toe

Hear You (2015)

RENALDO69

Japan's toe have always been one of the most dynamic, complex, musically intricate bands on the indie scene. Priding themselves on an infusion of math and post-rock, their songs, mostly without lyrics, manage to paint vivid stories with the finger-quick guitarwork and charming melodies on hand reeling you in for the long run. Hear You follows in the same soothing vein as their recent EPs as well as 2012's The Future Is Now with 11 songs in 39 minutes adding to their creative repertoire as one of the more underrated acts on the DIY table.

Most of the songs are math-acoustic as seen on the openers "Premonition (Beginning of a Desert Human) " and "A Desert Human". The guitars wrap around each other so well but it's the crisp percussion which surprisingly manages to lead so many of the songs on tap. When songs like "My Little Wish" kick off, sharper and with a greater sense of urgency, then you really see how well they flex. If you're a fan of Enemies, this'll draw you in for sure. Songs like "Song Silly" and "Commit Ballad" allow another dimension they don't venture in often with subtle vocals adding some warmth to the mix, but it's the jazzy, funky aspect of these jams that really makes them different from the rest. toe's versatility is really cleverly put on display here.

As "Time Goes" sets the tempo down in this bass-jazzy manner, it's a nice segue into more of what toe has to offer later on. Pianos, even more expansive guitars and tracks with vocals spliced in in just the right measures to leave you feeling their vibe - minimal but absorbing. I won't say this is their best work to date but it's right up there with the great stuff they've done in the past. toe once again prove what eclectic indie/instrumentation is all about. Could have been a bit hardier and edgier at times but they do what they do, so damn well.