Hiromi Matsuura, official site
here, is affectionately known as "Hiroron" to her fans. She debuted in 2005 with her first maxi-single
Cruel and has been a quiet force in the J-pop world since. Consistently releasing music, her songs have been used as theme songs for video games before.
Hiromi’s classic, sweet pop style endear her to many, and among her recent digital releases is
Gomen Ne…, a gentle, heartwarming song.
The song begins with a mix of soft guitar and synths. The quiet beat is light and skips along behind the melody, invoking the image of raindrops in puddles.
Hiromi’s voice can only be described as soothing; it holds steady and serves as an anchor, making her apologies sound heartfelt. The instrumental break halfway through features a muted electric guitar solo. It’s a nice deviation from the rest of the song and serves to underscore the earnestness of the lyrics. The charming pull of the song draws you in without being overwhelming – and without growing boring, which is quite a feat considering the seven-plus-minute length of the song.
Though it may be a little too saccharine for some,
Gomen Ne… is a sparkling song that brings to mind the days of simple and pure J-pop. It is a nice addition to
Hiromi’s ever-growing discography, and anyone who likes pop, anime or dramas would do well to give it a listen.
This review has been made possible by Hear Japan and Gomen Ne…
is available for purchase here.
