I’ve never been really into much of Vaporwave, mostly because even though it’s a subgenre/subculture of experimental music, much of it to me is just weeaboo-style (no offense!) electronic lounge music that can put me to sleep at times.
There are, however, two exceptions. I of course mean stuff from the Vaporwave genre that actually are kinda interesting. Those are the music of my friend SLØUGH and this album by the German outfit Internet Club.
I remember SLØUGH shared this album with me over Twitter a year ago, and I thought it was actually an amazing listen. However, I couldn’t find it recently until I asked him again, and he even provided me with the Bandcamp link, which I will post to this article if you guys want to hear what it sounds like.
This album, given a Japanese title, is rather interesting because when I first listened to it, it was a mixture of Dada-inspired sound collage music, tons of Negativland styles (mostly their 1980-83 era and their JAMCON ’84 period), The Residents at their most weirdest, and a massive amount of Japanese influences, especially on the album’s sci-fi anime-themed album cover.
The tracks:
“サンライズTODAY”-A really bizarre collage loop of what sounds like an anime sample that also gets slowed down. Later, you hear what sounds like a Michael Jackson sample, with more loops collapsing on top of each other. To me, this sounds like a Japanese version of Max Headroom malfunctioning.
“MORNING今日のプログラミングDAYTIME”-A sloppy mess of loops of old-school disco samples and high-pitched Japanese voices (not from something girly and kawaii-related, as these were male voices).
“PRIMETIME今日のプログラミングLATENIGHT”-A chopped-up-looped-and-speed-manipulated collage of hip-hop samples, sci-fi sound effects, and Japanese voices.
“覚えておいてください!”-A 34-second loop of a synthpop sample.
“渋谷のハート”-A sloppy chopped-and-screwed piece consisting of slowed-down voices, synthpop samples, and snippets of synthesized lounge music.
“あなたの人生を更新「新しいデラックスライフ」”-Continuous loops of an electronic music sample that eventually gets chopped-up bit by bit, eventually forming machine-like rhythms.
“A NEW TIME IS IN YOUR HANDS「それを実現させる！」”-A sloppy collage of old folk rock recordings (could be from the 70’s) that loops and changes in pitch.
“《ゴシップ好き》”-A 31-second chopped-and-screwed number consisting of a slowed-down and looped disco sample.
“プロミセス「世界から解放され」”-An experimental speed loop montage of haunting piano music with a voice speaking a half-word. Maybe this could be from an old TV commercial from around the mid-70’s to early 80’s? Later, the loops start to become processed in a way that it produces photocopy machine-like sounds.
“本当の人生?”-A 58-second chopped-and-screwed collage of an old Japanese TV commercial.
“私たちのスポンサーからの単語”-A 32-second collage of an electronic music sample that sounds like it came from an old TV commercial from the 80’s.
“それではまた明日！”-This minute-long closing is the same as the opening track, but more longer and more chaotic. This is like Max Headroom after he had too much caffeine.
To check out this weird, hyper-trippy, but yet interesting Vaporwave album, go to: https://internetclub.bandcamp.com/album/-
The Crazy Mind of Tré Roland 