SOFFet – NEW STANDARD (J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

June 12, 2008 by Dennis Amith 

“SOFFET’s fourth album ‘NEW STANDARD’ features a well-balanced album that features a bit more of jazzy, live house style of beats and all out fresh-sound. Also, an album featuring a good number of collaborations. Definitely a group to keep within your music radar.”

BAND: SOFFet

ALBUM: NEW STANDARD

LABEL: Rhythm Zone

CATALOG #: RZCD-45820/B

DURATION: 1:00:17

RELEASE DATE: February 27, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. 1. 東京ホタル
   2. ひとりじゃないwith MONGOL800
   3. NEW STANDARD with Sunaga t experience
   4. Minus to Plus with KURO from HOME MADE Kazoku
   5. 恋唄 with SEAMO
   6. Answer
   7. Potato Chips
   8. Jackal
   9. Into you with Spinna B-ILL
   10. 音遊技 ～四段～ with DEPAPEPE
   11. 手紙 ~a letter to my decade~ with Full Of Harmony
   12. Love Story
   13. あなたのおかげです with GAKU-MC

DVD: Region 2, 4:3, Duration: 22:09 minutes

1. Answer
2. Love Story
3. 東京ホタル
4. 2度目のファーストキス

RhythmZone duo SOFFet, which consists of GooF and YoYo have been called hip-hop artists to R&B artists and I suppose that you can say that the group is more or less a group that has roots in hip-hop but also can easily transcend to a rock/R&B group and can be compared to a group such as MONKEY MAJIK

With their fourth album “NEW STANDARD”, the group sports a little bit of hip-hop, jazz, live house and everything comes out smooth and enjoyable and gives listeners something different with each track.

The new album features a total of 13 tracks which include their 11th CD Single “Answer”, 12th CD Single “Love Story” and 13th CD single “Tokyo Hotaru”.

The first track “Tokyo Hotaru” is a definitive song that features the style of SOFFet. A little hip hop and sing-song vocals with music that features a strong focus on piano, acoustic guitar and percussion courtesy of the Tokyo Junkastic Band.

The second track “Hitori Jyanai” features a collaboration with MONGOL800′s Uezu Kiyosaku, Gima Tkashi and Takazato Satoshi. A more upbeat track that is also strong on live house style with piano, guitar and percussion.

The third track “NEW STANDARD” featuring a collaboration with Sunaga Tetsuo of Sunaga t experience features a strong jazzified, big band style of track. Another track to sport the jazz feel is the seventh track “Potato Chips” which features some interaction with fellow label artist Hinouchi Emi. And the final track “Anata no Okage Desu” with GAKU-MC in another big-band jazzified hip-hop track.

For those clamoring for the group’s hip-hop style will definitely get it with the fourth track “Minus to Plus” with a collaboration with KURO of HOME MADE Kazoku and “恋唄” in a collaboration with SEAMO for a more hip-hop ballad slow jam. And another up-beat, deep bass track with Spinna B-ill for the ninth track “Into you”.

Also, continuing with the hip-hop style is the 12th track “LOVE STORY” (and the duo’s 12th CD single) featuring a mid-tempo track with some help from wyolica’s Azumi. A very cool track with a smooth, constan flow of lyrics and cool vocals with a deep groove and fresh beats.

The sixth track “Answer” is the group’s 11th CD single and a song that showcases the group’s hip hop/sing-song style with a good dose of deep bass and percussion.

The eight track “Jackal” is another fresh, upbeat track. With a drum and bass style in a collaboration with wyolica’s so-to.

The tenth track “音遊技 ～四段～” is an all out acoustic guitar, bass and piano instrumental of “Answer” by DEPAPEPE in a jam session with YoYo on piano GooF on Bass, and DEPAPEPE’s Tokuoka Yoshinari and Miura Takuya on acoustic guitar. A beautiful instrumental jam.

The eleventh track “手紙 ~a letter to my decade~” features an acoustic guitar driven ballad and collaboration with Full Of Harmony’s HIRO, ARATA and YUTAKA. If anything, this track showcases vocal’s and smooth music and one of my favorite tracks on the album.

As for the DVD, you get a good amount of music videos featuring their 11th through 13th CD single and a bonus music video. All in all, good at showcasing the various sides of the duo and their music.

“Answer” features a storyline starring Kajiwara Yuta (one half of the comedy manzai duo King Kong) as a musician that is passionate about his music and wants to make money to purchase a keyboard and even sacrifices his relationship with his girlfriend and playing with his band to work odd hours to raise money to purchase the keyboard. It appears he lost everything…his girlfriend and friends because he’s always working until one day when performing live, his friends and girlfriend come to support him and in the end, his passion to make music comes true with an album release.

The second music video “Love Story” features the duo singing with project screen images on a white background and featuring a couple. An all out love song.

For the third music video “Tokyo Hotaru”, the duo and the band performing outside during the day in Tokyo and showcasing areas of the Tokyo skyline and areas of Tokyo.

And the final music video “2度目のファーストキス” features the group in jazz mode and jamming inside an apartment with friends. Featuring YoYo on piano and GooF on bass.

As for the CD booklet, included are the lyrics to the tracks, production credits and a flyer promoting the duo’s tour in May and June 2008.

SOFFet’s is one of those group’s that many people will embrace because of the musical presence and also the balance with hip-hop and R&B vocals.

All three areas come together quite well and for those clamoring for hip-hop and those clamoring for the band’s jazz-style of feel will definitely find it in “NEW STANDARD”.

All in all, I really dig this album because it’s well-done on all fronts. The musical production is really wonderful and if you are a fan of SOFFet’s works, this album is definitely worth checking out!

BUY THIS ALBUM NOW!