來自日本的「民謠 footwork」雙人組，顧名思義，他們將日本傳統民謠與電子音樂、牙買加舞曲、部落節拍甚至任天堂紅白機那樣的 8 bit 聲音做了結合，整體瀰漫著狂歡的慶典氣氛，用這樣的方式帶領大家一起探討他們對社會、氣候、生態的觀察。
Acclaimed Japan “minyo footwork” duo WaqWaq Kingdom - aka Shigeru Ishihara (DJ Scotch Egg / Seefeel) and Kiki Hitomi (ex-King Midas Sound) - return with feverishly joyous new album Hot Pot Totto, a bubbling hot pot of dance music that responds to ecological anxiety.
“Two words are conjoined: hot pot and ottotto,” vocalist Kiki Hitomi tells us. “Ottotto is the Japanese equivalent of “oops”, or said when someone nearly falls over but manages to get their balance back: “it was dangerous but now we are safe!” Combined with the heady brew of their musical styles (“like a psychedelic Nabe hot pot: melting traditional Japanese Minyo with Jamaican dancehall, footwork, dub, techno, tribal polyrhythms and Super Nintendo soundtracks”), producer Shige Ishihara s time in East Africa working with local musicians, and the dayglo hallucinogen of the duo s visual aesthetic, WaqWaq Kingdom s thumping, thrilling, irresistible third release is a unique ride. Treated voice, floor-shaking beats, and dizzying, transforming colour palette are tied to heart-quickening BPMs.
Thematically - despite its ostensibly celebratory impact - Hot Pot Totto addresses the world s grave ecological state. “Now our earth is on the way to catastrophe, as global warming becomes a serious problem through humanity s fault. We are on the edge,” Hitomi writes. “We need to get back on the right track.” The ottotto of the album title refers to this experience - the need to get back on track. However, this is not lamenting music: it is fiercely defiant, full of colour and rapture, maintaining an optimism that we can.
The album s lyrics refer to humanity s sacrifice of our planet for our own material gains, centring around key line “Turn disaster to our advantage / good fortune and happiness will come to those who smile,” offering not regret but encouragement and empowerment, alongside addictive neon alien sonics and relentless vibrancy.
小白兔官網
