I received a beer delivery yesterday. In it were many beers from Belgium and, some time later, I determined, through a combination of scientific investigation and injudicious consumption. that said Belgian beers were indeed both somewhat individualistic and notably intoxicating. Fifteen hours later and yet another product, possibly also of Belgium, came to my attention in the rounded silver shape of “マニアックメソン” by Manic Maison.
It is nothing less than the truth to state that Manic Maison make music that is easy on the ears with their musical style successfully walking a tightrope between cold wave and city pop. There is, for a start, that almost casually excessive use of chord structures unfamiliar to those who have not been blessed with a musical education yet there is also much in the way of pleasure to be gained from the way that Manic Maison have managed to reflect so many musical influences from the mainstream in their own music without actually ever sounding less than unique.
Any band that makes such use of the vocoder type effects will always be welcome in my ears and, although the intellectuals amongst us may state that the best pastiche is one that doesn’t sound like a pastiche, Manic Maison’s brand of artistically enhanced familiarity nonetheless proves to be rather intoxicating. Not as intoxicating as Belgian beer but, then again, few things are.