With the release of their highly anticipated greatest hits album, "The WORLD is Mine," Burnout Syndromes invites us to dive into a musical universe that beautifully intertwines with the anime landscape.
Formed in Osaka, Japan, Burnout Syndromes consists of three talented musicians: Kazuumi Kumagai (vocals/guitar), Daiki Kuwakado (bass), and Kai Tamaru (drums). The trio's dynamic chemistry and diverse musical backgrounds infuse their work with a fresh energy that resonates with fans worldwide.
Burnout Syndromes' rise to fame is a testament to their determination and artistry. They initially made their mark in the indie music scene, showcasing their distinctive sound characterized by a fusion of rock, pop, and catchy melodies. This indie spirit remains an integral part of their identity, even as they've gained recognition on a grander scale.
Their breakthrough came when their music caught the attention of anime producers, leading to numerous tie-up songs for popular anime series. Collaborating with celebrated franchises like Haikyu!!, Dr. STONE, Gintama, and Those Snow White Notes, Burnout Syndromes solidified their status as musical powerhouses within the anime realm. Their ability to capture the essence of these shows and infuse them with their signature sound is a testament to their musical versatility.
What sets Burnout Syndromes apart is their openness to experimentation. Collaborations are a hallmark of their musical journey. The remixed version of "I Don’t Wanna Die in the Paradise" with Japanese rock band FLOW exemplifies their willingness to break boundaries and create something truly unique. Furthermore, including traditional Japanese instruments and sounds of fireworks in "Mt. Wakakusa Starmine" showcases their commitment to innovation.
The band's album artwork, a mesmerizing creation by illustrator Hajime Asahi, adds another layer to their artistic narrative. It embodies the sensation of journeying through different musical worlds, perfectly aligned with their evolution from indie beginnings to global recognition.
Burnout Syndromes' trajectory into the international arena is further bolstered by the English version of "FLY HIGH!!," a significant milestone that showcases their dedication to reaching a broader audience. This song encapsulates their drive to transcend language barriers and connect with fans on a deeper level.
"The WORLD is Mine" is not just an album; it's a testament to the power of music to transport us across reality, imaginary realms, languages, and cultures, igniting a sense of unity and shared experience.
Panorama.it spoke with them in an exclusive interview.
BURNOUT SYNDROMES, congratulations on your success! Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello PANORAMA readers, we are BURNOUT SYNDROMES, a 3-piece rock band from Japan. We have created many theme songs for Japanese anime and have performed those songs at festival events around the world. In Europe, we have performed in Germany and France.
How did the group originally come together, and what inspired the name "BURNOUT SYNDROMES”?
When three of us were 13 years old, guitarist and vocalist Kazuumi Kumagai, bassist Taiyu Ishikawa and drummer Takuya Hirose formed the band to perform at the culture festival in our high school. After all, the festival was cancelled due to a flu pandemic, and we lost sight of our goal but just continued with our activities. Then we won a prize at a contest and were chosen to sing a theme song for an anime, which led to our debut. At the time of the band’s formation, a rock band called Bump of Chicken was popular in Japan, and Ishikawa named the band BURNOUT SYNDROMES because he thought it would be cool if our CDs were lined up next to that band. He chose the coolest English word from the “B” column in an English vocabulary book.
Your latest album “The WORLD is Mine,”received critical acclaim. Can you share more details about it?
Thank you. “The WORLD is Mine” is our second greatest hits album, released in March this year. The album contains 13 songs, including all the anime songs BURNOUT SYNDROMES has ever worked on, plus remake versions of songs we often play live overseas. We made this album to raise awareness of our band outside of Japan. In anime songs, you can enjoy the rock sound that BURNOUT SYNDROMES is known for. In other songs, you can enjoy our unique sound, which is not confined to the band format, incorporating Japanese instruments and EDM sounds. We have also created a website with English translations of the lyrics of the songs, so please have a look of them and get to know the world of our songs.
Streaming service links & English lyrics available here: The WORLD is Mine | BURNOUT SYNDROMES
The WORLD is Mine" features both familiar songs and fresh takes on your catalogue. Could you elaborate on the process of remixing and rearranging your original tracks? What was the goal behind these new versions?
Due to the fact that the non-anime-related songs featured in this album were older compositions that either lacked certain elements or had undergone changes in arrangements over the course of live performances, our decision was to once again rearrange all the songs to align with a contemporary sensibility.
“Mt. Wakakusa Starmine” is a remix of the original sound source, with many aurally unrecognisable tracks added and further remixed to add a modern flair to the rhythmic feel and soundscape. The arrangement has not changed much, but the sound image is completely different, which was a big surprise to those who knew the original music.
“Ocean” is an EDM track that delivers an equally thrilling experience when performed live, surpassing even the excitement generated by anime songs. During live performances, the song is frequently accompanied by the ocean sound effect from a preceding track, and this complete sound effect has been incorporated into this live version.
The title track, The WORLD is Mine, has undergone extensive modifications to adopt a Latin music and EDM influence, making it more recognisable and relatable to English-speaking audiences.
I am very attached to the songs I have composed so far, and I’d been wanting to revitalise them with the cutting-edge sound of the present era if I had a chance, so I took on the challenge of a significant rearrangement this time. I also wanted to offer Japanese fans, who are already familiar with these songs, an opportunity to savour the album in a rejuvenated manner.
The limited first edition of the album includes a Blu-ray disc with footage from your first world tour. Can you share some memorable moments from the tour and what it means to you to have this captured on the disc?
What impressed me while performing was that the timing of the audience’s cheers and the way they groove to rhythms differ from country to country. I’ve got the impression that the American audience enjoys our performance energetically while the Europeans relish more elegantly. South Americans give us tremendous cheers, and the Japanese and Saudi Arabian audience are relatively quiet while enjoying our performance. I was thrilled that we had the chance to visit the Grand Canyon between gigs. If given the opportunity to perform in Europe, I would gladly take in its beautiful sights.
The bonus video is entitled “Behind the Scenes”. In the current Japanese music scene, there are not many Japanese artists who perform live all over the world. The content of the live performances is of course important, but we felt that there is also a great significance in the behind-the-scenes stories ofour sentiments on going about performing overseas, so we decided to include a record of that in this special feature. The footage of audience who don’t speak Japanese singing songs of BURNOUT SYNDROMES in Japanese is always moving, no matter how many times we watch it.
BURNOUT SYNDROMES has contributed numerous anime tie-up songs, and many of them are included on this album. How do you feel about the impact your music has had on the anime industry?
When creating an anime tie-up, I (Kumagai), as a composer, always read the original comic work many times before creating the song, which have resulted in “lyrics and sounds that are highly compatible with anime work”, receiving high acclaims. However, I am still not sure if our music has had an impact on the industry as a whole.
What’s certain is, through those years of our sincere work, BURNOUT SYNDROMES are now receiving offers to perform all over the world. Through our activities outside of Japan, we are trying to solve many negative issues Japanese music has, such as language, rhythm, mixing, promotion, etc, one by one, and to show the global music scene how fascinating Japanese music can be. I believe that fulfilling this will be a real contribution to the music and animation industries.
What do you enjoy most about creating music for anime?
I derive great pleasure from crafting songs based on existing stories, as opposed to creating original songs themed on my own life. Self-expression isn’t my strong suit, so I find it fulfilling to produce my best work within the given parameters. Throughout the production process, I typically dedicate entire days to composing, immersing myself in the piece. There are moments when I feel as though I have been transported into the realm of the animation work, and it brings me great happiness.
How do you select the anime projects you collaborate with?
The projects we undertake are chosen by the esteemed staff at our label. At times, we find ourselves in competition with other artists, while other times we are directly approached to handle a theme song. While I have the option to decline, I have never turned down such opportunities because I genuinely relish the process of crafting theme songs for various works.
Is there an anime you worked on you are particularly attached to, and why?
I’m very attached to all of them, but the most memorable one is Haikyu!!, for which we crafted opening songs for three consecutive seasons, including “FLY HIGH!!”, “Hikari Are” and “PHOENIX”. “FLY HIGH!!” is our debut song and was chosen through a competition. I still can’t believe that our song, crafted by a completely unknown group at the time, was selected amidst fierce competition that included many top artists. Following its release, "FLY HIGH!!" resonated with listeners worldwide, leading to offers for performances across the globe. And now, being interviewed by PANORAMA, all these incredible experiences are made possible thanks to Haikyu!!, for which I hold deep gratitude.
“FLY HIGH!!” was originally featured as the opening theme for the anime series Haikyu!! in Japanese. How did the decision come about to release an English version of the song, and what challenges or opportunities did you encounter while adapting the lyrics and performing it in a different language?
To be honest, the original plan for this English version was to release it on social media on 19th August of last year, which is celebrated as Haikyu!! Day because the numbers 8-19 can be read as "Haikyu" in Japanese. However, due to scheduling conflicts, we had to postpone the idea. Nevertheless, for this greatest hits album, we made the decision to include the English version as it aligns perfectly with the album’s concept. English pronunciation was just difficult, by the way. Moreover, singing in English required me to vocalise at a pace that, from a Japanese perspective, can be considered rapid, which made the practice process extremely challenging. However, with the guidance and direction of a native English speaker, I was able to create something that was equally satisfying as the original Japanese version.
As this is your first-ever English song, what significance does it hold for the band? How does it reflect your growth and willingness to connect with a broader international audience?
It was such a valuable opportunity to delve into the different characteristics of English and Japanese languages. Through singing the same song in two different languages, we gained firsthand knowledge of how variations in vowels and consonants can impact the overall sound. It reinforced my belief that future songs by BURNOUT SYNDROMES should be crafted with the intention of captivating not only Japanese listeners but also audience from different countries. This English version has become a remarkable source of inspiration for embracing that challenge.
Music has the power to transcend language barriers and connect people from different cultures. What message or emotions do you hope to convey to your fans through the English version of "FLY HIGH!!"? What do you want international listeners to take away from the song?
I’d be glad if this will be an opportunity to explore the meanings behind the lyrics. The Japanese lyrics have been faithfully translated into English, and I assure you that “FLY HIGH!!” could become a source of support in your life. It also carries a message from BURNOUT SYNDROMES, expressing our desire to strengthen the connection with listeners from around the world.
BURNOUT SYNDROMES has been active for a while now. How do you maintain your passion and drive for creating music, and how has the group evolved over the years?
This year marks our band’s 18th anniversary since its formation. We find motivation in various things, like the happiness of singing anime theme songs and the incredible reactions we receive from our fans. But essentially, the main reason why I’ve been able to keep making music for so long is because I haven’t found anything else in life that’s as fascinating as composing and writing. The pure joy of bringing the music in my mind to life is what keeps me evolving, regardless of how much money I make or opinions of others.
What are your plans and goals for the future? Can you give us a hint about any upcoming projects or exciting developments we can look forward to from BURNOUT SYNDROMES?
We collaborated with Japanese band FLOW, who have also written many anime songs, for “I Don’t Wanna Die in the Paradise” included in the greatest hits album. Looking ahead, we aim to actively engage in collaborations with artists whom we share a strong connection with. While creating each song requires time and effort, we are confident to deliver meaningful and enjoyable works to the world. Stay tuned for more exciting developments!
