Japanese mega-girl group/collective Sakurazaka46 just lately launched a number of beautiful singles, which obtained me occupied with what a 20+ member group can sound like. In my thoughts, the music must be as immense because the configuration, and I haven’t typically felt that method about tripleS’s output. Their songs really feel too small for his or her idea, and I maintain ready for them to blow their sound vast open.

We inch nearer to that second with new title monitor Child Flower, which takes them down a propulsive, rock-infused route. The music boasts greater than somewhat of the “highly effective innocence” idea re-popularized by GFriend a decade or so in the past, which isn’t shocking given producer EL CAPITXN‘s involvement within the monitor. His work with AHOF has pointed towards a keenness for the sounds of Ok-pop’s mid-2010s, and I’d love nothing greater than that form of songcraft to make a resurgence this 12 months. Child Flower isn’t up there with the most effective of the style (that’s a tall order to fill!), nevertheless it tries its coronary heart out and that’s a really profitable system.

So many Ok-pop tracks as of late perform firmly within the “I”. “I’m the most effective. I’m your bias. I’ll make it lemonade.” In distinction, Child Flower appears like quaint “we” music. “We can do it. We’ll get ’em!” I’ve at all times most well-liked this strategy and I love the musical ambition on show right here. The music climaxes with a number of excessive notes that really feel uncomfortably executed (24 members and also you couldn’t get them to sing collectively?), however total that is good, rousing enjoyable in a basic, anthemic type.

Grade: B