Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori

"Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori"
Single by Perfume
from the album JPN
A-side "Laser Beam"
"Kasuka na Kaori"
Released 18 May 2011
Format CD single, digital download
Recorded 2011
Genre J-pop, electropop, chiptune
Label Tokuma Japan Communications
Writer(s) Nakata Yasutaka
Producer(s) Y. Nakata
Perfume singles chronology
"Nee"
(2010)		 "Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori"
(2011)		 "Spice"
(2011)

"Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori" (レーザービーム/微かなカオリ, "Laser Beam/Faint Fragrance") is the eighteenth single of Japanese girl group Perfume. Due to Great East Japan Earthquake, the date of the release was suspended from 20 April 2011 to 18 May 2011.[1] The single was certified in May 2011 by the RIAJ as gold for physical copies shipped.[2]

Background

Laser Beam is used in Kirin Brewery's Hyoketsu ads since 2 February 2011.[3] Laser Beam was recorded during the latter days of January 2011. Originally, the song was to be only 15 second long for the ad. [4] Kasuka na Kaori is also used in the ad of "Kirin Chu-hi Hyoketsu Yasashii Kajitsu no 3%".[5]

Music video

Laser Beam

The music video was shot by Seki Kazuaki, in Yokohama on 11 March 2011. A blackout caused from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake prevented them from continuing filming, and the music video wasn't completed. Filming was then slightly reduced two weeks before the release.[3][6][7] The concept of the video was "female spies", which appears on the making-up and clothes.[4] However, the complete version of the video would later appear on the DVD included in limited edition copies of the group's third studio album JPN which was released on 30 November.

Kasuka na Kaori

The director of the video is also Seki Kazuaki. The concepts are "moving poster", "moving photobook".[8] The video was shot on a field at the foot of Mt. Fuji.[8] Another version "Kasuka na Kaori -Special Video Clip-" was aired in MUSIC ON! TV only on 7 July 2011.[9]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Yasutaka Nakata. 

CD
No. Title Length
1. "Laser Beam" (レーザービーム) 3:33
2. "Kasuka na Kaori" (微かなカオリ "Faint Fragrance") 4:49
3. "Laser Beam" (Original Instrumental) 3:33
4. "Kasuka na Kaori" (Original Instrumental) 4:49
DVD
No. TitleDirector Length
1. "Laser Beam (short ver.)"  Kazuaki Seki  
2. "Making of the jacket shooting"     

Oricon Charts (Japan)

Release Oricon Singles Chart Peak Position Debut Sales (copies) Sales Total (copies) Chart Run
18 May 2011 Daily Chart 2 45,686
Weekly Chart 2 93,828 124,613 15 weeks
Monthly Chart 8 107,443
Yearly Chart (2011)[10] 58 124,613

References

  1. ↑ "Perfumeシングル、震災の影響で発売延期＆収録内容判明" (in Japanese). natalie.mu. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  2. ↑ ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2011年05月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (May 2011)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). 10 June 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Perfumeタイトル未定の新曲がキリン「氷結」CMソングに" (in Japanese). natalie.mu. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "TV Bros. Perfume column "Tachimachi Golympic Sen?"". Tokyo News. 30 April 2011.
  5. ↑ "Perfume「氷結」新商品CMでふわっと香るひととき表現" (in Japanese). natalie.mu. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  6. ↑ "Perfume's choreographer Mikiko's tweet" (in Japanese). 11 March 2011.
  7. ↑ "Perfume's choreographer Mikiko's tweet" (in Japanese). 11 March 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Perfume、本日5月18日発売の"微かなカオリ"のPV公開" (in Japanese). 18 May 2011.
  9. ↑ "Perfume「微かなカオリ」PV、縦バージョンを1日限定公開" (in Japanese). 29 June 2011.
  10. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2011/more/3/

External links

  1. Official Site
  2. Tokuma Japan Communications' Perfume Site