As many of you will know, I am always looking out for oddball Japanese acts - the kind that make you question your reality, your taste in music, and occasionally your digestive system. So when I heard Japanese duo XAMIYA were dropping their food-related fifth single, 'GG', I picked up my knife and fork (I'm rubbish with chopsticks) and braced for impact.
XAMIYA, aka KAMIYA and XANSEI, blend Alternative/Indie Rock, UK Garage, Drum & Bass and French House like a Tokyo vending machine that dispenses anything from emergency undercrackers to luminous drinks. Their sound is steeped in Japan’s street culture, but it’s also something entirely new - at times seeming like Harajuku style gate-crashing a London post-punk warehouse rave.
'GG' short for 'Garlic Gang' is an electro-punk taste-sensation. It’s bold, intense, and yes - pungent. The beat, courtesy of XANSEI and Decz, is a crunchy, percussive relish that chomps beneath sugary sweet vocals. Pitched as almost aggressively cute, the song feels as if a Japanese jellypop act has emulsified with Sigue Sigue Sputnik, in an industrial blender. Messy fun.
The hook? Delicious. The vibe? Quirky pop with a slightly lingering after-taste. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to bop, scream, and maybe roast a bulb of garlic in celebration. It’s an exorcism of stress, a sonic ramen bowl with extra potency; and a reminder that weirdness - especially Japanese weirdness, is a gift to be cherished.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to join the Garlic Gang. My breath may never recover, and my friends may desert me, but my soul is happy. This is a song well worth repeating.
LINK: https://www.xamiyaworld.com