Boy… hard to believe it’s almost the New Year! In the past twelve months, I’ve discovered some outstanding Visual Kei music, including Dir en Grey and Versailles. But hands down, my top pick for 2007 would be the Gothic Lolita duo, Kokusyoku Sumire (Black Violet).
You can hear what I’m raving about on their MySpace page, which has six streamable songs. The “twins” aren’t actually related, but they’re frighteningly gifted musicians: Yuki (vocals/piano/accordion) is a strong soprano who bursts into falsetto; Sachi (violin/piano) pulls off rapid minor-key passages without a hitch. Kokusyoku Sumire's sound draws from the most haunting aspects of cabaret, classical, opera, and Japanese folk. I can’t understand a word they say, but I’m not surprised to hear that the songs are inspired by fairy tales (“Little Red Riding Hood”, “The Little Match Girl”, “Hansel and Gretel”).
Yuki and Sachi have a stage presence that’s as bizarrely mesmerizing as their music. They have the same black bobbed hair with straight bangs, and wear matching Gothic Lolita dresses with minimal makeup.
No wonder Kokusyoku Sumire has made waves in Japan’s Goth Loli scene. Since their debut in 2004, they have played at Tokyo Dark Castle and a Nagoya Angelic Pretty tea party. The girls are frequently pictured in the Gothic & Lolita Bible and are the “face” of Angelic Pretty. The band has released several CDs (available from HMV Japan), and has branched into solo projects. Last November, Kokusyoku Sumire visited Europe for the first time and held three concerts in Paris.
If you’re fond of the Gothic Lolita aesthetic, you’ll love Kokusyoku Sumire – especially their music videos. Aren't the German Expressionist hallucinations in “Circus No Uma” (above) marvelous? Perhaps Kokusyoku Sumire will be my favorite band for 2008 as well!
I heard of these ladies but i had no idea they had a myspace too!