May 25 marks a big news day for SUPERKNOVA not only revealing their newest member, drummer Usanagi Mel (宇佐木める), but also revealing a dazzling music video for Nihao Dopamine (你好ど〜ぱみん☆), releasing as a single June 3.
As the track title would suggest, Nihao Dopamine takes heavy influence from China in its music video but also blends these ideas with Japanese music culture. The opening scenes are an elegant burst of gold and red, and the band can be seen playing their instruments eccentrically, surrounded by Chinese culture, creating an otherworldly feeling. What starts out as a standard visual kei song quickly shifts focus numerous times, both musically and visually.
Despite Nihao Dopamine being a shorter track, it covers so many different areas of Japan’s music culture. Sparkling synthetic vocal effects emulating Vocaloid, the combination of modern synths and traditional Asian instruments leading into an upbeat Jpop-style chorus. Brief moments of rap and metal, which lead to guitarist “Goku Kinaco.exe” competing in a rhythm game as he shreds his empowering guitar solo. The variety of musical influences reveals the talent of the new drummer, Usanagi Mel, whose drums morph frantically to fit the rapidly changing composition.
Nihao Dopamine was released on major streaming services as a single on June 3. The physical version features the title track as well as a karaoke version.
SUPERKNOVA’s artist photos below showcase in closer detail the unity of Japanese and Chinese artistic expression.
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Nihao Dopamine☆
你好ど〜ぱみん☆
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Nihao Dopamine☆ (Omae Ga Utae ver.)
你好ど〜ぱみん☆(お前が歌えver.)
