Promotion of Japanese music is often unpredictable. Ten’s Silence was released over a month ago as part of his first Japanese mini album but its music video has finally arrived today. I listened to the song back when it first came out and can’t remember a thing about it, but sometimes extra promotion unveils aspects I missed before.
I feel like most of my reviews of Ten’s output basically amount to the same sentiment: the guy is immensely talented but needs better material. He needs his Danger or Press Your Number or Criminal. Instead, we get lurching, unmemorable material like Silence. The song is all atmosphere, but this mood has been drained of its color. From the choices of synth and percussion to the murky melodies, the track feels labored. Objectively, Silence is well-produced and well-performed, but as an experience it’s just not very enjoyable.
Things heat up toward Silence‘s climax and we get a hint of how the song might sound with more of a pulse behind it. However, this is too little too late. By this point, I’m swimming around looking for something to grab hold of — a memorable melody, a cool instrumental flourish. The song leaves me wanting in all of these spaces, making it an easy skip within his burgeoning discography.
Hooks
7
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
7