Sometimes it’s best not to mess around with a winning formula. Idol group Maison book girl has played with new ideas at times bordering on novelty recently — not long ago, they turned to artificial intelligence to pen lyrics for a song (though credit to our future robot overlords, the end result was pretty good!) — but with latest number “Kujira Koujo,” they keep it familiar. Check out the video below:
The lead-off number from their forthcoming single “SOUP” out on April 3 sticks to a familiar sonic palette that has helped make the quartet stand out from the idol field. Producer and songwriter Kenta Sakurai leans into sounds that you’d find coming out of a junior high school band practice room: xylophone notes, brass blurts, and even some piano chords. It’s all normal for the Maison book girl universe, and it works well once again as this upbeat mix makes for a great backdrop for the members themselves to sing over.
As peppy as the music can get, the lyrics offer a bit more confusion, a feeling conveyed by the four Maison book girl members adding some dramatic flair to passages. Again, right up their alley — they excel at numbers about emotional twisting and turning, here with references to specific ocean-adjacent places to really set the scene. The accompanying video works well to underline this tension, while also really making sure you get the title (translates to “Whale Factory” and…you, indeed, get both in the clip). Plus, some nice choreography unfolding in some sort of scrap yard.
“SOUP” drops on April 3, and you can visit a special site devoted to this release right here. You can also check out the group’s upcoming solo shows across Japan along with special event releases at various Tower Records.