The Sound of Tokyo from the World’s Perspective - millennium parade

Introduction

Hello.
In a previous article, I had the pleasure of writing at length about the up-and-coming four-piece band King Gnu.
With their overwhelming sense of style, they have produced numerous masterpieces and captured the hearts of their fans. The other project led by the genius Daiki Tsuneta, the central figure of King Gnu, is millennium parade.
In this article, I will be discussing the appeal of millennium parade in depth. Whether you are a fan or not, I hope you will enjoy reading this article.

What is millennium parade?

millennium parade, also known as “Mirepa”, is a music project led by Daiki Tsuneta of King Gnu. It was set up with the aim of performing Japanese music, but it also has the concept of expressing the sound of Tokyo as seen from the world.
The group was formed in 2019, but even before that, Daiki Tsuneta had released several works under the name Millennium Parade (DTMP). The album 'http://' from the DTMP era was released with a limited edition and is sold at prices of over 50,000 yen in some places.
Although millennium parade is a project that does not have a fixed member, there are members who participate in many songs. The following is an introduction to the six members.

Daiki Tsuneta (King Gnu)

He is the leader of the group, and is in charge of composing all the songs and writing the Japanese lyrics. He is more involved in the music as a producer than as a guitarist.

Kazuki Arai (King Gnu)

He is a bassist who is also a member of King Gnu. He not only plays electric bass, but also string bass and synth bass, adding attractive low tones to the songs.
Sometimes he performs with another bassist, Shu Sasaki (PERIMETRON), in a twin bass formation.

Yuu Seki (King Gnu)

He is also the drummer for King Gnu. In millennium parade's twin-drum setup, he is in charge of the danceable beats that require fewer hand movements.
At other times, he is in charge of programming the beats, and it could be said that he supports the rhythm of the songs with a variety of approaches.

Shun Ishiwaka

He is another drummer in millennium parade. Like Daiki Tsuneta, he is a graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, and is said to be the most successful jazz drummer in Japan today.
He was a member of Srv.Vinci, the predecessor band to King Gnu, and in recent years he has also been active in the music of Kenshi Yonezu, and has expanded his field of activity to include playing the drums in the anime “Kids on the Slope” and “BLUE GIANT”.
In millennium parade, he is in charge of the fine grooves that complement Seiki's big beats, and he also plays synth bass, showing that he is a player who can direct the rhythm section as a whole, not just as a drummer.

Ayatake Ezaki (WONK)

He is also a keyboardist from Tokyo University of the Arts, and plays piano, synthesizer, organ, etc. in all millennium parade songs.
In addition to being a member of the soul band WONK, he also writes film music and has participated in the recording of many songs with King Gnu. He is also in charge of the artwork for WONK.
He is a graduate of the master's program at the University of Tokyo Graduate School, and has a background in music education for children, making him a person who is involved in music from many different angles.

ermhoi (Black Boboi)

She is in charge of the vocals and English lyrics for several songs by millennium parade.
In addition to her own activities as a track maker, she also provides vocals, chorus support and songwriting for other artists' works.
In the past, she has provided chorus for the song “Summer Rain Diver” by King Gnu (Srv.Vinci).

Recommended Works

As well as the excellence of the music, the music videos created by PERIMETRON (the creative team led by Tsuneta) also have an irresistible appeal that cannot be ignored.
I will introduce three recommended works as a comprehensive art form that combines music and video.

Fly With Me

This is the theme song for the anime “Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045”, but it also has a place as millennium parade's own theme song.
This music video, which was created using full CG, is also a perfect short film. The action scenes in particular are a highlight, and you may find yourself wondering which is the main focus, the music or the images.
PERIMETRON spent a great deal of time and money on this work, and completed it with the enthusiasm of changing the world.
Perhaps because of this background, the lyrics “Money make the world go around” in the song are not just a social satire, but can be taken as a passionate declaration of intent to “change things from here”.
As a side note, motion capture was used for the movements of the characters in the music video, and it is said that the vocalist himself performed them. The fact that it is not just a promotional video, but also gives the feeling of being one with the artist, is what makes this music video so appealing.

Philip

This is a remake of the Srv.Vinci song “Stem”. Continuing from “Stem”, actor Yuta Nakano has participated in the song, writing the lyrics and rapping.
The music video was produced by Ryoji Yamada, who is also known for his work on King Gnu's “prayer x”. The animation tells a sad story featuring Stan the Doberman as the main character.
The music video's story, combined with Nakano's spoken-like rap, makes for a serious piece of work.
In the song, the sounds of a gun being loaded with bullets and a dog barking are used very effectively. These sounds, together with the lyrics and images, link together to draw you into the world of the piece.
Incidentally, it was revealed in an interview that the dog's voice was actually Nakano himself.

FAMILIA

This song was created as the theme song for the movie “Yakuza and Family: The Family”. It seems to be a song that was created with extraordinary feelings, as Mr. Tsuneta says, “I don't have the confidence to write a song that surpasses this one”.
Satoru Iguchi (King Gnu) took part as a guest vocalist. He and Tsuneta sang the Japanese lyrics, which are rare for millennium parade, with great dignity.
The lyrics are incredible! The weight of the words “I've learned what love is, and the price is incalculable” really moves the heart. There may be something in common with the expressions “the strength of being empty inside” and “the weakness that is born from looking back on the path you've come” in King Gnu's “Slumberland”.
The music video features a number of big-name members, including the film's lead actor, Go Ayano. Rather than simply piecing together scenes from the film, director Fujii of Yakuza and Family shot the video himself for this work.
With Iguchi's participation, this is a song that blurs the boundaries between King Gnu, but it is still a masterpiece full of expressions that only millennium parade can create.

Conclusion

That was a long article, but I hope you've learned a little about the appeal of millennium parade.
I'd be happy if you could listen to the three songs I introduced this time, as well as many other songs.
Thank you for reading.

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