RISA KUMON — ‘RI-VERSE’ [ALBUM REVIEW]
Rising Japanese singer/songwriter Risa Kumon shares her new album Ri-Verse, a 12-track multilingual body of work that fuses R&B, jazz, soul, acoustic, Bossa nova, and the meditative sounds of Okinawa and Hawaii in her own distinct manner. The title of the album, Ri-Verse, is a short form for “Risa’s Universe” and it is also a play on the word “reverse.” The term refers to the idea of redoing or rebuilding elements within Risa’s universe. Another meaning is “Risa’s verse,” signifying Risa’s lyrics or a specific section. Besides its musical connotations, Ri-Verse serves as an invitation for artists to reimagine and redefine the boundaries of artistic expression. Risa Kumon spoke about her desire to create an album that knows no boundaries.
“Free” is the leading song on the project and sets the tone with its rich piano riffs, dreamy pads and progressive chords that blend perfectly with Risa’s sublime vocal runs. This rendition of the classic Deniece Williams track retains the original’s integrity and props it with a contemporary feel with Risa’s gripping vocal performance. Next up is “Believe In Love”, a soul-stirring soul ballad that dives into the concept of the power of love. Over the smooth pads, pulsating bass-driven grooves and soulful strings, Risa reminds us of her resolve with lines like “Whatever my eyes can see, my heart can feel, that is why I believe in love” before asserting herself on the chorus. “With Or Without You” is a piano-driven pop-ballad that fully showcases Risa’s vocal range and her versatility as well. The dynamic backdrop slowly rises into a frenzy alongside Risa’s commanding vocal runs and heartfelt lyrics that display her emotional strength. Here, she is determined to push on even in the face of adversity or heartbreak.
“Aint No Sunshine” sees Risa giving her own take on the Bill Withers classic and she sure does a wonderful job with it. Her background vocals, ghost melodies and lead vocals do cut through the mix and hit the mark. “Nothing Can Change This Love” continues the guitar-led renditions which Risa sounds comfortable over. Her take on this Sam Cooke tune is striking as listeners can hear Risa’s subtle chord changes and seamless melodic runs hit the peak while paying homage to the original. “Small Café” starts off with a sublime summer-tinged guitar riff before Risa’s sultry vocals come into play. Here, she takes us into this world filled with solace and love. Far from the bustling city, this dreamy location is built on the best things in life and Risa is basking in the core of it. She has found love and doesn’t want to waste any moment on anything else. This is followed by “Ka Nohona Pili Kai/Nada Sou-sou” and “Warabi-gami(Hey-yo)”, two songs that distinctly capture Risa’s global musical taste. The former is inspired by Keali‘i Reichel’s song which has Kohala roots while the latter is a heartfelt song sung in her native Japanese language.
The project closes out with “Wish Upon A Star”, an uplifting tune that explores dreams, love and expectations. The guitar-driven track is ripe with soul-gripping lines like “Fate is kind, she brings to those who love, the sweet fulfillment of their secret longing” and closes out with a soft prayer “When you wish upon a star your dreams come through”.
Ri-Verse is as diverse as can be and brings together a global sound with a focus on the contemporary aspect. The records are rich and detailed and Risa’s modern rendition of classic soul tunes is brilliant. She is a true musician in the real sense of the word as showcased in “Hana (Acapella)” and the Christian hymn “Amazing Grace (Ai-no-uta)”.
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