Plasmatic Fantastic
Perfume are all grown up!
© Universal Music Group
I could go into a fully blown essay-rant on what led to a certain infatuation of mine with Japanese pop culture. To cut a long story short –and to firmly reserve the opportunity of actually going at it at another time– it all started in 1998 with Nakata Hideo’s Ring, also known as Ringu. No big deal, just maybe one of the most genre-defining films in the history of world cinema, but I digress: The topic here is the latest studio album by Perfume, Plasma.
A little bit on Perfume: Originally formed in Hiroshima in 2000, but gained Japan-wide popularity in 2008 with the release of their first original album, Game. Perfume have since, and after signing with Universal Music in 2012, become a worldwide pop sensation, being also the first J-pop act to perform at Coachella. (Culturally appropriate that, if you can, Coachella influencers!)
Behind every aspect of their decisively electronic synthpop sound and production lies Yasutaka Nakata. Their performances rely heavily on elaborate choreography to mirror the unabashedly processed vocals, which in most records function more as electronica instruments rather than vocals.
Flash-forward to 2022: Perfume’s 7th studio album, Plasma, following 2018’s Future Pop –perhaps their best album up to that point– will have three big pairs of coordinated kitten heels to fill. And it does.
Plasma sets off with a track of the same name. All of Perfume’s albums open with an intro track. A little something to set the tone and establish the atmosphere, something on which the entirety of the rest of the album relies on.
This time, Nakata’s references are pretty much obvious. The atmoshpere is set a la Survive (Survive members Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon, are behind the Stranger Things scores). The mood is sealed with Perfume’s vocals, surprisingly not under any heavy distortion this time: something that seems to be a common thread throughout this album.
A new version of 2020’s single Time Warp lightens the mood with everything pleasant, from bubbly synths, to electric guitar stray riffs to prepare the field for one of the spearheading tracks of the album: Polygon Wave, a gorgeous digi-disco track with all the trimmings, bitpop sounds, building beats, signature vocals (which again are given more gravity and space to breathe within the overall production frame) and an insane spectacular bridge.
What is noteworthy with Plasma is the fact that it’s quite multifaceted without losing its character. Production is consistently good throughout, but in each track, whatever needs to be focused on, is meticulously spotlit. Spinning World, pulls into a light, electro-funk premise, and it feels that is sits exactly where it should. Flow is also a great example of that. Overflowing, flourishing sounds frame the vocals that just like the beat in this track, seem to be stripped from any excess elements. The same happens with Drive’n The Rain and all its soothing, lo-fi, lounge and deliciously 80s-tinged glory.
Saisei, Mawarukagami and Hatenabito follow the same beat-fueled formula as Time Warp but each one casts a different spell. Same type of well-constructed witchcraft, different spells.
Mugen Loop and Android And pump the beat even harder, in a reminiscent manner of that of Perfume’s mega hits Spending All My Time and Party Maker but with an evident maturity, both in terms of the groups’ musical growth (which in fact and to a great extent, it’s Yasutaka Nakata’s explorations we’re experiencing) as well as how the use of vocals has shifted to a more organic manner, autotune and all.
The album closes bidding farewell to a plastic world with Sayonara Plastic World. Although I am not sure we will ever efficiently say goodbye to this plastic world, Perfume give it a try with this track, directed towards kids by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) to reduce the use of plastic, since Japan is one of the largest countries in plastic waste generation.
Although initially I wasn’t sure how all the singles released since 2020 would bind together, by the time Polygon Wave came out last year, it felt that there was a direction set for this album. The truth is that Plasma is a great, cohesive surprise. It’s exploring new grounds without forgetting the ones already stepped on, while Nocchi, Kashiyuka and A-chan conduct themselves vocally with a new, refreshing confidence. It is too soon, but I am quite tickled as to what comes next for Perfume. Only Yasutaka Nakata knows.
Plasma is out 27 July 2022
