Review: Reol - Aogeya Toutoshi (Agitate)
2020 was the year Reol jumped into my list of contemporary musical icons. Her abrasive electronic sound, often reaching hyperpop/complextro levels of chaos, still held together with an emotional core. She was a strong lyricist, and Giga an equally strong producer. I still have intense respect for her 2020, and it was clear she was aiming to drop a new release early in 2021. For whatever reason, she spent much of 2021 before dropping the The Sixth Sense EP in late December 2021, with its title track being released over a year earlier. While the EP is probably one of my favorite albums this year, I can't help but feel she lost much of her incredible commercial and creative hype that powered Sixth Sense's late July success.
That said, Reol seems to be attempting to make up for the last time with a blitzing 2022. In addition to promotional videos for many of The Sixth Sense's new singles, along with a few new singles for an upcoming release. While Agitate might not equal the heights of her 2020 releases, it is strong, being a blast of energy from beginning to end.
Agitate's core is its merger of pop elements with traditional Japanese music. This is something Reol often uses, and Agitate is another classic example of this. The pop half of Agitate is handled by the bass. It does not explode, but it plays nicely, coming together to provide a glue through the song's left-field moments, such as right after the bizarre, but still classically Reol, second verse.
Of course, Agitate holds it together with a strong melody. The song comes back when you least expect it, and the chorus is a total earworm. While nothing in the song is surprising, everything comes together for a surprisingly strong complete package.
Rating: 8.25/10
Purchase Reol's Agitate right here!
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