Unhappy Refrain

Wowaka, previously known as Genjitsutouhi-P, debuted as a vocaloid producer in 2009 with the song {{Nihongo|In the Grey Zone.|グレーゾーンにて。|Gray Zone ni te.}}.{{Cite web |last=ASCII |title=バンドとニコ動、2つの顔を持つ「裏表ラバーズ」作者の素性 (1/5) |trans-title=Bands and Nico Nico Douga have two faces: The identity of "Ura-Omote Lovers" creator |url=https://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/497/497898/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=ASCII.jp |language=ja}} He released three mini-albums before Unhappy Refrain: the monochrome disc, Seven Girls' Discord, and World 0123456789. In March 2011, he founded the indie record label Balloom alongside other prominent vocaloid producers, such as Toku P, Fullkawa Honpo and Hachi (Kenshi Yonezu). 2 months later, he released Unhappy Refrain, being the label's first release.

Wowaka's songs are known and characterised by obscure lyrics depicting thoughts of young women in fast-paced melodies.{{Cite news |date=July 2011 |title=ボカロPインタビュー |trans-title=Interviews with Vocaloid producers |work=Gekkayo |pages=426 |language=ja |edition=ゲッカヨ: 26}} Songs like {{Nihongo|World's End Dancehall|ワールズエンド・ダンスホール}} and the title track, are commonly theorized to interpret suicide, as well as bullying, like in {{Nihongo|Rolling Girl|ローリンガール}}. His alias, {{Nihongo|Genjitsutouhi-P|現実逃避P}}, came from the phrase "Escaping from reality, how nice!" (In Japanese: 現実逃避って、いいよね！), written in the video descriptions of several of his songs on Nico Nico Douga.{{Cite book |title=ボカロ神Pと超絶クリエイターたち〜才能が出逢う場所 |publisher=Yamaha Music Media |year=2011 |isbn=978-4636867572 |location=Japan |pages=22–24 |language=ja |trans-title=Godly Vocaloid-Ps and Super Creators - Where Talents Meet}}

The album's cover was designed by Gaph, with art direction by Fullkawa Honpo, a close friend of wowaka who was also a vocaloid producer.{{Cite web |date=4 November 2024 |title=ヒトリエ wowakaボーカル、作詞・作曲の未発表曲『NOTOK』11月27日発売 |trans-title=Hitorie's unreleased song "NOTOK" will be released on November 27th, lyrics and composition and vocals by wowaka |url=https://tower.jp/article/feature_item/2024/11/04/0702 |access-date=11 March 2025 |website=tower.jp |language=ja}}

The album was commercially successful, peaking at number 6 on the Oricon Combined Albums chart for 13 weeks straight. It also peaked at number 22 on the Digital Album Sales chart.{{Cite web |title=wowaka(現実逃避P)のデジタルアルバム売上TOP1作品 |trans-title=wowaka (Genjitsutouhi-P) Top 1 Digital Album Sales |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/498225/rank/dia/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=ORICON NEWS |language=ja}}

Unhappy Refrain would be the first and final vocaloid album by wowaka, due to his departure from the scene in 2011 to form the band Hitorie and death in 2019.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-11 |title=Hitorie Band Vocalist/Vocaloid Producer wowaka Passes Away at 31 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-04-07/hitorie-band-vocalist-vocaloid-producer-wowaka-passes-away-at-31/.145482 |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}} Despite his departure, which he claimed was to protect his well-being after the album's release, wowaka credited Hatsune Miku for getting him into making music. He stated: "I never gave it a second of thought 10 years ago as I posted songs, but no matter how you look at it, Hatsune Miku is the one who got me to start music. Miku is sort of like a mother figure to me."{{Cite web |last=Knoop |first=Joseph |date=2019-04-08 |title=Wowaka, beloved Hatsune Miku composer, dead at 31 |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/wowaka-death-hatsune-miku/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}{{Cite book |url=https://vgperson.com/vocalinterview.php?view=wowakadeconatalie |title=初音ミク10周年特集｜wowaka（ヒトリエ）×DECO*27対談 |date=22 August 2017 |publisher=Natalie |language=ja |translator-last=vgperson |trans-title=Hatsune Miku 10th Anniversary Special {{!}} wowaka (Hitorie) x DECO*27 Interview}}

His work inspired many Vocaloid producers, as well as fans to make their own covers and derivative works based on his songs.{{Cite web |last=Strawhun |first=Aiden |date=2019-04-09 |title=Remembering A Vocaloid Legend Behind Some Of The Best Hatsune Miku Songs |url=https://kotaku.com/remembering-a-vocaloid-legend-behind-some-of-the-best-h-1833912736 |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} Musician Kenshi Yonezu, previously a Vocaloid producer under the name Hachi, was a close friend of wowaka. He praised him for having a deep impact on the concept of "Vocaloid-esque" music among Vocaloid creators, and that since his own music was also influenced by wowaka, he held his greatest respect for him.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-12 |title=米津玄師、ｗｏｗａｋａさん訃報をＲＴ 過去には「影響受けた人間の一人」とツイート/デイリースポーツ online |trans-title=Kenshi Yonezu retweets news of Wowaka's death, tweeting in the past that he has been "one of the people inspired by him." |url=https://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/2019/04/08/0012223521.shtml |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=デイリースポーツ online |language=ja}} Other musicians that feature wowaka as an inspiration include Inabakumori.{{Cite web |title=勝手にオススメボカロP！！【稲葉曇編】 |trans-title=Taking the liberty of introducing Vocaloid-Ps [Inabakumori] |url=https://www.village-v.co.jp/news/media/8109 |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=www.village-v.co.jp |language=ja}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc 1

| total_length = 49:08

| all_writing = wowaka

| title1 = Unhappy Refrain (アンハッピーリフレイン)

| length1 = 3:45

| title2 = Rolling Girl (ローリンガール)

| length2 = 3:16

| title3 = Tsumiki no Ningyou (積み木の人形, 'Doll of Building Blocks')

| length3 = 2:56

| title4 = Boku no Sainou (僕のサイノウ. 'My Talent')

| length4 = 4:49

| title5 = Nichijou to Chikyuu no Gakubuchi (日常と地球の額縁, 'Frame of Everyday Life and the World')

| length5 = 3:46

| title6 = Tenohira (テノヒラ, 'Palm')

| length6 = 4:38

| title7 = Toosenbo (とおせんぼ, 'In the Way')

| length7 = 3:33

| title8 = Line Art (ラインアート)

| length8 = 3:33

| title9 = Ura-omote Lovers (裏表ラバーズ, 'Two-Faced Lovers')

| length9 = 3:09

| title10 = In the Grey Zone. (グレーゾーンにて。, Gray Zone ni te.)

| length10 = 2:51

| title11 = Zureteiku (ずれていく, 'Out of Step')

| length11 = 3:38

| title12 = Reversible Doll (リバシブルドール)

| length12 = 3:38

| title13 = World's End Dancehall (ワールズエンド・ダンスホール)

| length13 = 3:38

| title14 = Prism Cube (プリズムキューブ)

| length14 = 3:23

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc 2: remixes

| total_length = 29:45

| title1 = Ura-omote Lovers (裏表ラバーズ, 'Two-faced Lovers')

| note1 = reverse Edge mix

| length1 = 4:12

| music1 = wowaka, Captain Mirai

| title2 = Toosenbo (とおせんぼ, 'In the Way')

| note2 = remix

| length2 = 3:27

| music2 = wowaka, acane_madder

| title3 = Rolling Girl (ローリンガール)

| note3 = remix

| length3 = 3:00

| music3 = wowaka, acane_madder

| title4 = Boku no Sainou (僕のサイノウ. 'My Talent')

| note4 = dnb mix

| length4 = 6:10

| music4 = wowaka, Toku, pagodes

| title5 = Tsumiki no Ningyou (積み木の人形, 'Doll of Building Blocks')

| note5 = rnb mix

| length5 = 5:25

| music5 = wowaka, Toku, pagodes

| title6 = Zureteiku (ずれていく, 'Out of Step')

| note6 = postrock mix

| length6 = 2:40

| music6 = wowaka, whoo

| title7 = World's End Dancehall (ワールズエンド・ダンスホール)

| note7 = dexholic mix

| length7 = 4:51

| music7 = wowaka, Dixie Flatline

}}

• {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20121227145428/http://hitori-atelier.com/index2.html}}
• [https://www.discogs.com/release/3802068-wowaka-Unhappy-Refrain Unhappy Refrain] on Discogs.
• [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN5L-o4iUBhb5BaVT5afOaNXDRvHsARtm ] playlist on Hitorie's YouTube channel.
• [https://www.nicovideo.jp/user/11912389/video?ref=pc_userpage_menu wowaka] on Nico Nico Video.

Category:Creative works using vocaloids

Category:2011 debut albums

Category:Japanese-language albums

Category:Rock albums by Japanese artists