What does Manoske sound like?

Chiptune taken into the pop arena.

The review of ‘Kairanban EP’ by Manoske

Japanese electronic artist Manoske introduced me to the term “bitpop”. It is where chiptune music takes on more of a pop music sensibility. There are verses, choruses, bridges, and often multiple melodic layers that could emulate pop music or dance music chord progressions. It also allows the artist to include other instruments beyond chipsets. This sets us up beautifully for ‘Kairanban EP’, a selection of six banging bitpop tracks that will get stuck in your head after a single listen.

‘Ain’t Over Yet’ kicks things off with a power anthem for the ages. Feeling equal parts superhero theme song and dancefloor megahit, it’s like a chiptune version of a song Fenech-Soler or Royksopp would create. Manoske gives it a euphoric rise and glide that pays off handsomely as the beats amp up to become more fluid machines. ‘Posture’ mixes bongos and shaker percussion with 8-bit chipsets for a bouncy anthem. The lead melody for the chorus is one of those riffs that goes hard through fast repetition, whilst the breaks between allow for the bongos and organs to give the song room to breathe.

‘Tanabatasama’ is a short two-minute ditty. Crossing borders between something more childlike or traditionally Japanese in its mid-tempo, graceful structure, it is the kind of track an Auntie would come out to sing. ‘Ruban Rond’ is a skittish shiver of a track. The sizzling pulse of the old skool basslines leads the majority of the track until it explodes into a high-speed upper melody. It’s like the song is an elastic band that’s been let go, springing into action. We then get the comedic, ceremonial ‘Doughnut Ondo’. It starts out like a temple track with big snare drums and wooden block percussion before transitioning into a playful swingpunk track. There is something cute and arcade end credits song circa 1991 about it. We then end the EP with an extended five-minute version of the excellent ‘Posture’.

Manoske deserves praise for integrating pop songs and other elements of electronic music into chiptune music. Their sense of melody and song progression is what shines through most, though, as each track has several crescendos that are so satisfying to listen to. Most of the tracks have superb bridges, which I often associate with great songwriters. Manoske also uses different 8-bit chipsets, but they sound cohesive as an EP release, which is tricky to get right. With bitpop firmly introduced into my vocabulary, it’s time for me to dive deeper into the subgenre. If it’s new to you, too, then Manoske is a great place to start with me!

Recommended track: Ain’t Over Yet

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