Ginger Root is an artist known for his self-proclaimed sound known as “aggressive elevator soul”. A true mash-up of jazz, soul and Japanese city pop, Ginger Root provides a fresh sound to the bedroom pop scene that is unlike anything I have heard.
I first became a fan of Ginger Root when a friend showed me a song called “Loretta” off of his 2021 EP “City Slicker”. I was excited to see that he released his first single for “Nisemono” titled “Loneliness” in June.
“Nisemono”
Nisemono (偽物) means “fake” or “fraud” in Japanese. Thematically, this EP is about impostor syndrome and how to overcome it.
“Nisemono” takes place in an alternate reality of 1983 where Ginger Root replaces the fictional idol Kimiko Takeguchi after she leaves her position due to stress.
This setup is an excellent avenue for the themes of the record. The commitment to the 80’s theme in the sound and music videos is very well-done.
Sonically, this EP is wonderful. Ginger Root builds on the sound that was established in “City Slicker” and adds an extra flair by incorporating more classical and jazz elements. The vocals on this record are great as well, though I wish they were more at the forefront at times.
My favorites off this EP are “Loneliness”, “Over the Hill” and “Everything’s Alright (Meet You in the Galaxy Ending Theme)”. However, every track on this EP is great, throughout the short but sweet 18-minute duration I was not bored once.
I really enjoyed “Nisemono” and I am looking forward to whatever Ginger Root does next. Ginger Root’s fresh sound only gets more fresh as time goes on.
Ginger Root is currently on the first block of his tour. You can find tickets on his website.
