Today we’re listening to Nisennenmondai, a Japanese band from Tokyo. Sayaka Himeno (drums), Masako Takada (guitar), and Yuri Zaikawa (bass) were college friends and started the band in 1999.1 They drew inspiration from noise and krautrock, favoring a longform repetitive, improvisatory style reminiscent of Neu! or Oren Ambarchi. Their 2013 album, N, has three tracks, each about 15 minutes long, beginning with guitar loops that cue in the rest of the band; the drum and bass precisely keep time while Takada’s guitar plays freely with mixed effects. Destination Tokyo from 2009 is rawer, recorded in single takes, with more melodies and a sense of humor. Their albums are glimpses of the energy of their live performances (see YouTube); they recently reunited for a tour after a nine-year hiatus.
N - Nisennenmondai (40m, no vocals)
Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal
Destination Tokyo - Nisennenmondai (58m, vocals on track 3)
Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal
Have a great Thursday.
