The ear and eye candy music of beatmaker Victor MK II is back for fans to lap up and enjoy with Tokimeki No Beat.
The new album, the prolific Victor MK II’s 10th in eight years, is arguably his best after his debut, Ame. And it looks like the one year he took to produce the new album has paid handsome dividends.
While Tokimeki No Beat retains the cheerful samples, laid-back vibe, and Japanese influences, this one has a more polished feel.
“On Tokimeki no beat I decided to take my time making the whole album,” explained the Naga City native. “I think production took me eight months or so instead of the usual half a year. My label (Kind of Blue Records) was cool with it so I took the extra free time to really polish it. It’s funny because when I say polish it, it’s me taking the extra mile to make it sound more lofi like the really early releases.”
Speaking of releases, completing the experience is the manga-style art that is present in all the releases. Simple as they are, they are visually appealing. And they leave much to the imagination if not one’s interpretation.
In fact, four of the last five albums depict the faceless girl in front of a shop. And there’s a story to this.
“Yeah, that’s the general aesthetic me and (artist) Zom Kashwak came up with and we just stuck with it. In my free time, I love hanging out in coffee shops and usually the first thing I look for when I visit places is the storefront. If it looks cool, I’ll definitely check it out.”
“For Tokimeki No Beat, I had this idea of a jazz club and a coffee shop in one since I use a lot of these jazz samples all over my music. Zom definitely delivered.”
The artist explained that the faceless girl is not based on a particular person but instead loosely represents the whole feel of the beats itself together with the people who hang out at that certain place.
“It’s kinda cool to be able to represent the vibe through Zom’s art style. It works so much and people dig it.”
“Dig it” is an understatement.
His music has been well received by fans and in the back seller market for vinyl records, it is in demand.
“The response from fans has always been good,” shared the beatmaker. “The fan base is still strong despite the busy days. I think it’s because most of the time my beats live in the background and in turn become a part of their daily lives, it’s a warm feeling.”
On Discogs, that online database and marketplace for music releases, his records re-sell for as much as US $300 per title!
Granted the runs are small, but the fact that music fans look out for his music is immensely gratifying for Victor MK II.
“I am just grateful,” he succinctly said.
“Tokimeki No Beat’s story is pretty simple — it depicts the ideal slice of life scenery, just a normal warm day stroll to your favorite hangout, perhaps a stroll in the park, or even a slow chill evening with friends. When I was making these beats I just wanted to make something that would compliment that scenery, I think I did.”
Fans interested in acquiring physical releases may reach out through Victor MK II’s Bandcamp, Instagram, or Facebook.