Former Bandai Namco Entertainment lyricist and composer Taku Inoue will release his first major debut single ‘3時12分’ next month, featuring an unlikely collaborator.
Ever since Inoue left Bandai Namco Entertainment in 2018, all eyes have been on the artist to see whether he could make it in the mainstream. He would probably be the first video game composer to do so, or at least in such a way that’s intentionally divorced from their previous work. Signing up with TOY’S FACTORY in July 2019 certainly was a step in the right direction, but we haven’t heard much from him since then.
Until now. Taku Inoue’s first major debut single ‘3時12分’ (meaning the time 3:12) will release on 14 July, featuring vocals by hololive virtual YouTuber Hoshimachi Suisei. To a certain extent, this is a call back to his previous roots in the creation of pop culture, but Suisei is more than well established as an artist herself: her last original song, ‘Bluerose,’ was only released three days ago and has already surpassed over 600,000 views.
A small preview of ‘3時12分’ is available now via Taku Inoue’s official YouTube channel. It really is only small, coming in at just over thirty seconds long, but so many of Inoue’s idiosyncrasies are already there: loud, rich, expansive production, as well as an insatiable groove. Suisei’s powerful voice definitely won’t lose out to this, making her and Inoue into an excellent combination.
On the virtual idol, Inoue remarked in his official comment that ‘Suisei-san’s singing was so powerful that it shook the room, so it upped the volume even more than I imagined.’ Suisei, meanwhile, remarked that it was an ‘honor’ to be given the opportunity to contribute to Taku Inoue’s major debut single. ‘I poured my heart and soul into it in an explosive, emotional way! I hope you all enjoy it!!’