MUSIC REVIEW | 21st TIMM Delivers Three Days of Live Goodness from Asia
Last year’s Tokyo International Music Market brought their A-Game, with acts like Atarashii Gakko!, Chanmina, and Chilli Beans rocking the Zepp Shinjuku for three days. With the expo’s nightly concerts occurring in two venues for three days, it would be interesting to see what the twenty-first incarnation of the annual event could offer. This year, not only did we have strong representation from Japan, but also a sprinkling of artists that gave attendees a hint of what each of their respective countries could offer for their ears.
DAY ONE:
The festivities began at the Shibuya O-East, as an excited crowd stood with glowsticks waving about. With an acoustic guitar in hand and a bear mask on face, Koresawa performed a five-song set that had a lovely fairy tale mentality. Mixing rock, pop, and folk, the four-piece act showcased a bountiful of sweetness in every chord strummed and sung. From the catty “Nyan Nyan Nyan” to the countryside vibes of “Dear ex-girlfriends”, the honey-loving songstress delivered candy-coated music that brimmed with the life that only Koresawa could craft.
Donned in white and silver, ChoQMay delivered a short-yet-sweet four-song set for an energetic crowd. Frontwoman Urara switched between guitar and violin with ease, whereas bassist Gon Fuji and drummer Kouichirou Kuga slid in a funkadelic style into their pop rock recipe. But it was keyboardist Renpi who was the backbone of this set, with his beautiful melodies sprinkled in such songs as “sister” and “snowspring”, the latter which served as the end theme to the anime A Sign of Affection. Despite a minor shoe mishap (which Urara jokingly wondered if she could sell for a thousand yen), ChoQMay brought a flawless vibe in a set that was truly beautiful.
Ending the night with all the colors of the rainbow, FRUITS ZIPPER hit the stage with all the cuteness of the world in one five song set. Opener “New Kawaii” demonstrated the seven-piece idol group’s tenacity, whereas “Baby I Loved” paid homage to the 1980s era of music. When their new song “Fruits Basket” hit, no one was immune to their sweet charms. Their final song “Watashi no Ichiban Kawaii Tokoro” fit its namesake, as FRUITS ZIPPER showed off wild and fancy-free dance moves that exploded with pure joy. Although this reviewer may not be the biggest cutesy pop fan, FRUITS ZIPPER found a way to invade my heart with the biggest smiles on their faces.
DAY TWO:
Returning to the Shibuya O-East for the second day of TIMM, the mood felt a little bit different, especially with the added seats on the ground floor. Billyrrom — fresh off their debut album release WiND — hit the stage with the rousing “Dune”. But things went more funky throughout the rest of their five-song set, as vocalist Mol showed off his best dance moves during “Defunk” and “Natural Sense”. Aided by Rin’s stellar guitars and the slick synth skills of Leno, the set’s highlight, “Once Upon a Night”, demonstrated the power and synchronicity of Billyrrom as a whole. For a first act, these guys really got the energy going in all the right places, as evident by the amount of people dancing in their seats.
Wednesday Campanella made an impact almost immediately, as vocalist Utaha sang and danced through the crowd during opener “Tinker Bell”. Her rap repertoire was on display during “Buckingham”, whilst her Harajuku cute essence took over for the fun “Prince Shoutoku” and “Tamamo-No-Mae”. “Mermaid” demonstrated her wild-yet-sweet styles with grace, whereas “Edison” got the crowd spinning their towels like they were Pittsburg Steelers fans. Not to be outdone by Koresawa, Wednesday Campanella went an extra step forward with their own cat song “Maneki Neko”, which had an inflatable version of its namesake at center stage. While it’s hard to outdo a seven-member group like FRUITS ZIPPER, Utaha managed to bring the right amount of cuteness to a set that brimmed with a major cool factor.
Backed by a drum kit that’d make Dream Theater jealous, Novelbright put on the definitive rock show in the night’s third spot. Filled with positivity, the Osaka-based act came in running on all cylinders with the opener “Seeker”. But it was their second song — the anti-haters anthem “Empire” — that wowed both the crowd on the floor and the press in the mezzanine. Most of the seven-song set focused more on good vibes, from the hearty “Sound of Snow” to the soul-regenerating “Sunny drop”. By the time Novelbright ended the show with “Walking with you”, they had cemented themselves as the act of the night.
That’s not to say night closer Imase had a tough act to follow. Quite the contrary, the man dubbed the “rookie monster” ended the evening with the right amount of love and excitement. Backed by an impressive four-piece band, Imase focused his six-song set with delivering happiness in every song. From opener “Shine Out” to his brand-new single “Metrocity”, the Gifu-born artist danced and sung his heart out to the delight of everyone in the crowd. Even with the heavy responsibility of being the final act of the evening, Imase took the task with a big grin and a victory lap around the stage.
DAY THREE:
Where the first two nights showcased Japanese artists, Night Three of the TIMM Music Showcase gave some of the spotlight to other parts of Asia. Held at the more intimate Shibuya Veats, six acts from Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Hong Kong took to the stage to show the world what they had to offer. Even before people were allowed in, the crowd was excited for what’s to come, including 200 visitors from Hong Kong who came to see their hometown hero Jeremy Lee. And then, as the clock struck 18:00, the lights went down and the crowd roared with anticipation!
Things started off on a jazzy note with Japan’s cocolashika. The three-piece band brought the right mood to the crowd, with a nighttime sound that both made you shake your hips and soothe your soul. Keyboardist/vocalist Kouki harmonized perfectly with the plucky bass guitar of Rana, whilst drummer Kota acted as the band’s heartbeat. Sometimes playful, other times loving, cocolashika absolutely gave good vibes throughout their impressive set.
Clad in plaid, Thailand’s MindaRyn made her second appearance at TIMM with plenty of energy on display. Backed by a three-piece, MindaRyn impressed the crowd with her Japanese and English skills both in song and dialogue. Made famous for her anisong works for By the Grace of the Gods and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (of which its song “Like Flames” closed off the set), MindaRyn was able to to showcase why she has been the go-to vocalist for many an isekai anime. (Perhaps it helps that she packs otherworldly vocals.)
Indonesia brought the bass power via rapper Ecko Show, who aims to collaborate with rappers from Japan. Although his set was a mere three songs, he was able to bring killer street vibes with a twist of his own country’s style. Taiwan’s Howard Lee won the crowd over quickly, with his four-song set covering the subjects of loneliness and his move to Japan. By the end of this performance, he was able to successfully get the entire floor to dance along to his beautiful beats and vocals.
Japan’s Starkids had one singular mission for TIMM: to party! In their five-song set, their goal was a rousing success. The six-member group, backed by a masterful DJ, danced, sung, and rapped all around the small stage, with the audience dancing and holding their phone light to the sky. Big beats, fast lyrics, and a unique fashion style from every member helped to make Starkids an act that stood out from the rest of the night’s pack. However, the night was not over, as there was one more performer left to hit the stage.
With hot anticipation from the crowd — especially from those 200 Hong Kong visitors — Jeremy Lee arrived to the loudest of cheers. The Mirror member captivated the audience with his impressive vocals in his five-song set. Whether he was dancing his heart out or simply standing still, he had the crowd in the palm in his hands. Despite his popularity, one could tell that Jeremy Lee was a little nervous, especially when speaking in Japanese for the first time. Jitters aside, it was very easy to see why so many people flew across the ocean just to see Jeremy Lee in an intimate setting.
This year’s TIMM Showcase brought a plethora of styles and artists that greatly represented Japanese music at its strongest. Adding some flavors from the rest of Asia was a delightful bonus, one that I hope sticks around the next time around. These thirteen acts demonstrated just what Asia as a whole has to offer, and if the rest of the continent has artists with even a sliver of talent as this collective, then one can see a bright and prosperous future for Asian music for years to come!
Promotional consideration provided by the Tokyo International Music Market.
