If you keep tabs on my Twitter you probably saw my growing fondness for AyumiKurikaMaki over the last few months. With the release of “Honey Honey Honey”, I find myself unable to control it any longer. This group, as it stands now, fills a void left agape from the departure of Buono! from the idol scene. Their last three singles (“Jet Kuma Star”, “Shake Shake Shake”, and “Honey Honey Honey”) sparkle with crunching guitars, booming rock drums, and hook-laden pop vocals. The sound is more intriguing when you consider the group employs Kurika as a DJ along with singer Ayumi and hype-woman Maki. Well, confusing or not, “Honey Honey Honey” is another great release you should consider for your idol collection.
The group began life in 2012 as the duo KurikaMaki. This lineup released two singles in 2013-2014: “Analog Ma Girl” and Kuma to Nadeshiko” before Ayumi joined the group early in 2014 to add more vocal punch to the lineup. The new trio, AyumiKurikaMaki, released the well-received “Jet Kuma Star” in mid-2014 before their major debut with Shake Shake Shake“. While I personally think you should listen to all four singles linked above, you really only need to listen to the AyumiKurikaMaki singles to understand the way the wind blows for the group.
“Honey Honey Honey” serves as the ending theme to the strangely cosmic and comic noitanimA anime Punch Line. You won’t see any references to the anime in the PV, though. The girls, stick to their trademark bear hoods and gloves, a holdover from their KU(rika) MA(ki) days, I suppose. Performance footage of the girls in red gingham and brown skirts intercuts with a school set story. Everywhere you look, you’ll get an eyeful of zettai ryouiki, so you can look forward to that. In school, Ayumi, Kurika, and Maki fawn over “Kuma senpai”, who is about as literal as you can get.
The class set
Ayumi on the rooftop
Kurika in the “anime seat”
Maki in the halls
Smitten …
With Kuma Senpai
Above all else, AyumiKurikaMaki perform “Honey Honey Honey” with energy and enthusiasm. The loose choreography sees the girls bouncing and spinning with arms outstretched. I can’t help but feel the contagious energy of the song. A steady palm-muted A melody gives way to a half-time B melody that builds with great drum fills. The chorus fills itself with a hooky melody, a loopy bass line, and effective vocal triplets to accent the otherwise rhythmically straight offering. In other words: this song is a lot of fun.
Well, that’s a bit of kryptonite for me
Love these shots of the girls just running … and laughing … and running … and laughing
Maki with a fitting gift
uh, uh! Ayumi’s in his paws now!
Kurika with her note
Now THAT’S a reaction!
And, scene (I won’t spoil it for you!)
I plan to follow these girls closely. AyumiKurikaMaki are fun, cute, produce great music. I also have a feeling “Honey Honey Honey” is a serious contender for my year-end list. Please, follow along with me!
Since this is the first time I’ve written about the group, and since they have them, I’ll leave twitter links for the girls. Follow?
Ayumi | Kurika | Maki
You can buy “Honey Honey Honey” at CD Japan
Regular Edition
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Limited Edition
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Limited Pressing – Anime Edition
