Distopping

Distopping
The faces of two women lying in vegetation
Studio album by Charisma.com
Released June 4, 2014 (2014-06-04)
(see release history)
Recorded 2012—2014
Genre electropop, hip hop
Length 52:22
Language Japanese
Label Lastrum
Charisma.com chronology
Ai Ai Syndrome
(2013)		 Distopping
(2014)		 OLest
(2015)
Singles from Distopping
  1. "Chankoi"
    Released: January 31, 2014
  2. "Happy Turn"
    Released: February 28, 2014
  3. "Iinazuke Blue"
    Released: May 22, 2014

Distopping (stylised as DIStopping) is the first studio album by Japanese musical group Charisma.com. It was released on June 4, 2014 through independent record label Lastrum, eleven months after their debut extended play Ai Ai Syndrome.[1]

Background and development

Charisma.com formed in 2011, featuring rapper Itsuka and DJ Gonchi.[2] Due to the popularity of the groups's videos on YouTube, they were able to debut as musicians.[3][4] In July 2013, the group released their debut extended play Ai Ai Syndrome through independent label Lastrum. It reached number 52 on Oricon's weekly albums chart.[5] In April 2014, Charisma.com officially announced Distopping.[6]

Writing and production

Itsuka explained the album had a theme of society versus the self, and was inspired to write about how unprompted disses by people were pointless complaints.[7] The original concept for the album was a week in the life on an office lady, however that changed, as Itsuka wanted to express more songs featuring weakness.[8] The title is a pun, referring both to stopping disses and topping disses.[9]

Compared to Ai Ai Syndrome, the album featured a greater variety of trackmakers, including Fragment and Annebeats.[9]

Promotion and release

In January and February 2014, two of Charisma.com's songs were used in promotional campaigns for department store chain Parco: "Chankoi" for their Valentine's Day and "Happy Turn" in their White Day campaign.[10][11] "Chankoi" was released as a digital download on January 31, 2014, followed by "Happy Turn" on February 28.[12][13]

On May 22, the duo released the leading track "Iinazuke Blue"'s music video to YouTube.[14] The video for featured thirty junior high school students in a choir performing a "surreal" dance.[7] The song reached number 66 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart in early June 2014.[15] On August 2, 2014, "Iinazuke Blue" was released as a limited edition vinyl single to HMV Japan's Shibuya store.[16]

Charisma.com performed "Iinazuka Blue" live at Music Japan on June 22, 2014.[17] To promote the album, Charisma.com embarked on a five date national tour of Japan in July 2014, entitled OL Joker.[18]

Critical reception

The album was positively received by critics. Skream! reviewer Fumiaki Amano felt the album was sharper, poppier and deeper than Ai Ai Syndrome.[19] Masaya Kondo of What's In? felt the album was more diverse than Ai Ai Syndrome, noting the father character in "Mr. Beer", and "Chankoi", which was focused on romantic troubles. He praised Itsuka's rapid "information dense" lyrics, and felt 'Distopping had more universal themes than Ai Ai Syndrome, which was more targeted exclusively towards women.[20] CDJournal reviewers praised the release's "crazy and strong lyrics and tracks".[21]

In reviewing "Happy Turn", Koyuki Okumura of Skream! described the song as "vividly expressed the feelings of girls disgusted with daily life", and felt it was lighter song compared to the music on Ai Ai Syndrome.[22]

Track listing

No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Iinazuke Blue" (イイナヅケブルー, "Fiancé Blue")ItsukaItsuka, Takashi Morio 3:50
2. "Looker"  ItsukaItsuka, Morio 4:00
3. "Super Girl" (スーパーガール Sūpā Gāru)ItsukaItsuka, Nagomu Tamaki 4:06
4. "No Datte"  ItsukaItsuka, Masaaki Enatsu 4:52
5. "Sodai Gomi no Koi" (sodaiゴミのkoi, "Useless Husband Love")ItsukaItsuka, Yasuhito Yamada 4:22
6. "Chankoi" (チャンコイ, "Chance Coin")ItsukaItsuka, Yasuhito Yamada 3:19
7. "Mr. Beer"  ItsukaItsuka, Tamaki 4:44
8. "Jenga Jenga" (ジェンガジェンガ)ItsukaItsuka, Shingo Sakai 2:48
9. "Train Hell"  ItsukaItsuka, Chefoba 4:54
10. "Sorairo Will" (空色will, "Sky-colored Will")ItsukaItsuka, Yamada 4:40
11. "Pain Off" (ペインオフ Pein Ofu)ItsukaItsuka, Yamada 3:56
12. "100% Boobie" (100%ブービー Hyaku Pāsento Būbī')ItsukaItsuka, Anne Beats 3:03
13. "Happy Turn" (ハッピーターン Happī Tān)ItsukaItsuka, Anne Beats 3:42
Total length:
 52:22

Charts

Charts Peak
position
Japan Oricon weekly albums[23] 48

Sales

Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[24] 4,000

Release history

Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalogue codes
Japan June 4, 2014[1] CD, digital download Lastrum LACD-0248
June 18, 2014[25] Rental CD

References

  1. 1 2 "DIStopping" (in Japanese). Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  2. ↑ Natsumi Nakayama (2014). "Charisma.com" (in Japanese). Defence inc. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  3. ↑ "現役OLラップユニット、Charisma.comが初CDリリース" (in Japanese). Natalie. May 16, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Biography" (in Japanese). Charisma.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Charisma.comの作品" [Charisma.com Products]. Oricon. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  6. ↑ Charisma.com (April 3, 2014). "「DIStopping リリースツアー2014 -OL JOKER-」先行受付開始！" (in Japanese). Ameblo. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Charisma.com、1stフルアルバムリリース＆全国ツアー開催決定" (in Japanese). Barks. April 2, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ Takashi Inomata (Do the Monkey) (June 4, 2014). "Charisma.com Special Interview ＆ Playlist" (in Japanese). Kinyosha Printing. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Takashi Inomata (Do the Monkey) (June 4, 2014). "Charisma.com Special Interview ＆ Playlist" (in Japanese). Kinyosha Printing. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Charisma.com、PARCOバレンタイン企画テーマソング担当" (in Japanese). Natalie. January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Charisma.com新曲「ハッピーターン」でこじらせ女子応援" (in Japanese). Natalie. February 15, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  12. ↑ "チャンコイ - Single" (in Japanese). Apple. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  13. ↑ "ハッピーターン - Single" (in Japanese). Apple. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  14. ↑ Charisma.com (May 22, 2014). "ドッカーン！と公開【イイナヅケブルー】" (in Japanese). Ameblo. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). June 11, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  16. ↑ "イイナヅケブルー 【shu限定販売商品】" (in Japanese). Lawson HMV Entertainment. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  17. ↑ "次回「MJ」に内田裕也、かまってちゃん、Charisma.com" (in Japanese). Barks. June 16, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Charisma.com「DIStopping」で"社会vs.自分"表現" (in Japanese). Natalie. April 2, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  19. ↑ Fumiaki Amano. "Charisma.com『DIStopping』" (in Japanese). Skream!. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  20. ↑ Masaya Kondo. "ALBUM Charisma.com DIStopping" (in Japanese). What's In?. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Charisma.com / ディストッピング" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  22. ↑ Koyuki Okumura. "Charisma.com『ハッピーターン』" (in Japanese). Skream!. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  23. ↑ "DIStopping". Oricon. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  24. ↑ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved October 3, 2014. (subscription required (help)).
  25. ↑ "Distopping" (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
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