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「1」

Noixe, the raucous, chaotic, but exhilarating 10^th anniversary double album by nano, could be the greatest album of 2023. The intensity is relentless. There is no let-up in energy from the first song to last. The only analog that comes to mind is Band-Maid’s Unseen World, a furious eruption of ecstatic rage that was released early in 2021 at the apex of the COVID-19 crisis. Just as Unseen World blew away every competitor in 2021, NOIXE may be the one essential release of 2023.

But Noixe is a very different type of album from the stone-cold masterpiece Unseen World. There are indeed parallels. BAND-MAID”s Miku Kobato is one of the greatest rock lyricists in the world. But nano is every bit as fascinating. Both are writers of difficult and demanding lyrics. Both Miku and nano can be discursive, allusive, and challenging. And both can be concise, direct, and raw.

「2」

But nano’s songs are notable for their exploration of the considerations and consequences that pivot points of life can have on a human being. The narrator of nano’s songs often has a decision to make. One must act. But the information to make that decision may be incomplete or confusing. Listen to the words of the opening song “Evolution” to get an idea of the challenges that human beings face:

Trapped in a labyrinth inside my head

When all the signs are leading me away from the goal before me

The harder I try to escape the dread,

The deeper the shadows take me into the night

When all I needed was a ray of light

「3」

NOIXE represents nano’s exploration of the meaning of human existence and an ongoing search for meaning and purpose in life. nano seems to recognize that the pivot points may be existentially consequential. The choice to be made will affect the future course of life.

The lyrics include phrases such as “I don’t know how to go on/I don’t know where I belong” (“Fight Song”), “make a choice: lead or just follow,” (“We Are the Vanguard”), or “do we have faith in our fate? (“Broken Voices”). nano’s lyrics pose a particular type of problem and try to address that problem head on. The problem can’t be solved in a simple way. It is part of an ongoing journey that includes successes, failures, doubts, and false starts.

「4」

An emotional high point of this journey occurs towards the beginning of the song, “A Nameless Color.” After a brief vocal introduction featuring guest artist Underbar, nano lets rip the phrase, “Rock On!” nano sings that phrase in a voice that is so suffused with passion and joy that it is almost impossible to process the meaning.

Fans will know that the phrase “Rock on!” has particular significance for nano. Not only was it the title of nano’s 2015 album, “Rock on!” is a catch phrase that nano uses on a regular basis. But to nano, “Rock on!” is not just a catch phrase. It is a philosophy of life. It reflects the fact that we live in a world of passions and anxieties. We must embrace the challenges posed by that world, make an informed decision about choices that must be made, and then, simply, “rock on.”

The listener may not know the exact conundrum that the narrator of nano’s songs is facing, but the listener can hear the wheels turning in their head. “What do I do?” “Why do I feel doubt?” “How should I respond?” And, crucially, “What will be the consequences of my actions on others?”

「5」

There is an element of classical stoicism to nano’s responses. nano recognizes that there may be no clear-cut answer. Like the stoics, the narrator must make decisions based on what they know and on the things they can control. One must ignore or accept the things outside of one’s control The answer is to make the call and then to “Rock on.”

The search for meaning and purpose in life that the Stoics explored is a theme that runs through philosophical debates to the present day. Without stretching the metaphor too far, nano’s songs often call to mind concepts discussed by the German philosopher Paul Tillich in his book The Courage To Be. In Chapter 1, Tillich states, “The courage to be is the ethical act in which man affirms his own being in spite of those elements of his existence which conflict with his essential self-affirmation.” An inherent cleavage between reason and desire exists. Tillich goes on to say, “Courage is strength of mind, capable of conquering whatever threatens the attainment of the highest good.”

Confronted with the great abyss of meaninglessness, Tillich proposes that humans are faced with a decision between courage and despair and that one should choose courage. That way one can live in a meaningful way despite being unsure.

「6」

nano’s approach to the challenges of living seems to be consistent with Tillich’s statement that “the affirmation of one’s essential being in spite of desires and anxieties creates joy.” To which nano would undoubtedly respond, “Rock on!”

To be honest, it seems somewhat specious to refer to the “narrator” of the songs rather than to nano. nano is one of the most emotionally honest rock artists in the world. And nano is one of the most engaged with fans. In tweets, Instagram live streams, and Twitch conversations, nano has been extraordinarily open about experiencing feelings of self-doubt, insecurity, and confusion. For example, nano, who was born in New York City, but moved to Japan at the age of fourteen, has spoken of the feeling of duality experienced at times in life.

So one has to believe that the words come from painful personal experience when nano sings in “A Nameless Color,”

Until the day that I met you

I never thought that I could change;

But now I know that I can find my own true colors

If I just believe.

「7」

This is where nano’s conclusions differ from those of Miku Kobato, and from intriguing lyrics written by BAND-MAID’s iconic vocalist Saiki, who has begun to add her own perspectives to BAND-MAID’s responses to the challenges of the modern world (check out “Hate” from the 2022 EP Unleash!!!!! to see what I mean about Saiki).

It often seems that the narrator of BAND-MAID’s songs says to a lover or friend, “here’s my proposal; take it or leave it because I can do it without you.” nano, on the other hand, usually proposes, “we can only make it if we do it together.” Listen to the lyrics from “Let’s Make Noise:”

I’ve been stuck in this mess until I found you.

I’ve been waiting for this moment all along….

Forget the world and let’s make noise

Whatever makes you feel alive

Take the jump with me

Don’t ever let me go.

「8」

It’s easy enough to sympathize with the BAND-MAID perspective because life and love aren’t easy, friends. But there is something truly inspirational about nano’s response. nano’s English translation of the song “God Knows” is a perfect example of how to solve what Paul Tillich describes as “one of the most difficult ethical problems, the relation of self-affirmation and love toward others:’

When you are here for me

And I am here for you,

And there’s nobody else

Just the two of us in loneliness

A long forgotten dream awakens in the empty shadows of our past

A memory calling to you

I promise whatever happens I am with you

I won’t ever lose you.

「9」

Strangely enough, nano’s lyrics also call to mind some of the great existential philosophers of the 20^th Century. For example, the great French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre points out that along with the freedom to make choices comes the responsibility for the outcomes of those choices. One must own the choices made and accept the consequences, even those consequences that one never imagined could occur and especially the ones that hurt other people.

That is one of the great lessons of great Korean dramas such as the existential mystery thriller, “Mine.” Like nano’s songs, “Mine” is a deep exploration of human relationships and the decisions that can affect those relationships. But nano seems to want to share the hard lessons that come from difficult decisions. nano’s “Circle of Stars” sums up this concept of shared responsibility:

With every single milestone

We’ve reached a crossroad

Whenever you feel like the world’s falling in

I will dive right with you

By your side so you are not alone….

Together we will chase our happy ending.

「10」

The songs are uniformly great. nano’s songs inhabit the same musical quadrant as those of BAND-MAID and TRiDENT. The songs of those bands, like nano’s, are characterized by gripping hooks, churning power chords, incendiary guitar solos, complex arrangements with instruments dropping in and out, exhilarating drumming, creative and funky bass lines. Most importantly, there is a pervasive undertone of chaos.

Like the talented vocalists Ado, Aimer, LiSA, and Reona, nano has deep roots in the anime world. But it would be a mistake to say that nano is more pop-oriented than BAND-MAID, TRiDENT or similar bands. Current anime series are often suffused with darkness and doubt. The opening and closing themes of anime series often drive home a sense of confusion and mayhem. nano’s anime themes, such as “Evolution” and “Catastrophe” certainly reflect this chaos.

「11」

The instrumentation of nano’s songs is often very diverse. The arrangements sometimes include keyboards, synthesizers, and light orchestration. The musicians on nano’s releases are some of the most talented in the world. It may be impossible for any guitar solo to reach the heights of that in 想イ出カケラ from the 2012 debut album Nanoir. Nevertheless, the solos in “Evolution” “Broken Voices” and “God Knows” come very close. The guitar solo in “TRUTH: A Great Detective Of Love” is notable for beginning in a slow and searching manner, before exploding in a paroxysm of notes. The chaotic guitar introduction to “God Knows” is mesmerizing.

“Let’s make noise” is an instant classic. Its repeated “Hell yeah, hell yeah, let’s keep rocking on” recalls the mantra “Rock on!” and is one of the high points of the album. nano often makes aspirational references that look beyond the present reality, as in “Circle of Stars.” It is only in making the necessary decisions that the narrator can break free from the present and reach the stars.

「12」

The rhythm guitars often make heavy use of the chorus and reverb pedals. This creates a true power-pop vibe. For example, the opening riff of “Rewrite” conjures up images of the late, great Tommy Keene’s hypnotic riffs.

There are occasional sound effects that enhance the impact of the song. These include an alarm and ticking clock in “We Are the Vanguard” and a siren in “TRUTH: A Great Detective Of Love.” A sudden key change in “God Knows” increases the emotional impact of an exhilarating paean to the joys of a shared destiny.

「13」

NOIXE is notable for several collaborations with other vocalists. KIHOW from the band Myth & Droid has a unique voice. Her slightly more acute timbre is a perfect contrast to nano’s voice in “Broken Voices.” DEMONDICE, an American, adds a fiery rap section to “We Are the Vanguard,” and Underbar shares vocals with nano on “A Nameless Color.”

nano’s own vocals are filled with conviction. The listener never doubts that nano means every word. nano’s own rap sections are characterized by intense ferocity. There are effortless shifts from chest voice to head voice, such as in the final chorus of “Heart of Glass.”

nano’s voice can traverse the pandemonium of “Evolution” and “Catastrophe,” as well as the wistfulness of “Deep Forest.” nano perfectly captures a wide variety of emotions. And what a beautiful voice it is. nano was gifted with a gorgeous alto voice. The timbre of that voice is lush and smooth, burnished by an underlying eroticism. nano is truly one of the most accomplished vocalists in rock music.

「14」

The first disc of NOIXE is a set of ten original songs, with lyrics by nano. The second CD is five covers of songs by other artists. Those songs originally had Japanese lyrics, some of which nano has translated into English. There is no discernible difference between the two discs. The lyrical themes and musical arrangements mesh perfectly.

After 14 songs of tumultuous rock filled with emotional turnoil, “Deep Forest,” concludes the album with a powerful, soul-stirring message of hope:

Every night I dream, with every dawn I wake,

A song within my soul keeps echoing.

Remembering a prayer that burns in candlelight,

Like a ray of hope leading me to you.

In nano’s translation of the original Japanese lyrics, there remains a sense of wistfulness, as nano sings of memories of youth and a past that can’t be escaped. But nano’s conclusion, in a world of doubt and disappointment, is one of hope:

Never looking back, we face what lies ahead.

Our story will go on if only we believe.

For the Japanese version of this article, please click on “Japanese” at the top of the page.

ページトップの「日本語」をクリックすると、本記事の日本語版を閲覧できます。