London based Japanese band Bo Ningen have been steadily evolving their cathartic noise rock statements into something more expansive and diverse over the last few years. In fact even at their most Melt Banana they have always injected some melodic psyche overtones and a feel for song structure into their music. Now after three LPs for Stolen Recordings, the upcoming release for their new label Alcopop signals further sonic booms in this direction.
New album ‘Sudden Fictions’ will be available on 26th June and as a final trailer for the record, the band and Alcopop have spun out the new single ‘Minimal’ on the usual steaming springboards. And what a fine track it is, featuring the Prince Lord of scuzz rock, Bobby Gillespie on shared vocal duties with Bo Ningen founder Taigen Kawabe plus a heavy reverberation of mystery and mayhem. Kawabe reckons it is the ‘first ever properly produced track as well as the most catchy song in Bo Ningen’s thirteen year history’.
That’s a fair summing up, ‘Minimal’ is a full- on dose of electro-beat rock laced with a hint of disco glitz and spiralling guitar menace. It’s all loosely wrapped in a gloriously lo-fi production that crackles with charm and excitement. It sounds like ‘Sudden Fictions’ may stand as the album which welcomes a wider world to the Bo Ningen story without them losing their essential eccentricity, power and invention. The band are also touring the UK in October so prepare to get mesmerised.
Track: Bo Ningen – Minimal
