This author surmises that this is the true nature of "Keraunos."
On the other hand, although it may seem pointless to discuss it this much, even if you put aside the ``logic'' behind it, ``Keraunos'' is simply exciting as EDM (electronic dance music).
Kaneko first began working on DTM in earnest with "Fauve" in 2016. In 2018, he released "illusions feat. SKY-HI," which attracted attention for featuring SKY-HI. He has also worked on the music for the films "blank13" (2018) and "MANRIKI" (2019), as well as the sound for the aforementioned "No More Heroes" series.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the stay-at-home period became a time for him to hone his skills, and in 2020 he released the 33-minute ambient track "Zange Utopia," which was themed around the "loneliness" of the pandemic. Since then, his skill development has accelerated even further, culminating in "Keraunos."
The fusion of DTM and live drumming is the foundation of Kaneko Nobuaki's work, and while the texture and quirks of the groove are undoubtedly his, there are many parts where it's impossible to tell whether it's live or digital. According to the staff, he has even gone so far as to pluck drumming recordings from his own archives and paste them onto his latest drumming.
To begin with, Kaneko Nobuaki's music has never been as simple as "a solo for a band drummer to play on the drums," but it's also fascinating to see how he has evolved so much as a track maker.
Also, when talking about "Keraunos," it is important to mention the collection of music videos (MVs) by the genius director Shimizu Yasuhiko, which express the new life and stage that emerges from crowd psychology. Among them, "Keraunos," which organically makes full use of generative AI, is breathtaking as an expression of artificial intelligence that approaches human intelligence to the utmost.
Kaneko has been in close communication with Shimizu since the music production stage, and they have resonated with each other. The expression of "Keraunos," which is already a "finished" album, can be said to be "complete" when experienced together with Shimizu's video.
Immediately after the album release, on September 19th, the Nobuaki Kaneko Showcase 2024 "Keraunos" will be held at WOMB in Shibuya, Tokyo. Kaneko will perform alone on stage, and will attempt an immersive live performance by combining it with Shimizu's video footage, so this is definitely something to look out for.
Finally, a word about the album title. The word "Keraunos," which means "thunder," makes it hard not to feel a connection to RIZE (= thunder figure). This year, RIZE made a surprise announcement that they would be resuming activities after a seven-year hiatus. They have just completed the big surprise of their nationwide Zepp tour, "RIZE TOUR 2024 "SOLU"."
If RIZE were still dormant, the title "Keraunos" could have functioned as a counter to "Home." However, as mentioned above, RIZE has made a spectacular comeback, and their live performance was so passionate that it would not be an exaggeration to say that they have "entered a new honeymoon" as a live band. Furthermore, RIZE has launched a new merch brand, "ZEUS," to coincide with their resumption of activities.
From these connections, we can see that "Keraunos" is a statement that Kaneko Nobuaki's musical expression has entered a new chapter as his life's work, and at the same time, the name was made possible precisely because of the bond he has formed with RIZE. Furthermore, Kaneko's insistence on a "solo performance" on this album reflects his identity as a solo artist, as well as his absolute respect for the members of RIZE and RED ORCA.
Serenity and chaos. The crowd and the individual. Digital and physical. Origin and future. As a witness to the times, Kaneko Nobuaki's lightning strikes the chaotic present.
Text: Masaki Uchida
