Japanese music style
For other uses, see
Denpa
.
Denpa song
|
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Stylistic origins
| |
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Cultural origins
| Early 1990s,
Tokyo, Japan
(especially
Akihabara
and
Harajuku
)
|
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Typical instruments
| |
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|
Akiba-pop | Moe songs
|
A
denpa
song
(
電波ソング
)
is a type of Japanese music that is intentionally strange and catchy.
[1]
Common features of
denpa
songs include intentionally off-key vocals, nonsensical lyrics, and an over-the-top tune.
Denpa
music has grown into a subculture within Japan, forming a significant aspect of
otaku
culture, and has large numbers of
d?jin
circles and music artists dedicated to
denpa
music.
Denpa
is not a specific
genre
in itself, but rather an umbrella term for various kinds of music.
[2]
[3]
[4]
Alternative terms for
denpa
music coined in recent times include
Akiba
-pop
and
A-pop
. The term "
Moe
song"
(
萌えソング
)
specifically refers to
denpa
music of otaku origin featuring
moe
themes.
Terminology
[
edit
]
The Japanese term
denpa
(
電波
, "electromagnetic waves")
originally arose in the 1990s to describe quirky individuals who often daydream and live in their personal fantasies, and was derived from the
Fukagawa Street murders
[
ja
]
in 1981. The assailant, Kawamata Gunji (川?軍司), was using illicit substances when he slashed random bystanders in broad daylight, killing two housewives and two toddlers and injuring many others. When confronted in court, he explained that electromagnetic waves were telling him to kill people, and pleaded
insanity
.
[5]
By the early 1990s, the term
denpa
began to appear throughout music and literature, and the phrase
denpa-kei
(
電波系
)
was used to refer to delusional, creepy people or crazed
lunatics
as a derogatory euphemism, based on the idea that such people could hear voices, see things and communicate through
telepathy
as a result of electromagnetic waves. Examples of such usage at the time include songs by Japanese metal band
Kinniku Sh?jo Tai
, which made references to the murder incident.
[4]
In regards to music, the term obtained a negative connotation, and was mainly associated with music that was considered creepy and had incomprehensible lyrics, often of
otaku
origin. Since otaku were often seen as strange people who behaved differently from the rest of society,
denpa
became widely associated with otaku culture in Japan and the
Akihabara
scene. Eventually, the term
denpa
began to encompass anyone who seemed quirky or out of tune with reality, as if these people were being hypnotized or controlled by electromagnetic waves. As time progressed, the
denpa
categorization of music began to take form, and such music became popular amongst otaku circles as a niche interest separate from the mainstream.
[3]
[4]
Characteristics
[
edit
]
Excerpt from "Dakko Shite Gyu! ~Nanji Tonari no Yome wo Aise~" by Tamiyasu Tomoe, demonstrating an upbeat, fast-paced
denpa
song.
Excerpt from "Hammer wo Denpa-songu ni shite mita" by kana, an example of
denpa
music which uses nonsensical lyrics alongside a catchy tune.
Denpa
songs consist of music with lyrics and tunes that are commonly viewed as awkward and strange. Despite this, listeners are drawn to it with the rationale that the music has "
hypnotized
" the listener; they are "under control" by the strangeness of the song. This feeling of being "poisoned and brainwashed" by the song is referred to by the term
doku-denpa
(
毒電波
, "poisonous electromagnetic waves")
.
Denpa
songs often contain lyrics that are nonsensical or contain otaku-related themes. Common themes include delusions, telepathy or insanity, and often, such songs contain chaotic or repetitive lyrics to the point of creepiness.
Denpa
songs often feature repetitive chants or off-key singing alongside a catchy melody, accentuating the excessive energy of the music. High-pitched vocals,
wotagei
cheers, and other various extremes build towards the chaos which characterizes
denpa
. An example of such music is "
Neko Mimi Mode
", a song with the phrase "Neko Mimi Mode" repeated over and over as the lyrics.
Denpa
music may also be conflated with various other musical genres, such as gamewave,
bitpop
, and
chiptune
music.
[3]
[6]
Denpa
is often characterized as cute and happy, since a large number of
denpa
music involves
moe
themes (which make
denpa
songs happy,
cute
, and fast-paced). However, this is not always the case, as they may also include darker themes. One conception of
denpa
music is that it is a type of "cute
J-pop
", but
denpa
is a largely underground trend. As such, it is not popular mainstream music, and has a separate scene to that of J-pop.
Denpa
was, in its early days, associated mainly with creepy music, and as a result, became frowned upon in the mainstream and remained confined to niche otaku groups.
Under17
was a popular band which made songs that were musically cute with quirky lyrics, and these songs altered the perception of
denpa
music.
[6]
In popular culture
[
edit
]
Denpa
albums are often sold by artists at events such as
Comiket
, and other large gatherings of people interested in otaku culture.
Denpa
is sometimes used in the opening and closing themes of
anime
series; examples include the opening themes of
Shinryaku! Ika Musume
,
Kill Me Baby
, and
Wasteful Days of High School Girls
.
Notable artists
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]