Album three announced! (again)

I never really took to Drive My Dreams as an album title anyway, it reminded me too much of a Volkswagon advert.

Thankfully then, the real title of Halcali’s third album is サイボーグ俺達 (Cyborg Ore-tachi/We, the Cyborgs), due out July 18th. Anyone who knows a bit of Japanese will know that the word “ore”, meaning “me” is a slightly vulgar personal pronoun used only by men.


Tracklist:

1. Doo THE HAMMER! (Producer: Dr.kyOn)
2. It’s PARTY TIME! (Producer: Fantastic Plastic Machine)
3. 恋のブブブン (Koi No Bububun/The Vroom Vroom Vroom of Love. Producer: Unknown)
4. Twinkle Star (Producer: O.T.F)
5. endless lovers rain (Producer Natalie Wise)
6. LOOK (special edition) (Producer: Yusuke Tanaka)
7. サイボーグ俺達 (Cyborg Ore-tachi/We, The Cyborgs. Producer: Polysics)
8. ドライバーズ・ライセンス (Drivers Licence. Producer: Utamaru)
9. フェスでウィッス！(Fessu De Ouissu. Producer: Your Song Is Good)
10. 桃源郷 (Tougenkyo/Paradise. Producer: Honesty)
11. Tip Taps Tip (Producer: Yusuke Tanaka)
12. 春狩道～19の夜～(Harukarimichi 19 No Yoru/19 Nights on Halcali Road. Producer: Ramrider)

(These English translations are mine, perhaps the English half of the Halcali site will knock out something official soon. I'm still not sure about track 9. French?! A Google search for Ouissu came up with this Japanese Live Journal type site. フェス means "festival")


The limited edition version of the album will come with a DVD containing the following PV’s and Making Of clips:

1. Tip Taps Tip
2. Twinkle Star
3. LOOK
4. 桃源郷
5. It’s PARTY TIME!It’s PARTY TIME! MAKING

Press Release (taken from the official site) :

エピック移籍後待望のニューアルバムが遂に完成！！エピック移籍後、シングル5枚をリリースしてきたHALCALI。前作から2年7ヶ月ぶりとなる待望のアルバムが遂にリリースリリース！！アルバムプロデューサーには、O.T.F、宇多丸(RHYMESTER)、ナタリーワイズ、HONESTY、Fantastic Plastic Machineら彼女達の作品には欠かせないアーティストは勿論の事、Dr.kyOn(ex BO GUMBOS)、RAMRIDER、YOUR SONG IS
GOOD、POLYSICSらも参加！！更にはゲストミュージシャンとしてスカパラホーンズ(GAMO、NARGO、北原雅彦)、そしてそして、何とケンドーコバヤシまでもがアルバムに参加！！この夏のマストアイテムになる事間違いなし！！【初回生産限定盤】DVD付き2枚組(先行シングル5曲分のミュージックビデオを収録)。

The first album they’ve made since the move to Epic Records has finally been finished! We can’t wait for this one!
Halcali has released 5 singles since they changed labels to Epic Records. It’s been 2 years and 7 long months since their last album, and now at last the new one we have so many expectations for is finally here! Featuring production work from O.T.F, Utamaru (RHYMESTER), Natalie Wise, HONESTY, and Fantastic Plastic Machine, along with these other artists who the girls just couldn’t have done without- Dr.kyOn (ex Bo Gumbos), Ramrider, Your Song is Good, and Polysics!! On top of that the album features Skaparahorns as guest musicians, and on top of that it even has an appearance by Kendo Kobayashi! This truly is this summers must have album!!
(The limited edition CD comes with a DVD which has music videos for all 5 singles)

Thoughts:

O.T.F!!!!

That was my first thought, anyway. It’s so good to see them back! I thought they had left Halcali’s company entirely, but now that it’s clear that they hadn’t, why didn’t we see them helm more singles than that one early commercially disastrous one? At any rate, I wonder which song is theirs? I’m guessing they took the title track We, The Cyborgs, but whatever it is I can’t wait to hear it.

We knew about Utamaru and FPM being back already of course, but it brings another smile to my face to see old Halcali collaborators Natalie Wise back too, who wrote the sweet Hello Hello Alone on Halcali’s debut album. Those guys, and Polysics of course do help to counter the other worries I have about the album somewhat, number one of which is that nearly half of the new album is made up of old singles.

This is common practice of course, and like I’m sure you were too I was expecting it, but after practically a 3 year wait, part of me was still hoping that those singles that are knocking on for a year old now (Tip Taps and Twinkle Star, specifically) would have been left off. They seem to have rerecorded LOOK at least, and hopefully this will knock some of the mediocrity out of it.
Thinking about it, some of those singles did so poorly in the charts that this could well be the first time many people get to hear them anyway. With the additional carrot of the limited edition DVD, let’s hope for stronger sales for this one.

Most importantly though, it is a new Halcali release and it is new Halcali material. And what with O.T.F., Natalie Wise, Utamaru and cyborgs, you can put me down as ‘very excited’.

Thanks to sora kara!

UPDATE:

Looks like I got ahead of myself concerning O.T.F.'s involvement. Reading their name on the producers list, I assumed that they were handling a new song. According to this information from JBook though, that sadly does not seem to be the case now. I added the information to the tracklist above, so take a look for yourself. No mention of Vroom Vroom Vroom though.
The song Fessu De Ouissu, which I couldn't figure out the translation for, could indeed be a self referential nod to that song's producers Your Song Is Good, who have a song called Ouissu themselves (thanks to Patrick for that information!). If that's true, it strikes me as terrible self promotion. The O.T.F news is a much bigger shame though. Are they really gone for good?

Thanks to Risa for the information!