Music - Six Feet Underground

To start, I would like to share a personal, less-popular favorite of mine, Visual Kei. VKei is an art movement that extends beyond music into fashion and makeup. Though not widely known, it is often appreciated for its complex, socially defiant looks. This particular subculture began in Japan in the 1980s and became widely recognized as highly entertaining, theatrical, and alternative music. Participants predominantly use this style to break beauty standards, creating androgynous, glamorous punk looks for their personas. The music itself is primarily focused on heavy metal, gothic, and even glam-pop, but all maintain the same sense of unity that comes from the strangely serene sound. Popular groups include Malice Mizer, La’cryma Christi, Shazna, and Fanatic Crisis. These bands in particular are commonly addressed as the “Four Heavenly Kings” (四天王), for their huge impact on the culture of Japan during this time period and the legacy they left behind. Along with the usual musical talent that came with staged performances and record labels, there was also a separate path in which such songs were used in less mainstream animated TV shows, such as Black Butler, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Bleach, and the like. Their gothic, often unconventional sound has greatly appealed to many and will continue to do so as time goes on.

To round out the selection, the final genre that I wish to pull attention to is by far the most modern and newly founded collection of music known most officially as Cyberjazz. As the title makes clear, this style blends the smooth, addictive sounds of jazz and old-fashioned blues with the electronic, fast-paced sounds of cyberpunk. As this subgenre is very new to the alternative music scene, there aren't many popular artists. However, those who have gained the attention of the masses have been incredibly successful, mainly due to the reach of social media and party culture within and outside the United States. Artists such as Solene Velvet and Saimsoul are referred to as the “founders” of Cyberjazz for their undeniable contributions to its popularity. Unlike the two previously mentioned genres, this style has been growing steadily since its introduction and shows no signs of slowing. Despite this, it has yet to intrude on the general music tastes of many and is often criticized for the juxtaposed energy of its two mother genres.