Jun Parker’s latest single is a truly captivating one in terms of sound and concept.
Jun Parker is an Australian, bilingual (Japanese-English) artist based in Portland, Victoria. Say Goodbye is his latest single. A city pop gem, inspired by the 80s Japanese jazz and disco, made infamous by endless anime series from that era and later ones that made huge successes around the globe.
Say Goodbye follows (in Japanese) the story of a young man who has decided to pack his stuff in his sports car and head to a destination-less road trip, burdened by his life and needing a break, he drives to an inland city where he has an intense romance, before deciding to head out onto the road again on his road trip with no destination. Perhaps, for some, it would have been more enjoyable if the words were in English. But, personally, the Japanese sounds perfectly fitting, and having the general premise in mind, the foreign language adds a layer of mystery and elegance that, coupled with the visual aspect of all the amazing anime I’ve watched, made the painting I found forming in my head incredibly detailed and colorful. The music is accented by a masterful, jazzy piano and an immaculately played tenor sax that oozes with sensuality and seductiveness, both creating a soundscape that’s inviting, compelling, and at once uncommon and familiar. A sensational sound.
Jun Parker’s Say Goodbye, in this particular guise (the Dusk Mellow Edit) manages to paint ample pictures that are full of detail and nuance, through a jazzy arrangement and exquisitely written and played parts. It’s a memorable song that deserves a spot in the limelight.
