Unhappy Refrain

Unhappy Refrain
Features a girl falling from the sky in black and white with the album name on the bottom, being almost cut off. Many of the shapes used in wowaka's music videos are present in the background.
Studio album by
wowaka
ReleasedMay 18, 2011
Genre
Length1:18:53
LanguageJapanese
LabelBalloom
Producer
  • wowaka
  • Captain Mirai
  • acane madder
  • whoo
  • Dixie Flatline
  • Toku

Unhappy Refrain (アンハッピーリフレイン) is the debut and only studio album by Japanese musician Wowaka, independently released by his record label Balloom on May 18, 2011. A Vocaloid record with math rock and electronic influences, Unhappy Refrain features lyrics about depression, suicide, and bullying.

The album was Wowaka's commercial breakthrough, peaking at number six on the Oricon Combined Albums Chart and number 22 on the Oricon Digital Albums Chart. It is ranked among the most influential Vocaloid albums ever made.

Background

Wowaka, previously known as Genjitsutouhi-P, debuted as a vocaloid producer in 2009 with the song In the Grey Zone. (グレーゾーンにて。, Gray Zone ni te.).[1] He released three mini-albums before founding the independent record label Balloom in March 2011, alongside other prominent vocaloid producers, such as Toku P, Fullkawa Honpo and Hachi (Kenshi Yonezu).[2] Unhappy Refrain would be produced 2 months later as the first release under the label.

Composition

The album is characterized by obscure lyrics depicting thoughts of young women in fast-paced melodies, and known for its themes around suicide, depression, and bullying.[3] The album's artwork was designed by Gaph, with art direction by Fullkawa Honpo, a close friend of Wowaka who was also a vocaloid producer.[4][5] The promotional music videos credited Wowaka by his other alias, Genjitsutouhi-P (現実逃避P), coming from the phrase "Escaping from reality, how nice!" (In Japanese: 現実逃避って、いいよね！).[6]

Wowaka credited Hatsune Miku as his influence for his music and Unhappy Refrain, stating: "I never gave it a second of thought 10 years ago as I posted songs, but no matter how you look at it, Hatsune Miku is the one who got me to start music. Miku is sort of like a mother figure to me."[7][8] However, the darker subject matter of the record led Wowaka to depart the Vocaloid industry, which he claimed was to protect his well-being.[9]

Legacy

The album was commercially successful, peaking at number six on the Oricon Combined Albums Chart chart for 13 weeks straight and number 22 on the Oricon Digital Albums Chart.[10][11] Unhappy Refrain inspired many Vocaloid producers and fans to create covers and derivative works based on his songs.[7][12] Musician Kenshi Yonezu, previously a Vocaloid producer under the name Hachi, was a close friend of wowaka. He praised him for having a deep impact on the concept of "Vocaloid-esque" music among Vocaloid creators, and that since his own music was also influenced by wowaka, he held his greatest respect for him.[13] Other musicians that feature wowaka as an inspiration include Inabakumori.[14]

Track listing

Original release

All music and lyrics written by Wowaka.

No.TitleLength
1."Unhappy Refrain (アンハッピーリフレイン)"3:45
2."Rolling Girl (ローリンガール)"3:16
3."Tsumiki no Ningyou (積み木の人形, 'Doll of Building Blocks')"2:56
4."Boku no Sainou (僕のサイノウ. 'My Talent')"4:49
5."Nichijou to Chikyuu no Gakubuchi (日常と地球の額縁, 'Frame of Everyday Life and the World')"3:46
6."Tenohira (テノヒラ, 'Palm')"4:38
7."Toosenbo (とおせんぼ, 'In the Way')"3:33
8."Line Art (ラインアート)"3:33
9."Ura-omote Lovers (裏表ラバーズ, 'Two-Faced Lovers')"3:09
10."In the Grey Zone. (グレーゾーンにて。, Gray Zone ni te.)"2:51
11."Zureteiku (ずれていく, 'Out of Step')"3:38
12."Reversible Doll (リバシブルドール)"3:38
13."World's End Dancehall (ワールズエンド・ダンスホール)"3:38
14."Prism Cube (プリズムキューブ)"3:23
Total length:49:08

Remixes

All lyrics written by Wowaka.

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Ura-omote Lovers (裏表ラバーズ, 'Two-faced Lovers')" (reverse Edge mix)wowaka, Captain Mirai4:12
2."Toosenbo (とおせんぼ, 'In the Way')" (remix)wowaka, acane_madder3:27
3."Rolling Girl (ローリンガール)" (remix)wowaka, acane_madder3:00
4."Boku no Sainou (僕のサイノウ. 'My Talent')" (dnb mix)wowaka, Toku, pagodes6:10
5."Tsumiki no Ningyou (積み木の人形, 'Doll of Building Blocks')" (rnb mix)wowaka, Toku, pagodes5:25
6."Zureteiku (ずれていく, 'Out of Step')" (postrock mix)wowaka, whoo2:40
7."World's End Dancehall (ワールズエンド・ダンスホール)" (dexholic mix)wowaka, Dixie Flatline4:51
Total length:29:45

Personnel

Production

  • acane madder – producer
  • Captain Mirai – producer
  • Dixie Flatline – producer
  • John Davis – mastering
  • Shuichi Watanabe – mixing
  • Toku – producer
  • whoo – producer

Artwork

  • Fullkawa Honpo – art direction
  • Gaph – artwork

Charts

References

  1. ^ ASCII. "バンドとニコ動、2つの顔を持つ「裏表ラバーズ」作者の素性 (1/5)" [Bands and Nico Nico Douga have two faces: The identity of "Ura-Omote Lovers" creator]. ASCII.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  2. ^ "「ニコ動」人気クリエイター8組が音楽レーベル設立！" [8 popular creators form a music label!]. ORICON NEWS. 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  3. ^ "ボカロPインタビュー" [Interviews with Vocaloid producers]. Gekkayo (in Japanese) (ゲッカヨ: 26 ed.). July 2011. p. 426.
  4. ^ "wowaka – Unhappy Refrain – 2 x CD (Album), 2011 [r3802068] | Discogs". Discogs. 18 May 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  5. ^ "ヒトリエ wowakaボーカル、作詞・作曲の未発表曲『NOTOK』11月27日発売" [Hitorie's unreleased song "NOTOK" will be released on November 27th, lyrics and composition and vocals by wowaka]. tower.jp (in Japanese). 4 November 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  6. ^ ボカロ神Pと超絶クリエイターたち〜才能が出逢う場所 [Godly Vocaloid-Ps and Super Creators - Where Talents Meet] (in Japanese). Japan: Yamaha Music Media. 2011. pp. 22–24. ISBN 978-4636867572.
  7. ^ a b Knoop, Joseph (2019-04-08). "Wowaka, beloved Hatsune Miku composer, dead at 31". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  8. ^ 初音ミク10周年特集｜wowaka（ヒトリエ）×DECO*27対談 [Hatsune Miku 10th Anniversary Special | wowaka (Hitorie) x DECO*27 Interview] (in Japanese). Translated by vgperson. Natalie. 22 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Hitorie Band Vocalist/Vocaloid Producer wowaka Passes Away at 31". Anime News Network. 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  10. ^ a b "アンハッピーリフレイン | wowaka(現実逃避P)" [Unhappy Refrain | wowaka (Genjitsutouhi-P)]. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  11. ^ a b "wowaka(現実逃避P)のデジタルアルバム売上TOP1作品" [wowaka (Genjitsutouhi-P) Top 1 Digital Album Sales]. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  12. ^ Strawhun, Aiden (2019-04-09). "Remembering A Vocaloid Legend Behind Some Of The Best Hatsune Miku Songs". Kotaku. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  13. ^ "米津玄師、ｗｏｗａｋａさん訃報をＲＴ 過去には「影響受けた人間の一人」とツイート/デイリースポーツ online" [Kenshi Yonezu retweets news of Wowaka's death, tweeting in the past that he has been "one of the people inspired by him."]. デイリースポーツ online (in Japanese). 2025-03-12. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  14. ^ "勝手にオススメボカロP！！【稲葉曇編】" [Taking the liberty of introducing Vocaloid-Ps [Inabakumori]]. www.village-v.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-03-11.
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