Nojikas – バレエ Ballet Mechanic EP (2017)

Even in this digital age where you can find about any genre under the sun, it’s hard to find a band as eclectic and bizarre as Nojikas. Still, from a listen to this latest frenetic release the バレエ Ballet Mechanic EP, it’s clear that this Japanese experimental outfit couldn’t really exist in any other time. From the digital stutters to the miku-esque robo-vocals to the glitchy trip hop beats, this band sounds like it’s trying to take in all the aural information on the internet at once. Nojikas are a band of extremes. The sheer aggression on this album is unmatched. The drumset is pummeled into oblivion. The hyperactive guitar hooks sound as though played through a pedal board the size of the sun. The songs – which transition into each other, creating an ADHD rock medley – seem to follow a linear structure. They morph from one musical idea to the next in a matter of seconds, too short to stick in the listeners mind without a number of repeat listens.

If that stops the songs from being catchy due to the power of repetition, it doesn’t stop them from being engaging. A multitude of genres are touched upon within the 7 song, under 14 minute EP. There’s Tricot-esque power pop math rock, there’s hyper-compressed shrieking over blast beats, there’s a soundscape (all under 14 minutes, folks), there’s the aforementioned trip hop beats. Every second is chock-full of both attitude and detail. An out of this world listen, for sure.