Beyond the Sea

SINGLE REVIEW
Perfume - Polyrhythm

1. Polyrhythm
2. SEVENTH HEAVEN
3. Polyrhythm -extra short edit-
4. Polyrhythm ~Original Instrumental~
5. SEVENTH HEAVEN ~Original Instrumental~ 

This is Perfume’s 5th major label single (10th overall) and it was released on September 12, 2007. This single reached #7 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 63,981 copies.

This is the song that put Perfume on the map! Polyrhythm was the first song I heard by the group and I really liked the fresh sound it presented. Accompanied by sweeping synth riffs and wispy vocals, the song opens with solo lines from each girl as the beats in the background become more prevalent. This accumulates into an insanely catchy and easily recognizable chorus. The looping poririzumu and poriruupu sequence of the bridge was annoying at first, but I easily got over it after multiple listens (this might not be the case for others though). I thought the “recycling old love to find a new one” concept in the lyrics was cool too.

The B-side combines organic and synthetic sounds to create a lovely arrangement. SEVENTH HEAVEN has pleasant piano chords that mix nicely with dance beats and lower pitched bass. I especially liked the parts where the piano played a larger role during the song’s quieter parts. All of these elements go well with the girls’ computerized vocals.

If you didn’t like the repetitiveness of Polyrhythm’s bridge, then the extra short edit is perfect. This version gets rid of that sequence and goes right into the second verse instead. Despite the bridge being removed, you still get the best parts of the song and also in a better, more compact form.

Overall Rating

4½ stars