Listen: Keiko Takamura's Long-Awaited Fablewave Deluxe Drops -- Full-Length Album Inspired by Video Games, Fairy Tales, and Pop Culture

At long last here is Fablewave Deluxe from Keiko Takamura, the Bay Area-based popstar who (as longtime NWN readers know) first launched her singing career over a decade ago by performing in Second Life. And as you would expect, it's sharp and smart, dazzling pop music for geeks -- inspired by games The Path, Alice: Madness Returns, and speed-running platformers, plus The Little Mermaid and Batman: The Animated Series.

"Fablewave Deluxe is my attempt to connect listeners to my experiences through video games, fairy tales, and pop culture," as she puts it. "You don't know me, but you probably vaguely know the story of The Little Mermaid. So you can connect to 'She's Got Legs, You Idiot' when I say, 'This world is so new and/ I almost feel human'. You don't know me, but you probably know what happens to Batman's parents. So when I write a love song called 'Martha Wayne', you can guess that it's bittersweet.  Musically, I wanted each song to be its own vignette. Each song exists in a separate environment where the song has the best chance to tell its story, uninhibited by genre. My biggest influences going into this were Shiina Ringo, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and the SF Bay Area chiptune scene."

And yes, her SL fans will connect with one song on the album in particular:

"I used to play 'The Path' a lot in SL! I hope my fans recognize it. I sat with it as an acoustic guitar song for so long, and now it's this thundering, epic tale. I hope they consider it a glow-up."

I've been playing it since it dropped, and it's just goddamn good. Get it now here, now.

Comments

[sirhc desantis]

Magical :) Love it - walk in the forest practically la Kate. But we're all mad here =^^=

[Perry Queen]

This is the really relaxing music i am just loving it!

[Keiko]

Thank you so much for this review!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it ^^