Monthly Nico Nico Indies Ranking #20 - January 2012

[fascinates]

The first Indies ranking of the year contains surprisingly quite a few new songs plus the usual retains from the previous ranking. Surprisingly, there are also a lot of comebacks this ranking, some even from 2010! I don't have any explanation for it, but I hope you enjoy the reminiscence :D.

Like with the Weekly Utaran, a mirror to the English Nico Nico Site is also provided for the Monthly Indies Ranking, so if you want to comment in English, feel free to view this one.

English nicovideo link
original nicovideo link



NEW UPLOAD RANKING

01. 【オリジナル曲】宇宙で生まれた君へ
• Uchuu de Umareta Kimi he (Chroma)
• mylist
• Title means "To you who has been born in this universe". Chroma is also a Vocaloid producer and usually works together with PowapowaP. This song is a fusion of electronica and soft piano melody topped with chunco's wonderfully cute voice as narrator.

02. 処女A - smog　　　（オリジナル）
• smog (ShoujoA)
• mylist
• ShoujoA is also known as HikkieP, a rather prolific Vocaloid producer who also does covers and originals sparingly on the side. This song reminds me of early punk rock because of the seemingly random playing and singing. The vocals are a bit louder than the music, which highlights it a lot while making the melody a little muddled.

03. 【NNI】 蝶の軌跡 【オリジナル曲】
• Chou no Kiseki (Tuko)
• mylist
• Title means "Butterfly Traces". Tuko is also a Vocaloid producer usually using Miku and Iroha in their works. He also collaborates sometimes with uzP. This is a lovely instrumental track with a good mix of piano and drums that's easy on the ears.

04. 【NNI】　Q　【Artcore】
• Q (Kiriu)
• mylist
• Kiriu is a well-rounded composer who has tried his hand at a lot of things including Electronica, Funk, Ethnic/Folk, Breakcore and this time Artcore. It's called Artcore mainly because of the multitude of sounds which transcend normal musical style. You might notice it sounds a bit game-ish and electronic but not really. It's a genre that's quite hard to describe ^^;

05. so ohno ; harvest
• Harvest (so ohno)
• mylist
• So Ohno is an instrumental track maker whose compositions are often of house-atmospheric moods. You can check out his Myspace for more info. This song starts of ambient-ish but towards the chorus it becomes more upbeat and leaning towards house. The vocals are distorted and segmented, giving it an unusual techno feel.

06. 【NNI】青く塗れ【Re-mix】
• Aoku Mamire -remix- (Ishikawa Keisuke)
• Title means "Stained with Blue". This is a remix of the original by SakuranP. Remixing is by Ishikawa Keisuke, singing is by WeatherH.

07. シ　k a　ク■
• Shikaku■ (NIYMORIY)
• mylist
• NIYMORIY is also a VocaloidP who usually uses English!Luka in his works. This is an electronic-ambient instrumental track with a relaxing ambiance, but with a rather symbolic PV.

08. Denki moof - おもいでめぐりみち
• Omoide Meguri Michi (Denki moof)
• Denki moof is a collab unit by LOMO and Kurata. This track is kind of postrock in nature, with echoey electric guitars against a gentle flute-like dominant melody.

09. 【地下102階】亞亞細亞【PV】
• Aajia (KihirohitoP)
• mylist
• KihirohitoP is quite a well-known VocaloidP who uses Miku and Rin/Len in his works. This song is an ethnic instrumental track with a beautiful violin-like melody plus a lovely PV.

10. 【NNI】 凍る 【セルフアレンジ】
• Kooru (Tuko)
• mylist
• This is a postrock song with echoey but thin-sounding drums layered with beautiful piano music.





OVERALL UPLOAD RANKING

01. 【シャノ(40㍍)】 はじめての涙 【オリジナル】
• Hajimete no Namida (40mP x Chano)
• Chano's mylist, 40mP's mylist
• Title means "The First Tears". You might remember this from the Utaran as the song 40mP uploaded to commemorate the birth of their first child.

02. 【ろん×Junky】スイートマジック【『&』Track 01】
• Sweet Magic (Junky x Lon)
• Junky's mylist; Lon's mylist
• [comeback] This is a returning song and was part of the NNI compilation "&".

03. 【マチゲリータ】雪月花【オリジナル曲】
• Setsugekka (Machigerita)
• mylist
• This is another one of Machigerita's indie works, although instead of outright scary/eerie, this one is an upbeat rock song reminiscent of earlier works by L'arc~en~Ciel...or so I thought. It's a good change to hear Machige singing in a non-creepy way :D. The violins are a nice touch!

04. 【HIGEDIUS】ワープ【ヒゲドライバー×新社会人】
• Warp (Higedriver x Shin Shakaijin)
• Shin Shakaijin
• This song is part of the album "Higedius" and while Shin Shakaijin sexily sung it, the song is actually composed by Higedriver. You can visit Higedriver's website here.

05. ひつじ雲　　【acane × whoo × 茶ころ】
• Hitsuji Kumo (whoo)
• mylist
• Whoo is a well-known VocaloP/musician who collaborates with artists like Tabun Jibun and this time, with Acane Madder. Whoo composed the song and provided the guitars while Acane provided the piano and vocals. As usual, it's a postrock-ish ballad with gentle guitar and piano melody and stray accordion sounds coupled with Acane's small voice.

06. 「うんこの旋律」をイトケン風にしてみた
• Unko no Senritsu (Sen'etsu)
• mylist
• [ comeback ] This is a rearrangement of the song a la Romancing Saga ^^;.

07. 【Weekend Paradiseオリジナル】ラストループ【鹿乃】
• Last Loop (Weekend Paradise)
• mylist
• Weekend Paradise is a collab unit composed of shino as composer, miya as lyricist, and kano as vocals and guitarist. Kano uses her deeper voice for this strong electrorock song.

08. 【レタスP×くろくん×こみね】ホントのキモチ【オリジナル曲】
• Hontou no Kimochi (RetasuP x Kurokun)
• RetasuP; Kurokun
• RetasuP is a known GUMi/Kagamine VocaloP while Kurokun is an utaite known for her clear but sultry voice. Kurokun sounds a bit drowned at some parts but it's a really pretty song!

09. 【GARNiDELiA】 GET OUT 【L.I.N.E】
• This is a collaboration between GARNiDELiA (TokuP x MARiA) and L.I.N.E. (Hybrid Sense x che:Sakurai). It's a rock song that kind of reminds me of "Corruption Garden" but that's probably because of che:Sakurai XD;. che and MARiA's voice blended surprisingly well against the loud guitars and keyboard music.

10. ビリー・ヘリントン - ガチムチ動画♪ (糞晦日2011 Remix)
• Billy Herrington Gachimuchi Douga (ShindonaP)
• mylist
• This is, um, a tribute to Aniki in a trance-like melody. IDK...it is kind of NSFW by the way.

11. MerryChristmas Mr.Lawrence *STRB Remix
• mylist
• [ comeback ] This is one of PowapowaP (Siinamota)'s rare indies works, and is completely instrumental.

12. 【シャノ（40㍍）】　夏恋花火　【オリジナル】
- Natsu Koi Hanabi (40mP x Chano)
- Title means "Fireworks of Summer Love".
- Chano's mylist, 40mP's mylist
- [ down from #4 ]

13. 【松澤由美】　　　明 日　　　【オリジナル曲】
• Ashita (Matsuzawa Yumi)
• mylist
• Matsuzawa Yumi is a Japanese pro singer known for her song in the anime "Martian Successor Nadesico". She composed the song as well as penned the lyrics. This is a pretty, relaxing ballad which matches Yumi's gentle voice so well.

14. 【96猫×囚人P】　４６９６～クロノネガイ～【オリジナル曲】
- Chrono Negai (96neko x ShuujinP)
- Title means "Chrono Prayer".
- 96neko; ShuujinP
- [ down fdrom #6 ] 96neko (Kuroneko) is an utaite we all know and love. ShuujinP is a Vocaloid composer mostly known for his angst!Len songs like...well, Shuujin and Kamihikouki.

15. 【オリジナル曲】毒と罪と罰【弟の姉】
- Doku to Tsumi to Batsu (Otouto no Ane)
- mylist
- [ down from #2 ]

16. 「ニルギリ」
- Nilgiri (Dakishimeta Tonight, Hachi, Lasah)
- [ down from #9 ] For this song, utaite Dakishimeta Tonight wrote the lyrics, Hachi laid out the melody, and Lasah sang the song. I do not know what exactly they meant by Nilgiri, but this is a solid rock song with Lasah's low but full voice against strong guitars and spattering drums.

17. 【オリジナル曲】テクノブレイク【弟の姉】
- Technobreak (Otouto no Ane)
- mylist
- [ down from #13 ]

18. 【サウンドノベル】フツメン、最高！！【オリジナル】
• Futsumen Saikou (Sound Novel)
• mylist
• [ comeback ] This is actually a 16-part creation which you can see in his mylist.

19. 【シャノ(40㍍)】 さんぽみち 【オリジナル】
- Sanpo Michi (40mP x Chano)
- Chano's mylist, 40mP's mylist
- [ down from #3 ]

20. 【オリジナル曲】Phantom (2011 Re-Edit)【Remix】
- Phantom -remix- (HanasoumenP feat. Yuiko)
- mylist
- [ down from #1 ] HanasoumenP (HSN) is a VocaloidP as well as a musician, illustrator, and animator. This track is just a remix of his previous upload. Lyrics is by yuiko and aya*k while the singing is by yuiko.

21. ボイスドラマ「黒ヤギは眠れない」OP/ED/BGMごちゃまぜrmx
• Voice Drama: Kuroyagi wa Nemurenai Op/Ed/BGM (nakano4)
• mylist
• I'm not very knowledgeable with this series, but the songs sound really cool, especially with the resounding bass.

22. 【Nem×ヲタみん】キミイロ線香花火【オリジナル曲】
• Kimi Iro Senkouhanabi (Nem x Wotamin)
• Nem; Wotamin
• [ comeback ] Title means "Sparklers of Your Color".

23. 「オリジナル」愛の唄「トゥライ+うさ＆ヤマイ」
• Ai no Uta (collab)
• [ comeback ] This, again, is a returner. It's a song composed by KurousaP, sung by Tourai with Usa and Yamai as backup.

24. 【オリジナルセルフカバー】ベイリー・ニコル・ジャーヴィー【雄大】
• Bailie Nicol Jarvie (Yuuda)
• mylist
• This is Yuuda's self-cover of his jazz song, which was named after a whisky. I'm not sure of Yuuda's operatic voice fits the very light piano music + bass, but I guess it kind of works.

25. 【oga×抱きしめたトゥナイト】ヘヴン【オリジナル曲】
• Heaven (oga x Dakishimeta Tonight)
• oga; Dakishimeta Tonight
• [ comeback ] This was uploaded sometime Feb. 2011. Oga is 1/2 of the VocaloP unit ShakeSphere. You can read about them here.

26. ハンサムケンヤ「蟲の溜息」MV
• Mushi no Tameiki (Handsome Kenya)
• mylist
• Handsome Kenya seems to be quite a well-known singer. He does his own composing as well as singing. You can visit his website here. This song is a catchy folk rock melody which kind of fits nicely with Kenya's shaky but clear voice. The PV is more than awesome.

27. 【OP動画】NNIオリジナルアルバム『＆』【track 00】
- & Track 00 (KuwagataP)
- mylist
- [ down from #16 ] "&" is a collaboration among Vocaloid producers, utaite and indie artists. It is not a real album, but a collection of original works compiled together. This is the intro song for the whole collection and is an instrumental with various electronic sounds, which surprised me as it is not very KuwagataP-ish.

28. 【オリジナル曲】bAd Companyz【ＰＶ付】
• bAD Companyz (Sasakure.UK)
• mylist
• [ comeback ] This is one of SasakureP's rare non-Vocaloid works, and unlike most of his chiptunish works, this one is smooth jazz.

29. 【M3ｵﾘｼﾞﾅﾙ】悲しい歌【mao×みーちゃん×Hidenori】
• Kanashii Uta (collab)
• [ comeback ] This is a collab including mao, Mi-chan, and Hidenori. This song is part of the M3 album "Lookin' for".

30. 【木枯らし】/不純異性交遊P
• Kogarashi (Nanahoshi Kangengakudan)
• mylist
• Title means "Cold Winter Wind". Nanahoshi is also a VocaloP known for his works such as "Sainou Shredder". You might be expecting an ethnic-sounding song from the title, but it's actually a really cool rock song with amazing guitar work.

PICKUP
1. Kami-sama, Watashi wo Aishite (SoramameG)
2. Electronicappoi Nani ka (sakamoto)
3. under the chair (ShirakawaD)
4. Hanabatake (Nekura Edible Kids)
5. TEAR THE DARK (Coca Grace)

ED
Stratosphere (Supraliminal Stimulus)