Unformed is a thirteen- (or fourteen-, in the case of the Limited Edition) track album comprised entirely of songs featuring the virtual idoru Hatsune Miku: needless to say the same cute girly Jpop style is present throughout the vocals in all the tracks on offer here, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to forget that her voice is a computer programme. Considering how most pop artists these days seem to fall back on pitch correctors and all manner of electro-magic in the studio to the point where even their voices are effectively digital, maybe I shouldn’t find this too surprising.

The brisk opener Rainbow Outline doesn’t actually sound too far into electronica territory at all: there are some synthesised bckground strings but the drums have a ‘live’ feel to them and there’s an acoustic/electric dueted guitar part in the background. I can make out a bit of piano following the strings too, meaning there are a fair few overdubs but not at a Billy Corgan-esque level. Yuuhi Zaka is a slower track with tinkling keyboards contributing to the tender ballad feel; I’m quite impressed with the versatility of what I expected to be a robotic vocal delivery. The pitch changes and pronunciation sound quite natural, although needless to say I’m going on the ‘feel’ of the phrasing rather than actually understanding the lyrics themselves.

Buchi Nuke! 2009! is one of those hyperactive, punky style numbers that features rapid-fire lyrics, fuzzy guitar and a drum beat that would probably work just as well in a thrash metal song, but sounds energetic without being heavy when used in this context. It’s fun in a foot-tapping kind of way, although the digital production techniques are more obvious. G-A-M-E is also a more electronic offering, but comes across as a futuristic disco number; the digital sheen to Hatsune Miku’s voice is used to its advantage – somehow I don’t think a live singer would sound quite right here. It has one of the best melodic hooks on the entire record, and would probably be something I’d be happy to hear instead of the formulaic tripe that’s often played in nightclubs these days.

Winter Alice is another ballad-style tune that is more piano-driven; it’s an enjoyable piece but serves to offer variety in tempo and vibe in the album as a whole rather than stand out on its own as a potential single. Tsuukin Kaisoku is the opposite of its laid-back and mature feel though: it’s another bouncy, hyper track that would perfectly suit one of those fast-moving retro platform games in a computer arcade. Mikkuru Sumasu (from christmas) is another one that I suspect is a novelty number: it is, as far as I can tell, the classic Jingle Bells performed in Japanese with a jaunty keyboard and cheeky guitar riff. It’s great for a laugh!

Astraea -blue mix- is another potential dance floor filler with a piano melody and an infectious beat to it; I’m not much of a dance music fan at all but the presence of vocals (even if they’re vocaloid) ensures it never gets repetitive. The stock drum rolls and other breaks between verses are predictable, which makes it sound like a tribute to clubbing as opposed to a new song of that genre but I like it all the same. Uta ni Katachi ha Nai Keredo is a great contrast in bringing the tempo right down for an effort that’s more thoughtful and emotional; the piano works well with the vocals and the background strings contribute to the dreamy sense of longing and introspection. There’s an alternate version included here but I’m still undecided which I prefer because both are delightful.

Alive is also deep into ballad territory but the brief crackle and buzz of what sounds like a guitar or microphone at the beginning has me wondering: is doriko (assuming he or she is a lone individual) a proficient multi-instrumentalist in addition to someone who can put musical arrangements together on Cubase in a competent and professional manner? Hatsune Miku’s voice and the backing harmonies are never pushed too far into the fore either; the ‘guest vocalist’ and the music are component parts of the songs, rather than the record acting as a showpiece for one or the other.

Monokuroakuto boots up with some brief samples and a fantastic duet of piano and heavy guitar; when I say heavy I mean it’s melodic but also the bass is awe-inspiring, even through headphones. The thick power chords and dramatic strings section offer a superb contrast with the piano and high-pitched, clear-as-a-bell vocal delivery. It has the guitar-y slant and tight rhythm of a rock tune but the Hatsune Miku sweetness ensures it is powerful without being overpowering. Because I’m something of a guitaku maybe I’m biased here, but it’s another one of the album’s highlights for me.

Letter Song couldn’t be more different: it’s a chance for the listener to calm down a bit as the record draws to a close with delicate piano and plaintive vocals carrying the album to its two bonus tracks. The running order is well chosen I think in that it mixes up the faster and slower numbers, ensuring the mood is constantly changing; highlighting how a vocalist who ought to be less versatile than her RL counterparts can still be used in a variety of tunes if the instrumentation and arrangements are selected with care as they are here.

The mp3s and packaging scans are available from certain generous fellow fans but I’d actually like to get hold of a CD copy of this; it seems to be a bit of an indie subculture thing rather than big business, which means the likes of Unformed are labours of love as well as being thoroughly enjoyable pieces of work in an artistic sense so deserve a bit of listener support. I never used to think of myself as a devoted electro-pop fan (I’m certainly not an expert) but I strongly urge you to give this one a chance.

Track listing

1. Rainbow Outline
2. 夕日坂 (Yuuhi Zaka)
3. ぶちぬけ！２００９！ (Buchi Nuke! 2009!)
4. G-A-M-E
5. Winter Alice
6. 通勤快速 (Tsuukin Kaisoku)
7. みっくりすます（from クリスマス） (Mikkuri Sumasu (from christmas))
8. Astraea -blue mix-
9. 歌に形はないけれど (Uta ni Katachi ha Nai Keredo)
10. Alive
11. モノクロアクト (Monokuroakuto)
12. Letter Song
13. 歌に形はないけれど (Uta ni Katachi ha Nai Keredo (Piano Re-arrange ver))
14. Limited Edition Bonus Track*

*Limited edition only. Which I’ve heard has already sold out at time of writing