The band has changed its artist name to capitalized CAPSULE and released its first album since moving from Yamaha Music Communications, where it had been signed for over a decade, to unBORDE, a Warner Music Japan sub-label that also represents Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, RIP SLYME, androp, Shinsei Kamattechan, and tofubeats. The title, "CAPS LOCK," is a play on the keyboard function key that converts between uppercase and lowercase letters, and the track titles, such as "HOME," "SHIFT," and "RETURN," are all derived from keyboard keys. CAPSULE's Yasutaka Nakata, who has worked on all of Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's albums and is also in high demand from other artists, has completed this new album, his first in a year. In stark contrast to the dance music functionality of his previous album, "STEREO WORXXX," this one is more suited to indoor listening than the dance floor. Rather than imagining crowds raising their hands in ecstasy, the album featured a lineup of deeply personal, serene tracks that seemed to paint a picture of the listener's mind. I suspect many were disappointed. In other words, the music that the world craves from Nakata Yasutaka—the electric pop of Perfume or Kyary Pamyu Pamyu—is largely absent. However, personally, this shift feels entirely natural. Perhaps it's a reaction to the increasingly upbeat sound that's been craved over the past year. For example, the fourth track, "12345678," has a feel close to progressive rock and German rock, while the sixth track, "ESC," also has something in common with contemporary music. The seventh track, "SPACE," lives up to its title with its expansive sound, evoking a film soundtrack vibe. While there are tracks featuring the vocoder voice of Koshijima Toshiko, another member of CAPSULE, it stands out on this album to the point of being unorthodox.

This album is not about Nakata Yasutaka as a producer or DJ, but as Nakata Yasutaka the musician. Until now, the line between these two seemed blurred or even intertwined, but now it feels like it's clearly recognizable. I thought he was a second Tetsuya Komuro, but upon closer inspection, he's become Ryuichi Sakamoto. It may sound vulgar, but I think it's an apt metaphor for his drastic transformation. The more he responds to what's expected of him as a producer, the stronger the backlash. The more he connects with the times, the more fascinating Nakata Yasutaka as a musician becomes. It's no surprise that this album was released in 110 countries around the world. It's sure to captivate not only cutting-edge listeners in each country, but also overseas fashionistas, given Nakata Yasutaka's close ties to fashion. I'll be keeping a close eye on his future output. CAPSULE is a unit formed in 1997 by Nakata Yasutaka, who is responsible for lyrics, composition, arrangement, and production, and vocalist Koshijima Toshiko. They debuted in 2001 with the single "Sakura." To date, they have released 14 albums. Nakata Yasutaka also performs as a member of the unit COLTEMONIKHA with designer and model Sakai Kageto.