One simply has to write about Snail's House at some point. It is a band one could stumble upon, or would stumble upon, or maybe even should stumble upon. It is a band of which such a thing can be said. Is it kawaii? Some may even point to the music being that, but it is generally the videos that take the cake and which make this band stand out amongst a lot today. Are they kawaii?
You do not believe me?
Go over to YouTube and search for * Snail's House — Magical Holiday * Snail's House — Christmas of a Wandering Ghost * Snail's House — うたかた (utakata)
and now tell me which small bands or projects out there put in so much effort? And as you can see from these videos, it is not a new thing, but something Snail's House has done for quite some time now. They add something that would otherwise not be there. They leave a spark that even in case of the other tracks, which would have no visual accompaniment, would spark a level of the imagination on what the music would “look like”. The colours. The characters. The setting. It has something that would be labelled as kawaii. And it only takes the cover artwork to initiate this idea.
So what is their music all about? Melodic electronic music would be the overall basis. Depending on the track, a certain difference in terms of direction and style can be found, of course. At times the music twists and turns, is thrown hence here and hence there by various breaks and interludes. At others, a charming melody tugs the listener under the arm and guides this person through a ludicrous and pastel-coloured world. うたかた is both and this can also be seen in the video.
The wobbling sound in the opening of the sole track on this release sets the stage, because through this it opens the space for the rest. An easiness is established, which is maintained nearly continuously but in variations until the very end. With the full range of instruments unleashed and the vocals to join in, stylistically in some kind of synthesized kind of way, electronic beats set the pace, while additional sound elements enrich it all in a bewildering and “magically”. The 5:35 minute long track progresses through various stages of complexity and arrangements, while fading out in a gentle kind of way. It is playful, incomprehensible, and charming at the same time.
The charm of this as well as the other releases are due to the setting, the atmosphere of the music, the videos and what else people may find the songs themselves. The tracks are a wonderful antidote to the modern age, and they help to lift the spirits and spark the imagination.
May there be many more releases of Snail's House yet to come.