Belgian-Japanese electro-pop duo Aili & Orson (fka Aili) return to our speakers with "Achi Kochi", the first single from their forthcoming second album.
Roughly translated as "all over the place", "Achi Kochi"’s looping vocals and motorik rhythms capture a feeling familiar to many of us: the need to keep so many plates spinning at once, whether that's family, friends, careers or hobbies.
Whilst the lyrics are sung in Japanese, Aili & Orson once again dissolve language barriers, perfectly translating the song’s mood into music. "Achi Kochi"’s juxtaposition of energetic disco drums, courtesy of guest Lander Gyselinck, with dreamy synth pads and a Moog bass line creates an unmistakable vibe that is insistent and urgent, yet at the same time is suffused with both warmth and a sense of melancholy.
The result is another sonic carousel of stimulations that, filtered through the imaginations of Aili & Orson, can at least be temporarily exorcised on the dancefloor. Where their acclaimed debut album Nandakke? was a riot of neon-pop sounds and wide-eyed energy, Achi Kochi provides a beguiling introduction to the band's new era and a hint at the no less inventive but perhaps more self-reflective direction of the new chapter.
"Achi Kochi" is out today via Eskimo Recordings.