 |
Rita Planet
Kimono Records (2008) |
Rita Planet sees
Tokyo Pinsalocks further develop the guitarless new wave style psych-pop of last year's
Plutonium EP, this time extended to the length of a mini-album. The mix and mastering are slightly more professional this time round, meaning that the contrast between the Hisayo's bass and Naoko's warbling Microkorg is less extreme, although it remains the driving dynamic behind the songs. The arrangements are richer but still retain their essential simplicity, with Reiko's peppy drumming underlying melodies that incorporate elements of 1990s Shibuya-kei, as in the half-spoken coquette-pop of
Wolf and Sheep, and 1960s psychedelic pop, perhaps most clearly evident on
Ajito "rita". The result is equal parts Strawberry Alarm Clock and Strawberry Switchblade and confirms
Tokyo Pinsalocks as among Japan's premier purveyors of creative, individualistic alt-pop.
Ian Martin Mar.8.08
