Perfume’s song “Sumikko Disco” to feature as the theme song for a Sumikko Gurashi feature film

“Moon” is barely out of the door and already Perfume have got another song and tie-in cued up.

One thing about Perfume, they’re gonna get that money.

This new Perfume song will feature in the animated film Sumikko Gurashi: Tsugihagi Factory no Fushigi na Ko, which translates as Sumikko Gurashi: The Mysterious Girl of the Tsugihagi Factory.

Sumikko Gurashi is a roster of quirky characters and has become a popular brand in Japan. Think Rilakkuma in terms of look, audience and product placement - which coincidentally is owned by the same company that owns Sumikko Gurashi.

Perfume’s song is aptly titled “Sumikko Disco”. But knowing Nakata, this is probably also a pun of some sort. He do love that shit.

A trailer for Sumikko Gurashi: Tsugihagi Factory no Fushigi na Ko has been released and you can hear a clip of “Sumikko Disco” at the very end.

Nakata is still in his 80s Samantha Thavasa and I ain’t mad at it. It’s nice hearing Perfume songs with a bounce that’s funky, especially for a film where it would have been easy to have gone with a sound like “Goodbye Plastic World” or “Mirai no Museum”. If only Perfume weren’t singing in those damn Chipmunk voices and we got some actual vocal arrangements and production.

There has been no announcement that “Sumikko Disco” will be a single. It’s likely that it will be, given that it is tied to a film, as historically Perfume singles tied to films usually end up as singles. But I also think there is a chance that it will just get a digital release to coincide with the release of the film in November, with a new single announcement hitting in either December or January, on which “Sumikko Disco” will feature as a B-side. I really hope they don’t “Love Cloud” this song. But I guess we really are back to where LEVEL3 left off; from the sound to great songs being relegated to B-sides. But lemme not get ahead of myself when it comes to the quality of “Sumikko Disco”.

Perfume have been playing it pretty fast and loose over the past couple of years with their singles, so who the fuck knows if and when it will release. I like what I hear and that we’re back to “1mm” vibes with the sound and tempo.

Sumikko Gurashi: Tsugihagi Factory no Fushigi releases on November 3, 2023.

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