In their newly released album "Shinku-kan Algorithm," the pop duo Sukimaswitch has put together a lineup of catchy songs that gives the work the feel of a "Best of" compilation, which they say is a result of years of trial and error as they return to their roots 15 years after their debut.
Recently, the duo has spent its time playing covers in live shows or releasing versions of previous compositions. This album marks their first venture with original songs in three years.
"We put everything into our previous work 'Sukimaswitch,'" vocalist Takuya Ohashi said, referring to their previous album. The new album, he said, represents a change of direction as they go back to their roots.
"Musicians tend to head in a difficult direction as they gain experience and wisdom," Ohashi said. "And the ultimate expression of that was 'Sukimaswitch.' Don't take this the wrong way, but we ignored our fans when we were creating it. As long as they liked it in the end."
Shintaro Tokita, who plays piano and other instruments, said, "This time, we went back to our roots in order not to fall into a 'Let It Be' situation," referring to the Beatles' well-known song that is said to have triggered the British band's breakup when the members' musical growth paralleled their drifting apart.
"Shinku-kan Algorithm" is filled with standard J-pop fare. The lyrics of "Ricerca" compares life with a role-playing game, in that people are faced with a number of choices while making progress in their lives, while "Pearly! Pearly!" has a friendly melody.
The most catchy song in the bunch is "Miraika," a simple tune featuring just vocal and piano. Although it was the last song completed during recording of the album, it had already been shaped about three years ago.
"I had a good feeling about this song, but part of me was holding it back," Ohashi said.
"Miraika" is a universal song featuring the action of calling one's name. "I tried to lead listeners to ponder, 'How many more times can I call this person's name?'"
Sukimaswitch tried to make "Miraika" good enough to be accompanied by piano alone. "I thought about how we could avoid the feeling that something was missing. I couldn't just easily suggest, 'Let's do this only with a piano,'" Tokita said with a wry smile.
Since their debut in 2003, Sukimaswitch has stuck to pop music that has mass appeal. Asked what motivates them to keep performing, Tokita said: "Being a two-men band means a lot. I can ask [Ohashi] about things like, 'Is this [sound] going too far?' and I can fix if it does."
The other motivation is their fans. "I'm happy to receive feedback from them," he said.
Ohashi, who turned 40 in May, said, "We've lived almost half of our life, so we're at a point of wondering how many more songs we can compose.
"I feel like I lose a bit of myself with each song that I write. With each new experience, the amount I lose increases. I want to create things that allow me to be true to myself. "
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
