Genic are one of my (many) great J-pop hopes. The co-ed group has already been pitched as the successors to agency-seniors AAA, and they certainly have that potential. They were formed through Avex’s a-genic project, one of the many J-pop youtube series I would desperately like to see subtitled. I’ve been loving their music since it was first revealed late last year, and have been patiently waiting for a more concerted roll-out towards their inevitable debut. Now, with an album on the way next month, the group has finally released a music video for the exuberant Sun Comes Up.

Sun Comes Up does something that I absolutely love in a pop song. Rather than structure itself around a series of predictable peaks and valleys, the track unveils strategically via a steady, snowballing build. While some songs struggle to maintain interest after the first chorus, Sun pulls the listener in as it goes– not through the addition of a competing sound palette, but by the deepening of its existing arrangement. We hear the chorus in three different ways, first as a relatively unadorned teaser, then as a dubstep-influenced stagger, and finally as a fully-bloomed, pounding cascade of dancefloor bliss. This gradual progression continues through the song’s connective tissue, with each verse offering a sense of propulsion thanks to driving percussion and dreamy synth filters.

It helps that Sun Comes Up is anchored by a big, memorable melody. More jaded listeners might balk at its lack of restraint, but I love nothing better than an epic chorus. Sun delivers that in spades, tethered to an unwavering sense of optimism. If I had one criticism, it’s that the track severely under-utilizes Maria and Yurari – Genic’s pair of female vocalists. It’s not hugely detrimental to Sun’s overall appeal, but it’s an odd choice given that this is as close to a representative single as the group has released thus far. Still, I’m delighted to be an early addition to the Genic bandwagon. They’ve got incredible potential, and with AAA’s looming hiatus, the time is right for another co-ed group to conquer Japan.

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