fly to high

Domoto Tsuyoshi is half of the prolific Johnny’s duo KinKi Kids. On his own, he has released music under both his real name and ENDLICHERI☆ENDLICHERI. In his newest solo project, releasing the single Kurikaesu Haru and album I AND Ai last week on April 2, he now uses the name 244-ENDLI-x (a play on words – it’s supposed to sound like Tsuyoshi Endlich, a mix of his real and stage names).

Kurikaesu Haru is the single and it is gorgeous – the smooth vocals blend seamlessly into the catchy electronic track. It manages to sound almost raw, even though it’s electronic. Check out the PV – the song is set to a beautifully animated story.

While the album is also “techno and funk” influenced, the PV released from the album, “Help Me Help Me” starts as a simple acoustic, sorrowful ballad that starts to become more complex and abstract. I’m still working through it, but as a whole, “I AND Ai” does have the techno and funk flavored tracks that it promises.

Tsuyoshi’s blatantly un-Johnny releases have always been creative and mostly enjoyable. He has a great voice and creative vision – on his solo projects, he has displayed a range of sounds from raw rock on his “ROSSO E AZZURO” album to retro funk during his ENDLICHERI☆ENDLICHERI time.

I am especially taken by the sound he has right now. His voice has great tone and range, but also has a wavery, stringy quality – questionably good, definitely unique. Some people like it, some don’t. I think it’s fine on its own, but it works surprisingly well in his new dreamy, more transient sound.

Some of you are going to automatically shy away from giving this a try because “it’s a Johnny’s release!” – don’t, because you would miss out on a creative and refreshing take on mainstream J-pop.