I first came across Japanese Television last year, after the release of their third EP, III. Now, usually outside of a handful of exceptions, I find instrumental guitar bands to be pretty consistently one note, and I’m not ashamed to say if I’d have known that this is what JT were before listening, I wouldn’t have even bothered. Thank fuck that’s not the case. Each song on III is one that the listener can revisit again and again, finding new details each time. Even as I’m writing this piece, I have noticed that their album art work gives off the impression of a moving image if you are looking at it from the corner of your eye (maybe my visions just fucked, but you get the analogy).
They cover so many bases with their sound, with one of their latest releases being a reworking of their song Falling Spikes, a project they released with UNKLE. It is easily JT at their most electronic to date, but they still pull it off with ease. I personally prefer what they showcase on their first three EP’s but shit, if they want to go in that direction, they have definitely proven that they can.
Going forward Japanese Television are going to be a band that everyone should be watching closely. Inevitably they’re not going to find huge mainstream success without a definable frontman or lyrics to scream back at live shows, but their coming releases will always be worth hearing if their entire discography up until this point is anything to go by.
KEY TRACK: Martian Soup – This slow burning track explodes into a controlled cacophonous frenzy in a way that only Japanese Television know how to do.
FOR FANS OF: Snapped Ankles, Just Mustard, Black Midi
