Ho boy, another month of music. Kyo of Dir en Grey has been really active with his side projects this month, releasing a new single under "Sukekiyo" and announcing a brand new side project band called "Petite Branbancon". Both of these were pretty big highlights to wrap up the year. 

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Sukekiyo

Their new single "Candis" released in late November but didn't really catch my eye until earlier in December. I am a HUGE fan of this new single. It's tapping into some old school early visual kei feels, quite literally. The music video has been staged as an old variety show live after an awkward interview. The song itself even has a bit of an odd retro late 80's, early 90's sound to it the feels really unique. 

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Petite Branbacon

Kyo does not mess around when it comes to side projects. This band is like a Frankenstein's monster of Jrock heavy hitters. Kyo of course as vocals, Miya from MUCC on guitar, Yukihiro from L'arc~en~ciel, antz from Tokyo Shoegazer/acid android and Hirofumi Takamatsu of The Novembers on bass. The sound is much heavier than that of Sukekiyo and definitely not as avant garde. More generally or progressive rock I would suppose. Their first double-sided single "Koku / Kawaki" dropped on Christmas eve and is golden.