Genin wa Jibun ni Aru. (GNJB), a Japanese seven-member dance and vocal unit, shared their newest single “Mania” on May 3. The band also shared the song’s emotionally-charged music video alongside it.
Debuting in 2019, this avant-garde unit continues to make a meaningful impact by embracing a positive interpretation of the Japanese word for “cause” (“genin”), often featuring a negative connotation. Instead, the group sets a thematic focus on the notion that their actions and works become “causes,” that trigger the emergence of new ideas and creations in the world. GNJB’s music draws from a variety of genres, at its core blending philosophical lyrics with a piano rock sound that characterizes the essence of the group’s musicality, rooted in the lineage of Japan’s Vocaloid community. Since debuting, the group has received musical contributions from notable figures in the contemporary J-pop scene, including Ayase from YOASOBI.
The title of the song “Mania” embodies “mad love” or “extreme devotee,” exploring the theme of excessive affection and serene insanity without malice. The music captures this feeling via a disorienting pace, with the group’s voices mutating throughout while a lurching rock melody carries everything forward. Yet come the hook, everyone unites to deliver a catchy — albeit unnerving — chorus reminding of the project’s pop bonafides.
The accompanying music video encapsulates the song’s story line, where the image of a “butterfly” is used as a key object for excessive affection. The seven members of the group express their affection as a mimicker, specimen collector, and thief, as their fascination with butterflies morphs into a distorted attachment, driven by a longing to perceive the world through the eyes of butterflies. Another highlight of the video is the “doting dance,” where they appear to be intricately intertwined with one another, symbolizing the adhesive nature of their affection.
"Mania" Music Video
Check out GNJB’s latest single “Mania” on music platforms (https://ssm.lnk.to/Mania).
Official website: https://genjibu.jp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gnjb_official
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