ASOBI SEKSU translates from Japanese as “playful sex.” Now that we’ve got that out of the way, the important news: The shoegaze revival continues with this Brooklyn band’s sophomore release.
Massive shimmering wash of effects-laden guitar? Check. JAMES HANNA must be a MY BLOODY VALENTINE fan.
Heavy reverb on breathy female vocals? Check: YUKI CHIKUDATE, alternating English and Japanese, is perhaps more dreampop than shoegaze, but context is everything.
Throbbing juggernaut of a rhythm section? Check: Kudos to drummer BRYAN GREENE, who ought to be made an official member ASAP.
Hooks galore, sometimes darkly subtle, sometimes brightly brilliant? Check.
Extended song-ending thrash-aways? Check: If I’d been told that Asobi Seksu translated as “we love instrumental codas,” I’d’ve believed it on the evidence of the epic ending of “Red Sea” alone.
Compared to the band’s debut two years ago, there’s more focus: Chikudate dominates the vocals (perfectly winsome at times, perfectly ethereal at others, recalling COCTEAU TWINS’ ELIZABETH FRASER and, less often, CRANES’ ALISON SHAW), the shoegazer sound is much stronger and more dominant, the songwriting’s better, and Chikudate’s keyboards are usually warmer and more submerged in the overall texture. There’s still a fair amount of variety, though, and more fast tempos and aggression than the obvious comparisons might suggest—the vocals may often recall dreampop, but the drumming usually doesn’t.
“Strawberries,” the first song on the album (following “Everything Is On,” a 16-second loop), has a big, rocking beat that recalls PHIL SPECTOR’s girl-group productions. Then “New Years” speeds things up with headlong momentum. “Thursday” is more prototypical, and one of the highlights, with the refrain sporting a gorgeous melody in Chikudate’s upper range. She climbs back up there on the more up-tempo “Strings,” which is English in the verses and Japanese in the refrain, bridged by “la la la;” the latter returns for the rave-up coda (there are several of these sprinkled through the album in addition to the big one on “Red Sea”). Hanna sings lead on “Pink Cloud Tracing Paper” while Chikudate adds wordless high harmonies and some piercing keyboard. The aforementioned “Red Sea” with its heavily-reverbed guitar and rolling tom beat in the verse that blossoms into a syncopated snare in the magnificent refrain is a dead ringer for KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION. Then comes the floating coda, drum-less at first and never with a beat, ending with a quiet, watery coda to the coda.
“Goodbye” opens with a low, twanging guitar counterpointed by high bells before going into a more standard up-tempo sound, but the opening instrumentation returns for instrumental interludes. Chikudate’s singing is startlingly lower and stronger at times here, and even on the higher refrain has a matter-of-fact tone that sets it apart from the rest of the album. “Lions and Tigers” throbs slowly and quietly at first, but then the guitar smashes in; contrast is an important part of Asobi Seksu’s style; things are never only pretty. Some attractively icy, slightly CURE-like synth comes to the fore on “Nefi + Girly,” which has an arresting opening. The only track that’s really low-key is the slow, sad “Exotic Animal Paradise,” about a breakup, although it finally breaks into a loud, thrashy coda after “we don’t have the words” that portrays the roiling emotions with guitars instead. The perky, driving “Mizu Asobi” takes the album out on an up note.
If you long for a SLOWDIVE reunion, or ever wanted Liz Fraser to front MBV, you’re so gonna love this album!
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