EP: YU:MI + ACID42 : Kodomo [qd-4230] (2005)

Acid42 Yu:Mi - Kodomo album cover

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Think of bouncing balls, building blocks, and nursery rhymes, and what you get is Kodomo (which in Japanese means “child”) — a collection of 4 traditional Japanese children’s songs that have been given a funky new synthpop and ethnotronica spin. Plus, a bonus original 5th song.

About the Collaboration

For the vocals on this release, I collaborated with Japanese-Filipino vocalist YU:MI Calderon and asked her to sing these Japanese nursery rhymes to a fixed beat, which I then constructed arrangements around. The bonus 5th song “Everybody Lies,” however, is a synthpop song tackling the darker side of relationships and was written specifically for this release.

The EP was released in October 2005 on my QED Records netlabel.

Album Details

  • FILE UNDER: world, ethnic, ethnotronica, electronica, synthpop, electropop, folktronica, Japanese folk songs, kiddiesynthpop, J-Folk, more playful than Rainbow Brite and He-Man.
  • DETAILS: 5 MP3s at 192 kbps, stereo
  • DOWNLOAD: Get the entire EP as a ZIP FILE (27.1 MB) – from Archive.org

Complete Liner Notes

SONG NOTES

01. Antagata Dokosa (Where are you from?) is a children’s play song sung to the rhythm of a bouncing ball.
02. Toh Ryanseh (Pass Here) is a folk song, which was used by the Japanese government as a WALK signal for pedestrian crossings.
03. Zui Zui Zukorobashi is a nonsense nursery rhyme about a little rat eating rice.
04. Medaka No Gakkou (School of Ricefish) is a song about a school of fish, literally with students and teacher, and the graceful way they all swim in the water.
05. Everybody Lies is about the erosion of relationships when trust breaks down.

SONG TRANSLATIONS + LYRICS

01. Antagata dokosa (Where are you from?) : traditional Japanese folk song
Where are you from? From Higo province
Where in Higo province? In Kumamoto
Where in Kumamoto? In Semba
In Semba mountain there is a raccoon.
And the hunter shot it, Boiled it, Fried it, Ate it
Hide it a little with a leaf from the tree.

02. Toh Ryanse (pass here) : traditional Japanese folk song
Go ahead, pass here, pass here.
Which narrow path is this?
This is the narrow path going to the god of the shrine.
Can I pass this way?
Those who do not have a reason to go will not be allowed to pass.
I’m going to offer a good luck charm to celebrate this child’s 7th birthday.
Its easy to go there but it will be scary going home.
It is scary but pass here, pass here.

03. Zui Zui Zukorobashi: traditional Japanese folk song
[1st few lines are apprently nonsense]
The rat is crying chu- chu- as it ate the rice in the sack
Even if daddy calls, even if mommy calls, no one’s coming.
Who broke the rice bowl around the well?

04. Medaka no gakkou (School of Ricefish) : traditional Japanese folk song
Ricefish’s school is in the river
Gently have a peek, gently have a peek
They are all dancing
____ The Ricefish in Ricefish school
Which are the teachers and which are the students?
Which are the teachers and which are the students?
They are all energetic, playing
____ Ricefish’s school seems fun
Flowing with the water swimming,
flowing with the water swimming
Every body together swimming

05. Lies : by Yu:Mi Calderon + Lionel Valdellon

1. Maybe I should’ve lied, Kept my feelings inside
Maybe I should have stayed away.
Maybe I should’ve said: I didn’t care at all
Maybe I should have built more walls.

CHORUS: Everybody lies, Lies about something.
Lies about anything, Lies about love
Everybody lies: Lies about feelings,
Lies about who they’re with, Lies about love
Lies about love … Lies about love…
Who can I believe, But myself?

2. Somehow I hold the cards, I found out everything.
I could tell her what’s going on.
Tell her how he betrayed her, Tell her how he came to me.
I can foresee how things will go wrong.

3. I never think of him. I’ve rid myself of him.
I’m even lying to myself.
I hide the memories. I used up all my tears
Maybe the time has come to move on.

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