There was a time, back in my “serious music only, no fun allowed” days, where I would have scoffed at the bikini-clad antics of one Fujita Ena. These days I’m happy to report that I’ve lightened up a bit and have now come to appreciate things like gimmicks and characters a bit more. The soloist’s latest single “DEAD STROKE” is featured as the ending theme to the current Baki anime series and its title track packs all of the punch and intensity you would expect of something associated with one of Japan’s most famous fighting series. The single’s b-side “BATHROOM JET CANDY” in contrast offers the listener a funkier, much more groovy listening experience which Ena is more than capable of providing also. Over the course of the two tracks the singer shows off a range of vocal styles from the impassioned melodies of the a-side to the lower, rich notes that contribute to the smoothness of the b-side. Indeed, this release is yet more proof that this artist is much more than a bikini, a guitar and a pretty face.
| Baki Edition
