I may have mentioned this before but I think Yui Murase（村瀬由衣）is one of those unsung singers who never really got the attention that she deserved. Perhaps her music wasn't groundbreaking in the annals of pop but she's always struck me as someone who has some fine vocals and pleasant melodies given to her.
Her "Yasashii Kankei" (Nice Relationship) from her 1993 album "Nemuru Kioku"（眠る記憶...Sleeping Memories） is a nice little synthesizer shuffle about a couple of ex-lovers who meet again after some time and realize that a good friendship is more their actual tempo. Murase's breathy vocals and the slightly jazzy arrangement make this a very breezy Sunday experience. Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）, who had worked with Anri（杏里）and Miho Nakayama（中山美穂）, was the lyricist while ex-Off-Course（オフコース）member Yasuhiro Suzuki（鈴木康博）was the composer. In a way, this could have made for an ideal theme song for a romantic comedy on TV.
At this point, I only have Murase's 1992 debut album "Suiyoubi no Asa, Mado wo Akeru"（水曜の朝、窓を開ける）that I ordered through "Eye-Ai" back in the 1990s but I can always do with a fill-up provided that her other albums are still available for reasonable purchase.
I wasn't sure what to expect at first but was pleasantly surprised. If her other songs are of a similar quality then I'd have to concur that she's underrated.
ReplyDeleteMorning, Michael. Yep, the nice thing about this exploration is that we inevitably come across the hidden gems. I think Murase is one of them.
DeleteMorning again, J. Listened to a few of her other songs and they exhibit a similar melodic style to this tune. I also saw on YT more recent performances from her playing in what appear to be small venues. Maybe she had departed from music for awhile before returning to do a handful of shows? Don't know.
ReplyDeleteHidden gem is an apt description. While not earth-shattering stuff, it's still quality pop earworm stuff with glistening sheen. Thanks for sharing.