Cozy up to the fireplace with Slime girls’ No Summer No Cry.
Slime Girls, contrary to what you might think, is actually a single producer from Los Angeles. His newest album, No Summer No Cry, is a beautiful yet melancholy farewell to summer. As the summer comes to a close, we reflect on the good times we had, the memories we made, and the friends, new and old, that we shared them with. The music on No Summer No Cry is a part of the “Post-Guch” movement, a term coined by Dj Cutman. It’s a style of chiptune and rock fusion that was pioneered by the band, Anamanaguchi.
The first track, …we never saw the ocean, is a serene Miami beach morning in 1983 spent watching the sunrise over the horizon. It rolls along slowly and gently–painting a lovely picture with a beautiful jazz keyboard solo accompanied by a soundscape of waves and seagulls. The nostalgic and warm feeling of the music expertly sets the stage for the rest of the album. The next track, Summer Is Gone …Again, picks up the pace with its new wave style. Slime Girls uses a soundfont instrument from Final Fantasy VII that adds a nice layer of familiarity.
CCC (Gelato Beach Ver.) has an easy bossa nova groove. This combined with accordion and steel drums gives it an “island” feeling, similar to the music heard in the Super Mario series. Warpstar (With You) takes off into space right from the start with its fast tempo chiptune hardcore feeling. I challenge you not to smile when you listen to this track. There a few Kirby samples thrown in that most likely inspired the title. There is a coda at the end that continues right into track 5 to connect the two. …but there’s always next summer acts as an introspective and somber afterthought to Warpstar (With You). It’s very similar to the opening of the album and brings the listener back to the beach to gaze out over the waters and farewell the last of the sun’s rays.
Slime Girls immediately brings back the momentum with the chiptune rock anthem, YOU BELONG. Combine ska guitar, island instruments, chiptune—and you get one happy tune. The track ends with the same short coda to connect it to the album’s closer. Bonfire has vocaloid accompanied by acoustic guitar in a smooth samba. It’s a warm hug that makes you want to grab a blanket, cuddle up to the fire, and share the moment with someone.
Hopefully No Summer No Cry keeps the cold away during these next few winter months. Buy the album on Bandcamp for $5. And spread some holiday cheer by following Slime Girls on social media and checking out more music!