Traditional instruments enhance the artist’s sophomore effort

Japanese artist Fujii Kaze flexed his aptitude in a variety of musical styles on his second album, LOVE ALL SERVE ALL, a collection of songs bolstered by his use of native sounds, both traditional and modern. By the time it came out in 2022, Kaze had already dropped his shiniest pop statement to date. Released the year prior, “Kirari” placed Kaze’s lyrics about commitment to a loved one and finding joy in uncertain times over a groovy dance-pop backdrop. It proved a hit and underlined the artist’s worldview. “Kirari” opens LOVE ALL SERVE ALL and sets the tone for what follows.

Aided by longtime producer Yaffle, Kaze delivers his confident vocals over a diverse array of sounds. He welcomes rock energy into his world on “damn”, using the chug of an electric guitar as a metaphor for working through frustrations. “‘Seishun Sick’” paired slick string-assisted grooves with distorted vocal samples, coalescing into a sturdy pop number about saying goodbye to teenage hangups. The persistent theme of LOVE ALL SERVE ALL is acceptance of change. Kaze presents this idea over uptempo electronic funk on “MO-EH-YO (Ignite)” and in the R&B-indebted “Garden”.

Kaze and Yaffle utilise traditional Japanese instruments in several songs to give them a new sonic flavour. “Hedemo Ne-Yo (LASA edit)” uses these to add drama to a song exploding into Kaze’s most aggressive to date. “Matsuri” brings in flute notes over a midtempo beat for a tune centered around Japanese festivals. On LOVE ALL SERVE ALL, Kaze mines the past as he promotes a message of living in the present.