Noir fleurir, that's a name that takes me back for sure! Even among their illustrious KEY PARTY label peers they were ones to grab the eyes and ears with their quirky style, which is perfectly distilled into this short but sweet mini album.
There's no question about this group having their own special little place in my heart, since they were among the very first visual kei bands I had the pleasure of experiencing. I found their "Gin-iro basha" music video on a now-defunct goth/alternative portal, and I remember being completely flabbergasted at all the sounds and imagery they threw at me in those four minutes. Ska guitars? Waltz tempo? Cutesy girl (who later turned out to be a guy of course) doing backing vocals? Scream masks, but also elaborate gothic costumes?? Am I supposed to take this seriously?! And so on, haha...
I soon learnt that this is just how Noir fleurir rolls, and boy am I glad they blessed our ears with all the tunes they released during their short lifespan! Nowhere else will you hear sentimental croons over flamenco-inspired guitar shreds, weird gothic ambience crossed with bouncy ska-punk rhythms and helium-pitched sing-songy parts that will stick to your brain instantly (and this is just from their first 'classic' period).
Highlights from the "Millennium..." mini album include the suave industrial dance-punk opening number "STYLE", the already mentioned ultra-catchy "Gin-iro basha", and we cannot forget one of the most emblematic songs of Noir fleurir, the closing track "Omocha no Miisha". This fierce VK scorcher attacks with razor-sharp guitar melodies and a relentless beat, but what will keep you around is bassist Kengo's absolutely mad chipmunk vocal delivery, bless his heart.
One cannot be thankful enough for this weird but beautiful bouquet of songs. Oh, did I mention that the CD came in a big-ass box housing a digital clock? So yeah, they were different for sure... A must-hear if you're into late '90s underground visual kei.
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