Text by Takazumi Hosaka
Photo by Masaki Yamada
Header Photo by Yutaka Akiyama
VivaOla held their first solo live in about two years, “THE HILL YOU DIE ON”, at WWW X in Shibuya, Tokyo on March 30th (Saturday) to commemorate the release of their 2nd album “APORIE VIVANT”.
Kota Matsukawa, one of the founders of the creative collective/label wau, which is attracting attention everywhere, was invited as co-producer, and the project took about a year and a half (of which about a year was devoted to mixing/mastering). “APORIE VIVANT” was completed with cutting-edge sound production that eliminated unnecessary fluff, and was a work that pursued a more personal expression.
Since it was announced that this one-man live performance would include a full band set, many people were probably wondering how they would perform the songs from the album. As if to provide a clear answer to these questions from the beginning, the live performance began with “ROLLS ROYCE.”
An ear-catching fuzzy guitar, a rhythm section full of raw dynamism — “ROLLS ROYCE,” a dark R&B tune with a low center of gravity, is played with a new interpretation and expression. The lyric “But knew I was different when I’m in my roots / Rock and roll, Hip-Hop, and Rhythm & Blues” also reflects this cross-cutting theme. It sounds like it’s explaining a certain sound.
What follows is “PRESENCE” which follows the same flow as the album. This song, which is particularly minimal on the album, also acquires a more physical groove. It naturally connects with past songs such as “Runway” and “Love you bad.” Of course, what drives this sound is VivaOla’s relaxed vocals. There was a richer power of expression than usual.
In “Love you bad,” he sang parts including a rap by featured guest YonYon himself, which drew cheers from the audience. The MC asked, “I want to see everyone’s faces, so could you please turn on the lights?” while maintaining close communication with the audience, he introduced the band members. Kazuho Otsuka (Gt.) who is also known for his activities under the name 01sail, Reo Anzai (DAW Operator) who has released many works as Sakepnk, Ryuju Tanoue (Ds.), the other founder of
The first guest on this day was Sagiri Sól, a singer with roots in Japan and Iceland who has been a music friend since her student days. The lighthearted sound and the two’s pop interactions completely change the atmosphere. “This is a little older song. Are you ready?” Jua was greeted with “One of these nights”, followed by “Vise le haut” with Wez Atlas. The three styles of cool VivaOla, freaky Jua, and aggressive Wez Atlas mix together on a thrilling band sound. In addition, the exquisite arrangement shined here as well, such as casually incorporating Jersey club rhythms in the song.
Referring to the elegant suit that she wore this time, she said, “It’s really hot,” eliciting a laugh, and then went on to the mellow “If you let me,” asking, “Is it okay if I cool down a bit?” Then, he switches gears again to the mode of the latest work. VivaOla introduced them to the stage with Bleecker Chrome’s Oriya Fujita, and they performed a bewitching performance of “OMM,” followed by “BOLD,” which featured R&B singer reina of wau. The pitched down voice samples are also sung live, and the drill-based beats have been updated to an organic rhythm unique to the band. The performance, which could only be performed live, excited the audience.
Along with Oriya Fujita and Reina, he gave a shoutout to Kanye West (currently Ye) and performed a cover of 2018’s “Ghost Town (feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR)”. One of the highlights of the day was the sight of the three of them singing their own interpretations of the same song with a gospel feel.
At this point, the stage went dark, and a transition between the first and second halves was interposed with “HURT” playing in the background. And here too, the same flow as the album is followed with “TOO LATE” and “GIVE MINE”. After refreshing the atmosphere of the venue with cool alternative R&B, he asked, “From now on, I want to do something a little different, is that okay?” “I used to play jazz, so I like sessions.” “Can you all enjoy improvisation?” he asked, and the audience responded loudly. The song, “My Moon,” originally a four-on-the-floor dance number, is sung over a jazzy performance centered around a flowing piano tone. ZIN from Soulflex appeared as a guest, and the sight of the two singing happily and swaying over the sound was impressive.
The performance seamlessly leads into “Mixed Feelings”. The original version is also a two-step dance number, but it has been reconstructed into a disco-funk style that utilizes live instruments. They rocked the venue with their gorgeous cutting guitar and airy, groovy performance reminiscent of Nile Rodgers in Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.”
Cooling down again with “HANDLE,” he expressed his gratitude to the staff and people behind the scenes who worked on the stage production, which was designed to create a homey studio atmosphere, and said, “I hope they don’t ask for a very emotional MC (lol). “I’ll let the music speak for itself,” he said, as the live performance entered its last spurt.
In “NO TIME”, SIRUP appears and the audience jumps all at once, further renewing the peak of the day. “Can we play your earliest songs?” and performed “Even After All.” The emotion contained in the song was amplified by the band arrangement, and VivaOla’s flowing falsetto touched the heart. To the development.
“Let me explain in advance. Due to VivaOla’s policy, we will not do an encore. Therefore, this is our last song with all our strength,” he said, and performed “VIVA”, the opener of their 2nd album. Heavy bass is replaced by hard guitar, creating a large-scale arena rock-like soundscape. The day’s live performance ended with an energetic performance that seemed to blow everything away.
This was a culmination of today’s live performance, created together with trusted band members and gorgeous guests. It was a night where I could fully feel the high level of musicianship and pure love for music that deconstructed sophisticated sound sources without hesitation and created new charm. I wonder how far the circle of music that VivaOla creates with her friends will expand. I look forward to seeing where he goes in the future.
Also, today, April 26th (Friday), VivaOla successfully finished their one-man live with a band set at Yogibo HOLY MOUNTAIN in Osaka. Details of the tour semi-final Tokyo performance and final Osaka performance of “THE HILL YOU DIE ON CLUB TOUR”, which will be performing DJ sets at clubs all over the country from May, have been released.
The event will be held at CIRCUS Tokyo on Friday, July 19th and at CIRCUS Osaka on Saturday, July 20th. Both days will be a two-man live performance with Korean R&B singer Jimmy Brown. The two have previously released a collaborative song, “bag on you,” and this will be a long-awaited collaboration.
Kota Matsukawa and Sakepnk from the creative label wau will also appear as DJs at both performances. Tickets for the Tokyo performance are on sale now, and pre-sale for the Osaka performance will start from 0:00 on Saturday, April 27th.
In addition, a music fair will be held in Singapore’s Clarke Quay area from May 8th (Wednesday) to May 11th (Saturday).『Music Matters Live』It has also been decided that he will appear on. “Music Matters Live” is one of the world’s three major music fairs, along with “MIDEM” in Cannes, France, and “SXSW” in Texas, USA, and this year more than 50 artists from 16 countries around the world will gather. From Japan, EXILE TRIBE’s PSYCHIC FEVER and others will also perform. For more information on VivaOla’s performance times, check out VivaOla and Music Matters Live’s social media.
【event information】
『THE HILL YOU DIE ON CLUB TOUR』
Date and time: Saturday, May 25, 2024 OPEN 19:00 / START 20:00
Venue: Hokkaido/Sapporo MORROW ZONE
Price: ADV. ¥3,000 (1D fee not included)
Cast:
(LIVE)
VivaOla
Rogers In Me
Sae Ueno
(DJ)
ANNA
==
Date: Sunday, June 16, 2024
Venue: Fukuoka Kieth Flack
*Details coming soon
==
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024
Venue: Aichi/Nagoya LUGGAGE
*Details coming soon
==
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024
Venue: Miyagi/Sendai Monet
*Details coming soon
==
Date and time: Friday, July 19, 2024 OPEN 19:00 / START 19:30
Venue: Tokyo, Shibuya CIRCUS Tokyo
Price: ADV. ¥4,000 (1D fee not included)
Cast:
(LIVE)
VivaOla
Jimmy Brown
(DJ)
Kota Matsukawa (wau)
Sakepnk (wau)
==
Date and time: Saturday, July 20, 2024 OPEN 17:30 / START 18:00
Venue: CIRCUS Osaka, Shinsaibashi, Osaka
Price: ADV. ¥4,000 (1D fee not included)
Cast:
(LIVE)
VivaOla
Jimmy Brown
(DJ)
Kota Matsukawa (wau)
Sakepnk (wau)
==
【release information】
VivaOla 『APORIE VIVANT』
Release Date：2024.03.20 (Wed.)
Label：HIP LAND MUSIC
Tracklist:
1.VIVA
2.HURT
3. TOO LATE
4. GIVE MINE
5. BOLD (feat. reina)
6. ROLLS ROYCE
7. PRESENCE
8. HANDLE
9. OMM (feat. Oriya Fujita)
