{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Ensemble Play | type = studio | artist = Creepy Nuts | cover = Creepy Nuts - Ensemble Play.png | alt = | caption = Standard cover | released = September 7, 2022 | recorded = | studio = | genre = | length = 32:50 | language = Japanese | label = * Onenation * Sony Music Associated | producer = DJ Matsunaga | prev_title = Case | prev_year = 2021 | next_title = Legion | next_year = 2025 | misc = {{Singles | name = Ensemble Play | type = studio | single1 = Patto Saite Chitte Hai ni | single1date = March 9, 2022 | single2 = Baka Majime | single2date = March 20, 2022 | single3 = 2Way Nice Guy | single3date = June 1, 2022 | single4 = Daten | single4date = July 8, 2022 }} }}
{{nihongo|'''''Ensemble Play'''''|アンサンブル・プレイ|Ansanburu Purei|lead=yes}} is the third studio album by Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts. It was released on September 7, 2022, by Onenation and Sony Music Associated Records. The album is follow-up to their 2021 studio album ''Case''. Four singles preceded ''Ensemble Play'': "Patto Saite Chitte Hai ni", "Baka Majime" (with Ayase and Lilas Ikuta), "2Way Nice Guy", and "Daten". In support of the album, the duo embarked on a concert tour of the same name in Japan from September to December 2022.
==Background and release==
On July 5, 2022, Creepy Nuts announced their third studio album, titled ''Ensemble Play'', alongside their concert tour of the same name throughout Japan from September to December 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts自身最大規模の全国ライブツアー「アンサンブル・プレイ」9都市14公演 |url=https://www.fashion-press.net/news/90235 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Fashion Press |date=July 5, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> It was scheduled to be released on September 7, the same day as the CD single of the album's track "Daten".<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts、ニューアルバム『アンサンブル・プレイ』&シングル『堕天』を9/7同時リリース。自身最大規模の全国ツアー開催も |url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/203194 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Rockin'On Japan |date=July 5, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> Titled by DJ Matsunaga,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ohtomo |first1=Youhei |title=五輪閉会式、ライブにドラマ...Creepy Nuts「1年単位でも想像できない事ばかり。未来楽しみ」 |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/202209140001032.html |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Nikkan Sports |date=September 15, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> ''Ensemble Play'' is primarily centered around fictional theme, rather than autobiography in previous records.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Takagi |first1=Shin-ichiro |title=Creepy Nutsインタビュー {{!}} アルバム「アンサンブル・プレイ」で築き上げる、自意識を通過したフィクショナルな世界 |url=https://natalie.mu/music/pp/creepynuts05 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Music Natalie |date=September 9, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>
The physical version consists of four editions: standard, ''Radio'', ''Live Blu-ray'', and ''T-Shirt''. The ''Radio'' edition features talk sessions about discussion around the album. The ''Live Blu-ray'' edition includes the Blu-ray of the performance of Case One Man Tour at Yokohama Arena. The ''T-Shirt'' edition comes with L-size T-shirt with the album's cover artwork printed on it.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts、ニューアルバム『アンサンブル・プレイ』とシングル「堕天」同時リリースが決定 |url=https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/304980 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Spice |date=July 5, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>
==Promotion==
''Ensemble Play''{{'}}s lead single "Patto Saite Chitte Hai ni" was released on March 9, 2022, served as the 94th Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament's official theme song.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts、"第94回センバツMBS公式テーマソング"「パッと咲いて散って灰に」3/9デジタル・リリース。ジャケ写公開 |url=https://skream.jp/news/2022/03/creepy_nuts_new_single.php |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Skream! |date=March 4, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> Less than a month later, on March 20, Creepy Nuts released "Baka Majime", a collaboration with Ayase and Lilas Ikuta, for the ''All Night Nippon'' 55th-anniversary stage drama ''Ano Yoru o Oboe Teru''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creepy Nuts×Ayase×幾田りらのコラボ楽曲「ばかまじめ」完成! Creepy Nuts・YOASOBIの冠ラジオで先行オンエア! |url=https://news.1242.com/article/349152 |website=Nippon Broadcasting System |access-date=March 10, 2025 |language=ja |date=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
The theme for the live-action film adaptation of manga series ''The Way of the Househusband'', "2Way Nice Guy", was released as the album's third single on June 1.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts、映画『極主夫道 ザ・シネマ』主題歌「2way nice guy」MVプレミア公開 ジャケ写&新アー写も |url=https://realsound.jp/2022/05/post-1040479.html |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Real Sound |date=May 30, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> "Daten" was available digitally on July 8, before issued as CD single on September 7, the same day as its parent album. The song was used as the opening theme for the anime series ''Call of the Night''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts (クリーピー・ナッツ)、TV アニメ「よふかしのうた」オープニング・テーマに書き下ろした新曲「堕天」が7月8日にリリース決定! |url=https://iflyer.tv/article/2022/07/05/creepy-nuts-daten/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=iFlyer |date=July 5, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>
In addition to singles, ''Ensemble Play'' includes the full-length version of "Losstime", an insert song for the anime series ''Call of the Night'';<ref>{{cite news |title=よふかしのうた : Creepy Nutsが挿入歌「ロスタイム」書き下ろし ナズナとコウのリリックビデオも |url=https://mantan-web.jp/article/20220714dog00m200068000c.html |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Mantanweb |date=July 15, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> and "Dawn", a jingle for energy drink Zone commercial.<ref>{{cite news |title=Creepy Nuts×ZONeエナジー、コラボデザイン缶の発売が決定 |url=https://www.thefirsttimes.jp/news/0000152120/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=The First Times |date=July 15, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = ''Ensemble Play'' track listing | all_lyrics = R-Shitei, except "Intro", "Madman" and "Outro" | all_music = DJ Matsunaga | total_length = 32:50 | title1 = Intro | length1 = 0:47 | title2 = 2Way Nice Guy | length2 = 3:44 | title3 = Patto Saite Chitte Hai ni | note3 = {{lang|ja|パッと咲いて散って灰に}} | length3 = 2:42 | title4 = Dawn | length4 = 3:03 | title5 = Daten | note5 = {{lang|ja|堕天}} | length5 = 2:52 | title6 = Madman | length6 = 1:40 | title7 = Yūjin A | note7 = {{lang|ja|友人A}} | length7 = 3:02 | title8 = Front Desk No. 9 | note8 = {{lang|ja|フロント9番}} | length8 = 3:55 | title9 = Losstime | note9 = {{lang|ja|ロスタイム}} | length9 = 3:39 | title10 = Baka Majime | note10 = {{lang|ja|ばかまじめ}} | lyrics10 = {{hlist|R-Shitei|Ayase}} | music10 = {{hlist|DJ Matsunaga|Ayase}} | length10 = 2:52 | title11 = Outro | length11 = 0:34 | title12 = Nobishiro | note12 = {{lang|ja|のびしろ}}; from ''The First Take'' | length12 = 3:54 }}
{{Track listing | headline = ''Ensemble Play'' – ''Radio'' edition | total_length = 73:46 | title1 = Intro | length1 = 0:47 | title2 = OP Talk | note2 = {{lang|ja|OPトーク}} | length2 = 7:43 | title3 = 2Way Nice Guy | length3 = 3:44 | title4 = ''Ensemble Play'' to wa | note4 = {{lang|ja|アンサンブル・プレイとは}} | length4 = 3:22 | title5 = Patto Saite Chitte Hai ni | length5 = 2:42 | title6 = Dawn | length6 = 3:03 | title7 = Daten | length7 = 2:52 | title8 = Madman Senshuken | note8 = {{lang|ja|Madman選手権}} | length8 = 6:18 | title9 = Madman | length9 = 1:40 | title10 = 2015 Nentte Nani Yattetandakke? | note10 = {{lang|ja|2015年って何やってたんだっけ?}} | length10 = 8:33 | title11 = Yūjin A | length11 = 3:02 | title12 = Front Desk No. 9 | length12 = 3:52 | title13 = Futari no Henka | note13 = {{lang|ja|2人の変化}} | length13 = 3:32 | title14 = Losstime | length14 = 3:39 | title15 = Baka Majime | length15 = 2:52 | title16 = ED Talk | note16 = {{lang|ja|EDトーク}} | length16 = 4:07 | title17 = Outro | length17 = 0:34 | title18 = Nobishiro ga Sugoi zo! Jimoto no Osusume Spot 2022 | note18 = {{lang|ja|のびしろがすごいぞ!地元のおススメスポット2022}} | length18 = 4:07 | title19 = Nobishiro | note19 = from ''The First Take'' | length19 = 3:54 }}
{{Track listing | headline = ''Ensemble Play'' – ''Live Blu-ray'' edition (Creepy Nuts One Man Tour "Case" at Yokohama Arena) | total_length = 168:50 | title1 = DJ Routine | length1 = 4:30 | title2 = Lazy Boy | length2 = 3:09 | title3 = Bareru! | note3 = {{lang|ja|バレる!}} | length3 = 3:24 | title4 = Yofukashi no Uta | note4 = {{lang|ja|よふかしのうた}} | length4 = 4:25 | title5 = Kami-sama | note5 = {{lang|ja|紙様}} | length5 = 3:18 | title6 = Joen Dan'yū-shō | note6 = {{lang|ja|助演男優賞}} | length6 = 2:57 | title7 = Kaoyaku | note7 = {{lang|ja|顔役}} | length7 = 3:09 | title8 = Miminashi Hō'ichi Style | note8 = {{lang|ja|耳なし芳一Style}} | length8 = 3:17 | title9 = Ore yori Erai Yatsu | note9 = {{lang|ja|俺より偉い奴}} | length9 = 3:05 | title10 = Furai | note10 = {{lang|ja|風来}} | length10 = 3:02 | title11 = Otona | note11 = {{lang|ja|オトナ}} | length11 = 3:25 | title12 = Nobishiro | length12 = 4:22 | title13 = Trench Coat Mafia | note13 = {{lang|ja|トレンチコートマフィア}} | length13 = 3:09 | title14 = Digital Tattoo | note14 = {{lang|ja|デジタルタトゥー}} | length14 = 2:46 | title15 = 15 Sai | note15 = {{lang|ja|15才}} | length15 = 3:47 | title16 = Santora | note16 = {{lang|ja|サントラ}} | length16 = 4:15 | title17 = Bad Orangez | length17 = 3:52 | title18 = Katsute Tensai Datta Oretachi e | note18 = {{lang|ja|かつて天才だった俺たちへ}} | length18 = 4:25 | title19 = Who Am I | length19 = 4:11 | title20 = Tukaenai Yatsura | note20 = {{lang|ja|使えない奴ら}} | length20 = 5:22 | title21 = Miyagebanashi | note21 = {{lang|ja|土産話}} | length21 = 5:23 | title22= Behind the Scene of Creepy Nuts in Yokohama Arena | length22 = 28:10 }}
==Personnel== '''Creepy Nuts''' * R-Shitei – vocals (2–5, 7–10, 12) * DJ Matsunaga – arrangement, turntable, sampler, programming
'''Additional contributors''' * Daisuke Kawaguchi – arrangement (2, 5) * Ikuta Lilas – vocals (10) * Ayase – arrangement (10)
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for ''Ensemble Play'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Oricon|3|date=2022<!-- needs to stay YYYY-MM-DD -->-09-19|rowheader=true|access-date=March 10, 2025}} |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Combined Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{cite web |title=Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2022-09-19 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/coa/w/2022-09-19/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916030517/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/coa/w/2022-09-19/ |archive-date=September 16, 2022 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |publisher=Oricon |language=ja}}</ref> | 3 |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Dance & Soul Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{cite web |title=Oricon Top 20 Dance & Soul Albums: 2022-09-19 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ds/w/2022-09-19/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220919205211/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ds/w/2022-09-19/ |archive-date=September 19, 2022 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |publisher=Oricon |language=ja}}</ref> | 1 |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Hot Albums (''Billboard Japan'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2022&month=09&day=19|title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of September 14, 2022|website=Billboard Japan|language=ja|access-date=March 10, 2025}}</ref> | 3 |} {{col-2}}
===Monthly charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Monthly chart performance for ''Ensemble Play'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{cite web |title=Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-09 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2022-09/ |publisher=Oricon |access-date=March 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012041331/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2022-09/ |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref> | 10 |} {{col-end}}
==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release dates and formats for ''Ensemble Play'' ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Version ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" | Various | rowspan="2" | September 7, 2022 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Standard | rowspan="2" | {{hlist|Onenation|Sony Music Associated}} | style="text-align:center" rowspan="2" | <ref>{{cite web |title=9/7 ニューアルバム『アンサンブル・プレイ』・シングル『堕天』リリース決定! |url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/creepynuts/info/542644 |website=Sony Music Entertainment Japan |access-date=March 10, 2025 |language=ja |date=July 5, 2022}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Japan | {{hlist|CD|CD+Blu-ray}} | {{hlist|Standard|''Radio''|''Blu-ray Live''|''T-Shirt''}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://creepynuts.com/ensembleplay2022/}} {{in lang|ja}}
{{Creepy Nuts}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2020s Japanese-language albums Category:2022 albums Category:Creepy Nuts albums Category:Sony Music Entertainment Japan albums