It has been six years since Gamel, but OOIOO returns with Nijimusi, a new album that shows a new growth to their sound while retaining their early noise rock antics.
With the opening title track clocking in at just under a minute, it is a barrage of drums, feedback, and screams. This is not the case with the other songs on this album however, which are a bit longer and structured while still sounding like OOIOO. Although the noise and feedback are still present, it's showcased in a way that enhances the growth of their sound over the years. As a four piece of with two guitars, bass, and drums line-up, along with shared vocal duties, other instruments are showcased like synths, various other forms of percussion and even a saxophone on one track. The track Jibun starts off slow with slower percussion and melodic guitars. About midway through the track the guitars and drums burst with energy along with more frantic vocals. Asozan5 sounds like a band trying to make contact with distant worlds with spacey synths, jazz-like percussion, and underwater sounding vocals. The track ends with simple and repetitive yet chaotic sounds that leaves me feeling breathless, but not claustrophobic. On the 11 minute track Walk For "345" Minutes, While Saying "Ah Yeah!" With A "Mountain Book"
In One Hand, Until A Shower Of Light Pours Down not only has a long title, but it's the longest track on the album. It starts off slow and hypnotic and conjures up a feeling of walking alone down a city street at night for about the first four minutes. It then builds up to a psychedelic weave of guitars, drums, synths, and vocals before it all melts together for about the last minute of the song. The last track on the album, "Kawasemi Ah" starts off with what sounds like a power tool being played over a synth line before turning into a fun, almost 60's pop song. Along with the usual instruments heard throughout the album, this track also features a saxophone. I wouldn't be surprised to hear this track on a soundtrack to a Tarantino film. With all four members singing on this song, there's a brief moment of silence towards the end of the song before all four members resume singing acapella for the end of the track.
Although Nijimusi was recorded mainly using conventional rock instruments, OOIOO reinvents the sounds these instruments provide with various tempos, techniques, and moods heard throughout the album. Combining funk guitars, bass notes, swirling bursts of electronics, changing tempos, and various vocal ranges, Nijimusi shows that OOIOO continues to explore new territory while maintaining a unique yet recognizable sound that's all their own.
