Halcali
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Halcali ハルカリ |
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|---|---|
| Origin | Meguro, Japan |
| Years active | 2003.–present |
| Genres | J-pop, Pop, R&B, Hip-hop |
| Labels | Epic Records |
| Members | Haruka Yukari |
| Website(s) | Official HALCALI Website |
Halcali is a Japanese hip-hop duo. The name Halcali comes from the combination of the names of the two members. The stage names of HARUKA (はるか) and YUKARI (ゆかり) are combined to form the collective name.
The duo was formed when an established music group, Rip Slyme, picked them from talent competitions held around Meguro (the girls' hometown) area in search of creating a new manufactured group. (See boy band, girl band)
Their family names are not publicized in order to develop a unique image, but their given names are Haruka and Yukari. Their stage names are modified transliterations of their legal names.
They began performing at a young age. Halca was born on April 21, 1988, and Yucali was born on July 18, 1987.
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[edit] Inception
When Halca was in middle school and Yucali was in high school, Ryo-Z and DJ Fumiya (members of Rip Slyme) had recently formed their production unit O.T.F. (Oshare Track Factory). O.T.F. held auditions for rappers for a new project, and the winners were Halca and Yucali. Even though neither had rapped before, they both had had an interest in rap long before the auditions were held.
Shortly after the auditions, their first single, "タンデム" (Tandem) was released and was a niche success with their target teen audience. This song has a pop rhythm as opposed to the later neo-rap that would be written for them.
[edit] Progression
The time between the release of their first single to that of their debut album, The HALCALI experiment moved away from mainstream J-Pop and toward a style combining pop and rap, with what can be called an airy, self-parody "bubblegum" rap in the vein of earlier groups such as East End X Yuri. This can be seen as HALCALI release their second and third singles, "エレクトリック先生" (Electric Sensei) and "ギリギリ・サーフライダー" (Giri-Giri Surfrider) in mid-2003. Both singles focused on rap rather than pop.
The latter song attracted attention from Western audiences when it appeared on Adam and Joe Go Tokyo.
[edit] Debut Album: "ハルカリベーコン" (HALCALI BACON)
BACON had tracks featuring guest singers in Japanese pop, who provided vocals as well as song collaborations. The album did not fare well in the sales charts.
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Song listing
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[edit] Second Album: "音楽ノススメ" (Ongaku no Susume)
More so than their first album, Ongaku no Susume ("Recommended Music") shows musical versatility. It's a mix of J-Pop melodies, Hip-hop basslines, singing, and rapping.
A British magazine said in a review of Ongaku no Susume that the album was "something which De La Soul wished it could be", which is a founded statement when looking at the diverse musical tastes expressed in this album.
However, there was criticism that Halcali's albums were being produced in an attempt to try and market towards their target audience, which could be argued for practically all manufactured groups and is the standard practice for such.
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Song listing
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[edit] Remix Album: "ハルカリミックス" (HALCALIMIX)
HALCALIMIX, released in Spring of 2005, is a collection of remixes of HALCALI songs.
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Song listing
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[edit] Image
[edit] The New Style
In Winter 2003, Halcali released their 5th single, the Christmas-themed "ストロベリーチップス" (Strawberry Chips). This single continued to show the fluctuation between rap and J-Pop.
After Strawberry Chips, Halcali's visual style shifted, along with the layout and lyrical style of their songs. Their 5th single, "マーチングマーチ" (Marching March), was the first to showcase this new style. This change in style is attributed to HALCALI's coming-of-age, however it also represents the changing of fads that occurred in Japanese teens at the time and was necessary to retain their fanbase.
Their 6th single, "BABY BLUE", was an instant cult hit. The album art and video featured the character HANPANDA, a trend by Japanese artist Nagi Noda, which has since become popular.
[edit] Haruka (Halca)
Haruka, judging from her PR and personal blog entries, portrays herself to be the more mature of the pair. She shows focus for performances, commentating seriously on those commenting on her in TV appearances. She has recently became more focused on fashion, and has appeared in Barfout, a fashion magazine, along with Yukari.
[edit] Yukari (Yucali)
Yukari's previous image was a child-like which gave the group's image a more school-aged look. She wore a tilted baseball cap or some other sort of head apparel as was the fad at the time. Her current image is now more adult-like.
[edit] Halcalism
A "Halcalism" is an invented slang phrase used by HALCALI in their songs. For example, "candy hearts" is a Halcalism referring to dating and dieting.
[edit] Song References
[edit] References Made in Halcali Songs
- Multiple references to Al Pacino.
- Reference to Eminem in Otsukare Summer. "...I'm asleep; an Eminem song is playing next to you"
- Reference to Public Enemy in Marching March. "...iwanai-iwanai don't believe the hype"
- Reference to Dragon Ball Z in Giri-Giri Surfrider. "...burnin' hot summer Super Saiya (Saiyan)"
- Reference to Slick Rick in Continued. "...Don't cry, dry your eyes..."
[edit] References made in HALCALI Videos
- Super Mario Bros. (Stage 1-1)(Tandem)
- Stepper's Delight by Rip Slyme.(Electric Sensei)
- Automatic by Utada Hikaru.(Tandem)
- Michael Jackson's Beat It video.(Giri-Giri Surfrider)
- Chad Jackson - Hear the drummer; Candy hearts makes a reference to "Peace, love, unity and having fun" from this song.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
- 01/03 タンデム (Tandem)
- 04/03 エレクトリック先生 (Electric Sensei)
- 07/03 ギリギリ・サーフライダー (Giri-Giri Surfrider)
- 11/03 ストロベリーチップス (Strawberry Chips)
- 06/04 マーチングマーチ (Marching March)
- 10/04 BABY BLUE
- 12/05 TIP TAPS TIP
- 02/06 Twinkle Star
- 12/13 LOOK
[edit] Albums
- 09/03 ハルカリベーコン (HALCALI BACON)
- 11/04 音楽ノススメ (Ongaku no Susume)
- 03/05 ハルカリミックス (HALCALIMIX)
