Asobi Seksu - Familiar Light (One Little Indian)
4/5
By: Doug McNaught
A very uplifting single from this orchestra of a band. The opening lines "I stare at the ceiling to regain some feeling. The day's mixed with knockdowns and calm downs and put downs" seem even more abstract when juxtaposed with the almost festive ornamentation of bells, cymbals and strings, which make this intricate pop symphony as haunting and dramatic as any of the music from Icelandic giants Sigur Ros and Bjork. This isn't really surprising seeing as Asobi Seksu (which translates as 'playful sex' in Japanese) are signed to Bjork's label: One Little Indian Records - and rightfully so.
The angelic vocals of singer Yuki Chikudate soar over the elaborate, thundering drum beats which, I can only assume, are being played by an octopus. The wonderfully solid bass lines and textured guitars create an atmospheric opus which resonates with energy and soul before finally fading off into a distorted mist. Asobi Seksu's hard hitting, psychedelic pop is like a coffee enema in a grey world of drudgery, and their intricate, winding dreamscapes serve as a reminder that older shoegazer and noise rock bands such My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth had gotten something right.
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