Brilliance often reminds me of pure darkness. The absence of light is a stunning medium that permits thoughts to be created, expanded and evolved. Those same thoughts can eventually lead to massive currents of inspiration that pay tribute to all that is, was, and will never be. Darkness is what you make out of it. In a way, that's why it can be so utterly terrifying. The thought that all that is before you is but a ghastly reflection of yourself makes every inch of your soul transparent.
Kuroki Nagisa’s self-titled EP is the exact representation of what that darkness stands for: the most brutally honest portrait you will ever see. Throughout its 35 minute run-time, Kuroki captures all of her fervent emotion flawlessly. From the upbeat and charming antics of “Hone” to the intense and elevating wails of “Sakin,” the singer-songwriter puts it all into her breathtaking performance. Her bright personality shines like a beam through every note and phrase. In fact, it shines through so much, you feel like she's there talking to only you. After hearing her passionate delivery, one can't help but smile a little.
However, the EP not only highlights Kuroki’s performance, but the musicianship showcased on it as well. The singer is accompanied with jazzy instrumentals that make every passage a memorable experience. Songs like “Kumari” specially come to mind, with avant-garde like sections thoroughly showing musical and songwriting prowess. Even though jazz is embraced, it never overpowers the album thanks to the musicians also embracing traditional j-rock aesthetics. This is particularly shown on the opener, “Atashi no Shinzou Ageru.” The song features the usual feel of the Japanese alternative scene, but doesn't get boring due to Kuroki’s fresh and whimsical take. On top of jazz and j-rock, Kuroki Nagisa’s instrumental influences extend to tribal and Middle Eastern flavours; a prime example is on the chorus of “Esper,” where a didgeridoo-like effect is put on the keyboards to take it to a new level. Of course, the vibrant mixture just mentioned is packed together nicely in slightly noisy production that also calls back to old school j-rock.
The Kuroki Nagisa EP is definitely reminiscent of darkness and its deceptively revealing nature. Still, that description simply doesn't do justice to the album. It is more than just a humble expression of Kuroki’s being. She actually took that same darkness as her canvas and painted over it, creating a self portrait incredibly sincere yet irrepressibly charming; the EP is nothing less than Kuroki’s absolute testament of color and feeling itself. Not bad for a 35 minute mini-album...
