[With Complete Understanding Map] AWAZARUKAS - A Full Album Review

Introduction

I have been associated with AWAZARUKAS for over eight years now.
I recall the first time we met was when I invited FAKAXA (led by YUNGYU, who we miss dearly 😢) to an event I was hosting irregularly, and Takut accompanied them as their backup DJ.
▼ Flyer from that time (tidal flow vol.3 @ Ikebukuro knot)

Since then, AWAZARUKAS has performed live at my events, and there was even a mysterious incident where Takut would stay the night at my place and drive home in the morning (Kawasaki City to Yorii Town).
Having secretly peeked into most of AWAZARUKAS's career like this (how, you ask?), I listened to their long-awaited 1st album "A" and felt so moved that I couldn't sit still, so I decided to write a review filled with my own subjective opinions.
However, just doing that wouldn't provide much benefit to those reading, so I created a "Complete Understanding Map" for "A".
Please accept this as a companion for when you listen to the album again.

AWAZARUKAS - "A" Basic Information

Tracklist

Artist Profile

"A" Complete Understanding Map

I have registered as many place names and proper nouns appearing in the album as possible on Google Maps and created a list! The total is 35 (might add more later).

Looking at the map, you can see how events within such a small area have been incorporated as topics for each song.
I hope you all try to re-experience their Yorii Town life.
By the way, it has been censored by Takut, so it is almost official.

[Bonus] How to read the title

Surprisingly, they say "even we don't know" how to read "A".
They have released the EPs "WA (2022)," "ZARU (2019)," and "KAS (2019)," and as for the letters, only "A" remains.
If the album is called "A," my view is that it must be read as "Ah"!! What do you think?

Review of all songs

1 Osato District [Previously released]*

※ I added an * to songs that were released as singles before the album, but were all distributed in 2024 and not included on other EPs. I assume they were produced with this album in mind.

With a low-center-of-gravity track, the consistent local topics from the three members explode, making it a song that truly signals the start of the album like a signal flare.
Regarding the hook where "We are the last survivors of Osato District" is repeated, this tweet is easy to understand (I was also super hyped that it was highly praised by Gogonyanta).

My personal favorite part.
This last part is just too catchy!

It's a supreme part that exudes the unique local feeling of how it becomes hard to see options other than maintaining the status quo, and the desperate resolve to make a splash with AWAZARUKAS.
Moreover, the bass starts to distort from here, acting as a lead-in to the 'next song'—a clever gimmick. The level of polish as an album is amazing.

2 I am a Rapper from Yorii Town [Previously Released]

First released as a single in 2021. I've been listening to it a lot since then.

At the time, I couldn't find much Trap Metal in Japanese rap that really clicked, and this song with its exquisite balance really hit the spot.
It feels like the intensity of what could be called the AWAZARUKAS philosophy—the 'gap between trendy sounds and the rustic nature of the rap'—leveled up with this song.
In terms of lyrics, Takut's

local eccentric probability variation time is maddeningly good. What kind of region is this...
The sense of speed from DSK's 'Fuck'n Arakawa Burning Cardboard Tower' is also the best!
D.E.V's lyrics, full of local flavor, become even more profound when you listen to them while looking at the map.
Anyway, it's no exaggeration to say this is one of the crew's signature songs.

Supplement: Trap Metal (Loose Understanding)
As the name suggests, a subgenre of trap leaning toward metal. Popular from the late 2010s to the early 2020s. The bass is terrifyingly distorted.
Has it been absorbed and merged into Rage recently?

3 We are AWAZARUKAS in Super Good Form [Previously Released]

First released on 'KAS (2019)'. The content is basically what the title says; local talk is kept to a minimum, and they're just saying how good they're doing. Seems like it would go over well live!
The acoustic guitar lead track feels like 'O-kega', giving it a sense of nostalgia.
It's interesting, with DSK's flow that seems to be a NIPPS tribute, and D.E.V's verse where you can't tell what he's saying from start to finish.

By the way, all three songs so far are produced by tttttt. He's a skilled hand... I wonder who he is...???

4 Quite Rural [Previously Released]

First released on 'KAS (2019)'. This is also a popular song, and with this, it's a string of previously released tracks. It's finally taking on the appearance of a best-of album.
The track is by ally K BoW.
Takut mentions the uniform townscapes of rural areas and the population drain to the city center in this song, making it quite socially conscious. I like it.
The fact that D.E.V and DSK rhyme 'Beisia' and 'Welcia' is endearing.

5 Go by Car! [Previously Released]*

A song full of ZARKAS-ness that pushes through with the single theme of 'in the countryside, you travel by car'. The title is, of course, an homage to 'Densha de GO!'.
K BoW's irregular Jersey Club track also explodes.
The hook, in particular, is built to be reminiscent of 'that era' of EDM, which gets me hyped.

The 'Countryside x12' part slowly sinks in when you see it in text.
Also, the conciseness of being under 2 minutes despite having 3 people participating might be important for an album with this many tracks.

Supplementary Note: Jersey Club (Loose Understanding)
A subgenre of House that originally emerged in the 90s. It features a characteristic 5-beat pattern.
It has increasingly been used as a modulation pattern for Drill (described later) tracks, and with the emergence of Jersey Drill—a mix of Drill and Jersey Club—it is being used more often as a track for rap.

6 Hachigata Castle Freestyle [Previously Released]*

It's not just this song, but 'XX Freestyle' tracks are always good, aren't they? Because they're so casual, haha.
It's like you can listen to them without putting any pressure on yourself.
Thanks to this, I learned that there was a pretty amazing castle in Yorii Town. Thank you, Awazarukas.
(Since I'm prioritizing writing what I want to write, there are songs of this length too, haha.)

7 The Stolen Yakiniku Land [Previously Released]*

Camping boom during the COVID-19 pandemic -> Campers from outside the prefecture flooded Tamayodo Riverbed -> Locals couldn't have BBQs anymore 😡
That's probably all there is to the song, but after trying hard to think about it, it's not just about wanting to have a BBQ, but I felt vibes like the anger of the indigenous people, such as:
・Resentment towards outsiders ruining the local area
・The sadness of having your few pleasures taken away
If you listen closely, the hook also has a tone that feels like that.
Anyway, I feel like various emotions are stagnating there... just like the Yodo River. Huh?

8 BOUNCE!!! [Newly Recorded]

A heavy Trap track with a Memphis-like groove to vent pent-up frustration. A song that seems like it would go crazy at a live show.
I was shaken by the 'station-front ruins' line in Takut's verse, realizing it's different from the countryside around here.

9 Let's Go by Car! part2 feat. Daedalbwoy [Newly Recorded]

This is the first guest appearance on this album.
And it's also the only song that fully commits to Drill, and I feel a momentum that seems to say, 'The second half starts from here!'
I'll say it again, the composition is truly brilliant.

As for my thoughts on the song itself, first of all, the 5-beat, 1-rest rhythm of the hook 'Car ride and GO' is highly addictive. This flow also appears in D.E.V's verse from Life Size BGM.

In the verses of the three Zarkas members, the 'car tropes' have deepened compared to the previous work. High gas prices, traffic jams, gummies melting in the heat of the car, speed traps, etc. It's packed.
It's amazing that even with the same theme and sound vectors that aren't far apart, both songs have their own independent personalities.

The guest verse by Daedalbwoy is trendy and hits the theme, and I think it's cool, including the fact that it doesn't stand out too much.
He is also actively releasing solo works, so be sure to check them out!

As a side note, Takut and I actually had a double-header at an event called 'Flying Mansion' that he organized...

* Daedalbwoy was active as Junk B Essence with yhornet under the name DON at the time.
Back then, the stance for live shows was to accept them without pay and be 'allowed' to perform, but this was almost the first time I was given travel expenses, which moved me.

Supplementary Note: Drill (Loose Understanding)
Originally a subgenre of Trap originating from Chicago. Lyrics about rough neighborhoods and violent sounds were imported to London, developing into UK Drill and becoming a global trend. The rap is characterized by a delayed rhythm derived from Grime, and the tracks feature a high-tempo 3-beat pattern.

10 Chichibu Ondo [Previously Released]

Was the first appearance on SoundCloud in 2018?
I was wondering where they would play this 'strongest card' before the release, but I think the result was the best.

Mid-section with dark songs -> Atmosphere changes with Drill -> Everything released with Chichibu Ondo 🤪
Well, I was completely hyped up. Even though I've listened to it many times...!

Listening to it in the flow of the album again, I felt that the perspective of 'Chichibu seen from Yorii Town' is important, not just singing about the Chichibu Night Festival.

Chichibu isn't a big city either, but it's prosperous within a range you can go to by car, has tourism resources, and is a place where you can stretch yourself a bit... something like that?
Combined with that, it's a super masterpiece that condenses the hype power that the 'original festival' has, rather than just being a modern seasonal event.

As the title suggests, the destructive power of the track, which samples 'Chichibu Ondo', is insane. What genre would this be...? Is it close to Jungle or DnB...?
There shouldn't be anyone who can't shake their head at the development of the second verse after the hook.
The lyrics by DSK at the moment of that switch, 'Wei Soiya Sar-bar-jar-jar', seem to be graffiti somewhere on a mountain pass in Chichibu.

Who would understand that lol
The Chichibu area of the 'Complete Understanding Map' is almost entirely filled with phrases from this song, so check it out.

11 R140 feat. YUNGYU [New Recording]

One of my personal best tracks.
R140, needless to say, refers to National Route 140, which is apparently the route used when heading from Yorii Town to Chichibu.
For those of us who have just listened to "Chichibu Ondo," it can also feel like a prequel filled with the excitement of heading there.
And, just as that road continues toward the Yamanashi area, the flow of the verse baton being passed from the Yorii Town ZARUKAS members to YUNGYU is beautiful.
Please refer here for the relationship between AWAZARUKAS and Mr. YUNGYU.

And Mr. YUNGYU's high notes, no matter which guest appearance I hear them in, have the power to "take over" the atmosphere in an instant. This time is no exception!
(Digressing, the way this song "takes over" was insane...)

Digressing further, it's been 5 years now, but Mr. YUNGYU performed a short live set at my wedding after-party. Thank you again and again! (And I'm sorry about the equipment trouble...)

...Returning to the topic, the track for "R140" is based on Rage, but the synth melody is refreshing and the bass isn't too assertive, making it a very easy-to-listen-to finish. Since the theme is a national route, isn't it perfect for driving as well?
Furthermore, this song even has a gimmick where the drum pattern changes to a Drill style only from the hook right before to Mr. D.E.V's verse, so the craftsmanship is truly detailed.
A friend of mine who makes tracks said, "Changing the drum pattern in the middle is a pain," so I really feel there is no compromise in the attitude toward this album. Tak... no, Mr. tttttt is amazing~
In the first place, Drill suits Mr. D.E.V's rap, doesn't it? The flow here is very good.

It's clever that the song order, guest appearances, and composition are inevitable.

Supplement: Rage (Rough Understanding)
A subgenre of trap where synths blare and it has a strong sense of melody. You could say it's adjacent to Hyperpop, but this one is tougher.
Because the rap that matches it ranges from singing-heavy styles to slightly off-beat or shout-heavy styles, it has been increasing in Japan over the last few years.

12 Nakameidaira [New Recording]

This is also at the level of a best track.
The catchiness of the whole song, starting with the phrase "Dara-dara Nakameidaira," goes without saying, and it's a god-tier perspective to connect the "warmth within a decadent atmosphere" that a Pluggnb-style track has to the "vibe of idle rural youth spending time in a park at night."

Supplement: Pluggnb (Rough Understanding)
A derivative (evolution?) genre of Plugg, which is a derivative genre of trap. It started becoming popular around 2020, and is it about to become a boom in Japan now?
Like R&B, it is characterized by a melodious musical style.

People who have had similar experiences when they were young (including me) soak in nostalgia while making fun of the "yarirafii" in the song.

Anyway, I like Mr. D.E.V's verse because it's lyrics that just explain "how difficult the area around Nakameidaira Green Park is to drive".
His rap (especially in songs released this year) has detailed rhyming, and the flow is varied, making it fun to listen to.

This is a personal preference regarding rhymes (especially when rhyming long ones), but I don't really like it when the segments line up, for example, "zettai/ouja" or "dekkai/oukan" feels artificial (partly because of the words chosen).
In that respect, "yonda/rekka" and "mou/dame/da" are really good rhymes! They properly serve as the punchline of the story, and the level is quietly high.

And, as a bridge to the thoughts on the next song, how about this?
"Wait, isn't 'Nakameidaira at night' similar to 'music' for us...?"

13 Life Size BGM feat. YAV & kou-kei [New Recording]

I want to call this a best track too (how many more are there?).
Mr. Takut in this song won the MVV (Most Valuable Verse, I just made that up) of this album. After all, it's a breathtaking almost-a cappella right from the beginning of the song.
I have a habit of transcribing lyrics when I encounter truly good ones, which happens maybe once a year or less. Even though it's on my smartphone, I really re-type them by hand.
This verse is definitely a target for transcription. I'll do it over the New Year holidays.

Regarding this 'get high' part, because of the content and the sound, I anticipated 'get cash' would come next. I reflected on how I've been corrupted by Hip-hop clichés. It's true that 'getting high on music' is what's important, seriously.
There are many other parts I want to touch on, but I'll hold back since it would get too long...

As for the hook, the passionate lyrics, beautiful rhyming, and a melody that doesn't get in the way of the message all overlap to shake the soul.

Throughout the album, this song is the one where it's easiest to see that the arrangements, such as cutting the sound for the rap, are truly meticulous. Also, I'm weak for tracks with vocal samples to begin with. Overall, this song hit the spot for me.
Also, the two guest artists both did a great job. I was especially surprised by the sharpness of kou-kei's rap, and I regret not knowing about him until now.
The solo tracks were also really good.

Recently, Hip-hop in Japan is becoming the 'shortest route to making a profit from music,' and I'm fed up with everyone's lyrics being all about money. However, I feel it's rare in recent years to find a song (that isn't Boom Bap) that so clearly spits out 'the reason to do music that doesn't make money, even so.' Wait? Something is sweating from my eyes...

14 We Live in This Place [New Recording]

Even in this album, which originally has 'many stupid song titles,' this is the one with the strongest comedic color.

Honestly, my emotions peaked with Life Size BGM, so I felt like 'what are you going to do from here?', but this was a clever move.
By shifting the tone from 'emo' to 'laughter' all at once, they keep the listener's attention without letting it drag. Doing this late in a 16-track album is actually extremely difficult.

(Side note) The reason is that in this world of streaming dominance, people tend to put the 'winning songs' they want on playlists at the beginning of an EP or album, so the structure from the middle onwards becomes sloppy.
In other words, it becomes a 'good song/viral song order' rather than 'development and message through track order' (this is just my personal impression).
The reason, of course, is that if a user who came from a playlist starts playing an EP or album from that song, the playback time—that is, streaming revenue—increases the more it's at the beginning.
I'm not denying that method, and there are tons of recent works where the song structure isn't sloppy at all ^^;

Back to the main point, first of all, the track is super unique. It combines a high-tempo, four-on-the-floor beat that sounds like hardcore techno by trmsc. with the floating feeling of Hyperpop, creating a surreal mood.
In addition, from the content of the intro part and the layered vocals, you're made to realize, 'Ah, this is a stupid song, lol'.

In fact, verses that comically develop self-deprecating jokes about the countryside follow.
DSK's verse is particularly excellent. In tracks with such strong assertions, I think 'words that stick in the ear' or 'good rhythm' are more important than fine techniques, and in that respect, his approach is perfect.

However, in the song, there are lines like 'There's nothing in this town, even chain stores disappear quickly,' 'Working, working, working, and working again,' and 'We're struggling in this place.' The despair for 'this place' glimpsed from the lyrics is included in just the right amount, so it doesn't end as just a funny song. This balance is one of a kind.

Also, I thought this song had the most potential in the context of going viral.
This kind of MAD-like video would definitely fit it...

15 Feelin [Already Released]

After having my emotions stirred in various directions by the four new recordings so far, just when I thought, 'We must be nearing the end of the tracklist...', out comes the unexpected Feelin!! The track order is genius.
Of course, it's a great song to begin with, but it tastes even deeper when you listen to it after being so emotionally overwhelmed up to this point.

This part of the hook also makes the fruition of 'A' after 'keeping at it' feel deeply moving.

A favorite phrase of Mr. D.E.V. Comparing tasks to a mountain and calling them 'piled up,' then layering it with another mountain—it's an expression that seems obvious but hasn't really been used.

16 A･W･A･Z･A･R･U･K･A･S [Previously Released]*

About a month before the release of 'A', when this single was released, I thought, 'This must be an intro track!', and I was shocked when I saw the tracklist.
But this is good too; it feels like a loop track. Since it doesn't feel like an ending, I've wanted to go another round and have played 'Osato-gun' several times.

Speaking of recent loop tracks, KREVA's 'LOOP END / LOOP START (2021)' comes to mind. It had an incredibly hot structure where the outro instrumental track connected to the first song, 'Finaly'.
*I also transcribed 'Finaly'
In a life in Yorii Town that never changes, much like a loop track, it goes without saying that music changed their lives. To the complete AWAZARUKAS, who are undoubtedly at their peak in both skill and momentum, I say, 'Finally met you.' I can't take my eyes off their future moves.
...Is this ending like a Yahoo News article?

Thoughts on the album as a whole

The track order is divine

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The trendiness of the tracks

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Where did the 'money,' 'women,' and 'violence' go?

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Authentic represent

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