Superchilled electro with glitch beats and a round, bumping sub-bass defines ‘Akete, Akete’, and it sets the tone for the spacious yet whimsical sub-pop adventure that is ‘GYU’. On ‘GYU’ Tyme. x Tujiko serve up a veritable feast of laid-back disco-pop that takes elements of trip-hop, dance, chillout and J-pop and blend it into a smooth yet quirky mix that’s eminently listenable. Warped grooves abound, and warm analogue tones melt into sleek, shiny synth sounds to forge a sound that’s fresh without being overly bright and certainly doesn’t lack depth.
Lyrically, I’m at a complete loss, of course, but it doesn’t detract from the listening experience. The slower ‘Vacation of God’ centres around a deliberate, shuffling beat and rolling piano, with delicate chimes, creating a brooding expanse of misty urban impenetrability. In contrast, the sparse simplicity of ‘Ten to Sen is charmingly sweet.
|
At times sounding like a Japanese Björk, Tyme. x Tujiko roll out a succession of laid-back grooves without ever falling into monotony. It just might be a little strange for most people’s tastes.
|
