First and foremost I want to say that Im no professional musician or anything close to that I like to sing and I learned the very basics of piano but thats about it. So this musical review is purely written from a consumer point of view. I might seem like a baby trying to formulate sentences while gesticulating with its hands to actual connoisseurs of the field. But Ill try my best to be as clear as possible and explain why I love this song. Nooticing: Right off the bat the lyrics start with I wish it was always midnight I said at 5 A.M which is a pun since the groups name litteraly translates to I wish it was always midnight so she litteraly says Zutto mayonaka de iinoni which is the full name of ZUTOMAYO 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593228357341224/IMG20240421151112.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=ecd31f0fb06dc4fdddb225989c8ed64fca15fcbb093a48d9b6c4890e8a8ac51e=format=webpquality=lossless Hanaichi Monmehttps://youtu.be/H88kps8X4Mk?si=mtgKh94x1ukrvtxM somehow feels different from other ZUTOMAYOs songs. But first whats a 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593228357341224/IMG20240421151112.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=ecd31f0fb06dc4fdddb225989c8ed64fca15fcbb093a48d9b6c4890e8a8ac51e=format=webpquality=lossless song according to me? Doujin songs which are basically japanese indie songs usually are derivative of pop rock techno or trance music. A subcategory of doujin songs are musics are thematically driven by feelings such as fear and angst. Known singers like Yorushika 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227379933265/IMG20240421151008.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=7d5b2686d2f29195a263ac1cd2958adc8a8998dee19c5cbe9eee98be3e2c104a=format=webpquality=lossless or Minami 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227644305468/IMG20240421151037.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=fae8a7086468001633eb79e039aafd32e1d8a6072b78bbe2bf6feef981a11587=format=webpquality=lossless express these feelings with somber or sad songs. ZUTOMAYO belongs to this branch but their way of dealing with the themes seem much more ardent than others Ive seen. Their musics are extremely fast paced loud and energetic. It doesnt feel sad at all in fact the intensity of the songs almost make you feel like ACANe 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227996364883/IMG20240421151049.png?ex=66266213is=66251093hm=3124ce0a3965ceb8a6dfe6dab314b1e0265318c16c79bfb653a4c5a30d3f6d3c=format=webpquality=lossless the main singer and lyricist tries exceedingly hard to escape from all that frustration and conflicts displayed in the lyrics with her voice. Even before documenting myself 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593228357341224/IMG20240421151112.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=ecd31f0fb06dc4fdddb225989c8ed64fca15fcbb093a48d9b6c4890e8a8ac51e=format=webpquality=lossless always have been a symbol of freedom and breakingthrough for me analyzing the lyrics only solidified my opinions. To illustrate what I mean Ill take DNAhttps://www..com/watch?v=VJy8qZ77bpE as an example. It talks about the fear of living the same thing on repeat and the numbness that accompanies routine. The more I repat the actions the more they become distant to me. The notion of living on reflex we can see the character doing the same chores with robotic movments again and again in the MV. However despite the song delving into the MCs insecurities the music is so hyper that rather than it feeling like a dwelling for these insecurities it feels like an emancipation from them. 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593228357341224/IMG20240421151112.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=ecd31f0fb06dc4fdddb225989c8ed64fca15fcbb093a48d9b6c4890e8a8ac51e=format=webpquality=losslesss songs are like a refusal of fatality. Which makes Hanaichi Monme all the more surprising. Why is this song different? Instead of denying lifes fatalities this song accepts them and even find comfort within these. I cant escape routine anymore I want to quit cant quit as hard as it is Its dumb to try to please everyone This bit is interesting phonetically speaking because the sound ai is hammered multiples times it feels heavy which matches with the lyrics. ruutiin kara mou... nukedasenAI yametAI yamerarenAI kurushii hodo gokigen nante ukagatte baka janAI The things I make already exist/ The songs I sing already exist I was surprised when I first read this because it sounds extremely cynical. Not only does ACANe 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227996364883/IMG20240421151049.png?ex=66266213is=66251093hm=3124ce0a3965ceb8a6dfe6dab314b1e0265318c16c79bfb653a4c5a30d3f6d3c=format=webpquality=lossless possibly talks about her quitting music but she also says she and what she creates are nothing special. The lines Dont expect a special character I dont expect a special future before death come solidifying this idea. This is all the more shocking coming from 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593228357341224/IMG20240421151112.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=ecd31f0fb06dc4fdddb225989c8ed64fca15fcbb093a48d9b6c4890e8a8ac51e=format=webpquality=lossless since she as I said has always been one to deny fatality. This clashes with the very image I had of the band. Then why is this a good song? This time the MC/ACANe 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227996364883/IMG20240421151049.png?ex=66266213is=66251093hm=3124ce0a3965ceb8a6dfe6dab314b1e0265318c16c79bfb653a4c5a30d3f6d3c=format=webpquality=lossless cant escape from fatalities death routine not being special disappointment. The emancipation doesnt come from running away from those but accepting finding meaning in them. I want meaning Hanaichi Monme even though I know I wont get it of the first chorus clashes with Im so happy I lost Hanaichi Monme of the third chorus Hana Ichi Monme is a playground game. Children move along a song and when its finished the leaders of both team do a janken rock paper scissor. The winner discuss with its team which member they want to take from the other team and announce it by saying Ano ko ga hoshii which translates to We want that kid. I want meaning is a wordplay here because she says Imi ga hoshii replacing that kid by meaning. Theres another worldplay in the third corus because children will say Were so happy we won/Were so upset we lost depending on the situation. 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227996364883/IMG20240421151049.png?ex=66266213is=66251093hm=3124ce0a3965ceb8a6dfe6dab314b1e0265318c16c79bfb653a4c5a30d3f6d3c=format=webpquality=lossless mixes both sentences and say Im so happy I lost. That means she lost the game and didnt get meaning. But its okay because she accepts fatality. My T shirt is all wrinked is a line that appears often in the song. To me it symbolizes authenticity and simplicity. There is a whole bridge of the song dedicated to the simple joys of life chilling with someone else and enjoying the moment while preparing for tomorrow I set the noisy alarm and say Goodnight Its like25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227996364883/IMG20240421151049.png?ex=66266213is=66251093hm=3124ce0a3965ceb8a6dfe6dab314b1e0265318c16c79bfb653a4c5a30d3f6d3c=format=webpquality=lossless has recognized the things she cant change but theyre not to run away from. Theyre to accept. Even if you cant get what you want even if you dont become a special character as long as you live a healthy life itll be okay. Nights waking early its not good to work too hard I hope to stay healthy The song ends with this line. Its very mature and different from the rest of her works. Noticing 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593227996364883/IMG20240421151049.png?ex=66266213is=66251093hm=3124ce0a3965ceb8a6dfe6dab314b1e0265318c16c79bfb653a4c5a30d3f6d3c=format=webpquality=losslesss growth in ideology and mentality thanks to her songs is a beautiful thing. 25https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/711862997638971486/1231593228357341224/IMG20240421151112.png?ex=66378593is=66251093hm=ecd31f0fb06dc4fdddb225989c8ed64fca15fcbb093a48d9b6c4890e8a8ac51e=format=webpquality=lossless is a great band and I hope this review did justice to their song. https://youtu.be/H88kps8X4Mk?si=mtgKh94x1ukrvtxM