Single Review: Sandaime J Soul Brothers

Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ music has always been pretty run of the mill J-R&B for the most part. Nothing great or amazing, but they have some really good songs in their discography. And whilst Sandaime J Soul Brothers wouldn’t be the first name which comes to mind as a recommendation for those looking to get into J-R&B, nor would I cite them as having made big contributions to the genre—I do respect the fact that they are one of the few groups to keep the genre going, longer than even those who were a big part of it in the beginning and paved ways for others. Because look at where LDH girl Crystal Kay’s music is at now. And I’ll never see it for Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ Ryuji Imaichi for the heinous vocals he contributed to Kay’s song “Very Special”. That shit was disgusting.

Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ sound has also been pretty consistent over the past decade or so. There have been odd deviations here and there, which have been reflective of trends. But even so, Sandaime J Soul Brothers have never completely veered off from the sound they debuted with, were known for and gained popularity with. They came close with “Rat-tat-tat” in 2019, which felt like a knee jerk reaction to K-pop boy bands being loud ‘n’ shit. But they turned that car right the fuck back around for their follow-ups. But it seems Sandaime J Soul Brothers are back on their K-pop boy band shit with “Blaze”.

Sandaime J Soul Brothers – Blaze | Avex Music Creative

Now. Clarification time. When I say ‘they’re back on their K-pop boy band shit’, I am not saying that K-pop boy bands pioneered the sound of “Blaze”, nor the look of the music video. I am referring to the package. The way I see it, K-pop is not purely a genre or a sound. It’s a package. Just like any type of pop. And J Soul Brothers’ “Blaze” is very much a K-pop package. Even though the things which make up the package have their own origins and sources. Because when you isolate the sound, it’s drawing from trap music. And when you isolate the look of the music video, it’s very reminiscent of early 2000s R&B and Hip hop. But “Blaze” isn’t a love letter to 36 Mafia or Hype Williams. It’s a reaction to K-pop. Sandaime J Soul Brothers have definitely drawn direct inspiration from American R&B and Hip hop throughout their career. But I don’t think “Blaze” is one of those instances.

Sandaime J Soul Brothers – Blaze | Avex Music Creative

As for the quality of the song, “Blaze” is not a great. The sound of it is generic and very unmemorable. It’s the type of beat which is entirely dependent on a performer being able to elevate and sell it, and Sandaime J Soul Brothers do not bring enough to this song to really make it pop. Were this song in the hands of somebody else, like Aklo, I think it could have worked. The chill demeanour of the hook is cool at first. But there’s a complete lack of variation in the energy and the flows, which results in the song feeling really flat and monotonous. But the song itself isn’t the problem. The problem was the song being given to Sandaime J Soul Brothers in the first place. “Blaze” would have worked better with another group. Fellow Exile Tribe groups Ballistik Boyz or Psychic Fever would have been far better choices, who I feel would have sold the song and given it the energy it needed. And they both already have the look to pull off what Sandaime J Soul Brothers tried to in the music video with far more conviction, and without it feeling so contrived.

Sandaime J Soul Brothers – Blaze | Avex Music Creative

The mismatching of Sandaime J Soul Brothers and “Blaze” highlights that Exile Tribe really needs another group who is basically NCT U—because this is what “Blaze” is giving, and it’s not Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ vibe at all. And this also sheds light on what has long been an issue with Exile Tribe—the groups are not distinct enough from one another. There is waaaaaaaaaaay too much overlap. And the one corner of the Exile Tribe which is missing is a group whose sole sound is more Hip hop driven and edgier, and there are groups in Exile Tribe who could and should be that. So many of the groups within Exile Tribe keep being tossed songs and concepts which fall under this vibe and it rarely lands, because it feels so out of step with everything they’d released prior. It’s SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment shenanigans. You can kinda see the angle and flavour of some of the groups, but it gets lost in the need to blanket a sound across everybody. And as a result, everybody sounds the same, and the material comes off as interchangeable, because nobody is truly owning any of it.

HENNYWAY.

“Blaze” is a case of a not so great song given to the wrong group who weren’t able to give the song the juice that it needed. But the music video is great though. And for any Perfume fans who happen to be reading this—the music video for “Blaze” is directed by Yuann of kidzfrmnowhere who also directed the music video for Perfume’s “Flow”.