A relatively new 4-piece act from Japan, LUMiRiSE has been making it’s way around since 2022. Featuring three members from the former act Re_roll (Kurumi, Oto, and MIZukI), the group released a number of singles with vocalist L before parting ways and current vocalist Kotomi began last year. That’s a long way of saying that their first full-length album, ≠encore., has been a few years in the making. But like the strongest acts emerging from Japan, LUMiRiSE have managed to quickly grab onto a sound that’s their own and that should bring them plenty of fresh faces to enjoy it.
As stated, ≠encore. is diverse. The group dabbles in everything from rock and metal to pop to EDM, hardstyle, and even some rap elements as the album runs from start to finish. It’s never a jarring change, as they weave in elements from those multiple sources into each tracks so that they flow nicely and help to establish the band’s identity. The band’s first single from back in 2022, “Shooter,” (here redone with vocalist Kotomi) displays their heavier side nicely. Driving and all but pulsating rhythms, soaring melodies from both Kurumi’s guitar and the vocals, some playful keys, and just a hint of pop energy give it a high intensity spunk that quickly becomes infectious. Early cut “Resolver” also taps into a similar formula, with flowing melodies and energetic riffing carrying the track into hook-filled territory, though it’s the final track “Half Bloomed Cosmos” that injects an urgent punk flavor into the riffing and gives the album it’s true rager to close on. MIZukI’s battering drumwork leads the charge while the ear-worming guitar melodies playfully exchange blows with some moments of electronic build-up.
On the more eclectic side of things is where you find more of the EDM and hardstyle injected tracks. “Crazy Circus” is aptly named for its theatrical usage of keys and electronics that intertwine with the rollicking guitar melodies. “Let’sgo Party Night” is probably the most EDM-infused cut, with soaring electronics given some equal time with the instrumentation to give it a dance-ready feeling, and the hip hop-esque vocals later in the song give it an even more unique vibe. That’s not even to count the breakdown towards the song’s end. “Battiness” has all the feelings of a vicious rave, with pounding electronics clashing with the driving riffs giving the music a ton of energy to feed off of.
Then there’s also the more melodic side of the group, which also bears it’s head from time to time. “amaryllis” has a classic build-up to the chorus, with swelling melodic feels elevating to a fever pitch and letting Kotomi get a chance for her vocals to soar. “Lovin’you” weaves some more electronics into the mix with a more pop-driven direction, and it’s here that Oto’s basswork gets some time to shine in the limelight as well with it’s very playful and bouncing rhythm moving very much to the front of the song. Lastly is the pop-infused “kimigaite,” which sacrifices some of the band’s electronics and bottom end for a more melodic structure, and it sits as one of the prettiest songs in the mix.
≠encore. is a strong debut from a group that feels ripe for take-off, both at home and internationally. LUMiRiSE command a swell of different sounds and approaches and successfully meshes them together in a way that consistently delivers hooks and heaviness in equal doses. It’s an impressive formula and it’s worth an investigation if you want something that can bring out a number of moods and perform them all with genuine fun and emotion.