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asobi seksu thursday
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by Shain Shapiro

A certain mystery clouds Asobi Seksu, as each note the New York outfit delivers reveals very little about the four-piece; each is shadowed behind heaps of ethereality, atmosphere and reverb. The plaintive pop engendering from a good quiet strum in one’s room is there, but the production and mood constructed to bellow in and out of the piece overshadows everything else, leaving the core a bit blurry and enticing.

Knowing too much can make life dull, though, and ruin the surprises and the hidden dreams buried within everyday realities. This ethos is crowned king, as both songs here - ‘Thursday’ and ‘New Years’ - leave much to the imagination of the listener, both lyrically and melodically. Both are true treats to listen to; both are dreamy, moody and atmospheric, melancholic even. But deep down the listener knows that they’re much, much more.

‘Thursday’ is more confusing than ‘New Years’, because it reveals less. Lead singer Yuki is difficult to understand, in either English or Japanese – she switches in an entirely deliberate fashion – leaving the metaphors peering through these tracks mysterious. ‘New Years’ is more upbeat and leg-swinging, but much of it is sung in Japanese. I do not speak Japanese: once again, colour me confused.

Still, I like being confused, stuck at trying to verbalise the intangibles within Asobi Seksu, something I feel I am failing at here. Whatever this is, whatever this means, it is good stuff, if difficult to interpret, understand or theorize. Sometimes the best ideas are left unsaid.

  • Asobi Seksu 8 / 10
Words: Shain Shapiro

I really like

this song.


it is

great


I think I'd actually give this song a ten.

It's one of the most perfect pop songs I've heard. New Years is very good too.


Great song. They're great

live too. Everyone should go see them when they tour later this year.


Me too

I'm actually *shocked* that it only got an 8. I don't even care what the reasoning is.


i love this song

it reminds me of mew too which is always a good thing


Brilliant couple of songs

and miles better than their debut album.


Woot

the album is so lovely.


This has 10 written all over it.

Or, at the very least, a solid 9. Just perfect shoegaze pop.


Thursday

really deserved a 10. Dream pop perfection.


agreed.

The album should get a ten too. Strawberries is my fave off the album, followed by Red Sea and this.


strings

is excellent too.

Fuck it, the whole album is.


Oui

The album "Citrus" was released last year. It's okay, but none of the other songs come anywhere near "Thursday"


Citrus is going to be re-released

with exclusive extra tracks!
I'm heppy for them, they deserve it!


cool

i'll wait for the re-release


great, but

no rihanna


Apparently

there's an American indie band called 'Umbrellas'.

They must be gutted.

More to the point I listened to their album just now and it was simply glorious.

Asobi Seksu, that is, not Umbrellas.


LOVE LOVE LOVE

this song. what a piece of sonic gold; sounds like fluffy-bunnied meadows and the flight of melancholic butterfly fluttering...ahhhhh heaven


They're pretty much the Cocteau Twins in their later days

albeit a little more upbeat.

That makes them amazing. I love this song.


that's all good...

i'm glad this type of music is back...was a shame when it vanished in the UK early 90s. The album's great, though it does rip off at least 3 MBV guitar riffs note for note. Still, imagine how sh*te it would be if they were ripping off robbie williams or westlife.