On Saturday, April 26th, Shingo Suzuki held a release party for his second album, “Liquid Yellow Portraits,” by his solo project, “Shingo Suzuki LYPS,” at Omotesando WALL & WALL in Tokyo.
Shingo Suzuki, a member of Ovall and has produced BTS’ song “WAKE UP,” is his first solo album in about 16 years, “Liquid Yellow Portraits.” Approximately five months after this release, the main performance was held.
Below is a report on the live performance, featuring songs from the album, featuring magnificent members such as pianist Watanabe Shota, drummer Mori Masato & FUYU, trumpet Terakubo Reya, rappers 5lack & Kojoe, singer Ruri Matsumura & Nenashi, and Ol’K, as well as new songs.
Text by Naoya Koike
Photo by Sachiko Yamada (origami PRODUCTIONS)
Before LYPS’ performance, Yanagira Mitsutaka, a jazz critic who is well known for “Jazz The New Chapter,” was the DJ. The atmosphere was warmed with stylish selections that gradually increase hip-hop ingredients from jazz flavors.
When the show starts, the band members head to the stage. After Suzuki said, “Thank you for coming to the release party!”, the live show began with “All in your palms,” a trio consisting of Mori Masato and Watanabe Shota.
I realized that the bass range was perfect from the first hit by Mamoru’s kick. The solo relays are short, with melodic bass, a piano that attacks with lots of notes, and drums that show off while cleverly shifting accents.
Next, they performed “Backwards” in a quartet formation featuring Terakubo Reiya, a new generation trumpeter with over 70,000 followers on Instagram. Terakubo created harmonies with the harmonizer, and occasionally used delays to make funky plays.
Then they performed the third song, “Green tea,” with green lighting linked to the song’s name, and “Birth,” which features 16th note syncopation and rhythmic texture, before vocalist Nenashi came on stage. By making full use of vocal effects, the film expands its worldview with lyrics, completely different from the expression of an instrument only.
In “New Morning,” a mode is presented with two chords, the game begins with uplifting, with gimmicks that make the time 4/4 in the middle. In the outro of “North Wind,” which is said to be a “song that was warming up,” the trumpet and Nenashi fakes also stimulate each other to enhance each other. My heart couldn’t help but be excited.
The last member to appear was singer Ruri Matsumura. He is invited and is moved by the cool behavior that starts singing without even greeting him. Using the effectors on your hands, you can overlap your own voices, loop them, or mute them. On the other hand, the no-effect singing of the song “Fallin'”, which is based on the theme of “Hitomebore”, was also full of emotion and wonderful.
The final part of the main story was played in medley format: “Miss you already” and “The world is his world.” The overlapping of the main melody, Ruri, and the chorus, Nenashi’s voices is pleasant. The flow of the modulation following Mamoru’s polyrhythmic fill-in in a triplet system was very dramatic. The piano solo, which looks like a chaotic pounding, runs through the beat and reaches the ending.
Soon, the members who left the show will return with an introduction to the members. The encore song she performed as she said, “Thank you for coming together,” was “Love is word-less beat.”
The beautiful intro is a synth from Watanabe’s new weapon, ASM (Ashun Sound Machines), and it shifts to a spiritual jazz-flavored beat. The two vocalists sing in the octaves in the same way as they eat the rhythm of 6/8, and the catharsis of the moment the hook enters, the trumpet’s high notes resonate freely, and the mirror ball spins as they look down at them. A peaceful atmosphere filled the floor and the live performance ended.
Suzuki almost didn’t play the MC, but to put it in the last words, he said, “there is only a limited amount of time left.” With the inauguration of President Trump in the United States and the spread of generation AI, the society surrounding us is only increasingly speeding up. As the waves are magnitude, there is even a feeling of helplessness that it doesn’t move or move enough. However, Suzuki on stage seemed to be interacting with a new generation and trying to renew herself while enjoying the sound. If you want to change it, start with yourself first, rather than others. Even if it’s a difficult time, we have no choice but to take our days one step at a time. I felt like I had gotten some inspiration for living tomorrow.
2. Backwards
3. Green tea
4. Birth
5. Be there
6. New Morning
7. North wind
8. Swipe
9. Flower dance
10.You don’t know
11. Fallin’
12. Miss you already ~ TheWorld is his world
(Encore)
13. Love is word-less beat
[Event Information]
Shingo Suzuki 2nd Album
“Liquid Yellow Portraits” Release Party
Date and Time: Saturday, April 26th, 2025, 18:00 / START 19:00
Venue: Omotesando, Tokyo WALL & WALL
Cast:
LYPS
(MEMBER)
Shingo Suzuki (Ba.)
Mori Masato (Dr.)
Watanabe Shota (Pf.)
Ruri Matsumura (Vo., Cho.)
Nenashi (Vo., Cho.)
Terakubo Reya (Tr.)
(DJ)
Yanagira Mitsutaka (Jazz The New Chapter)
[Release Information]
Shingo Suzuki “Liquid Yellow Portraits”
Release Date: 2024.10.29 (Wed.)
Label:origami PRODUCTIONS
Tracklist:
01. New morning
02. You don’t know (what life is)
03. Backwards
04. Flower dance
05. Daisy
06. All in your palms
07. Miss you already
08. The world is his world
09. HARIUSU I
10. HARIUSU II
11. Your journey goes on as my journey continues
12. Love is word-less beat
▼Participation artists
5lack (Rap)
FUYU (Drums)
Mori Masato (Drums)
Watanabe Shota (Piano)
Terakubo Reiya (Trumpet)
Nenashi (Vocal)
Ruri Matsumura (Vocal)
Kojoe (Rap)
Ol’K (Poetry Reading)
