9/30/2022

NEW NOISE show 110 on Friday Sept 30th 2022 (Featuring King Gizzard, Men I Trust, Surfbort, Melody's Echo Chamber, and Jockstrap)



NEW NOISE w/ Alexander Laurence (The Portable Infinite) 
returns this friday 3pm

This coming Friday at 3pm Pacific Time, Alexander Laurence’s 
unique cutting edge 1-hour radio show, 
New Noise will broadcast live on RadioKAJW on Live365.

September 30th 2022, Friday at 3pm PST. All new music and some old favorites 
that make for a great electronic disco party.

NEW NOISE show 110 playlist
Friday September 30th 2022 3pm

RADIO KAJW + PORTABLE INFINITE


part one
1. KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD "If Not Now, Then When?"
2. MEN I TRUST "Hard To Let Go"

3. SURFBORT "Cheap Glue"
4. THE MARIAS "Hush"
5. AUTOMATIC "Calling It"

6. BEACH HOUSE "Another Go Round"

7. NILUFER YANYA "Rid Of Me"


part two

8. MELODY'S ECHO CHAMBER "I Follow You"

9. GABE GURNSEY "Hey Diablo"
10. NEIL FRANCES "Music Sounds Better With You"
11. BLOOD RED SHOES "It's Getting Boring By The Sea"

12.  WORKING MEN'S CLUB "John Cooper Clarke"
13. JOCKSTRAP "I Want Another Affair" (Taylor Skye remix)
14. HEX AMORE "A.I."



Listen to previous shows: https://www.mixcloud.com/infinitealexander/


Featuring King Gizzard, Men I Trust, Surfbort, Beach House,
Melody's Echo Chamber, and Jockstrap

PORTABLE INFINITE LINKS:


RADIO KAJW Twitter: https://twitter.com/ radiokajw


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Ben Harper Celebrates Acclaimed New Album, Bloodline Maintenance, With Live Dates And Vinyl Release

BEN HARPER CELEBRATES ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM,

BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE,

WITH LIVE DATES AND VINYL RELEASE

 

140 GRAM VINYL PRESSING TO INCLUDE LIMITED EDITION SIGNED INSERT

 

ALBUM AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW

 

15-NIGHT RUN SUPPORTING HARRY STYLES AT LOS ANGELES’ KIA FORUM

BEGINS OCTOBER 23


3x GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter/musician/producer Ben Harper has announced the vinyl release of his acclaimed new album, BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE, with a 140 gram vinyl pressing through Chrysalis Records.  The vinyl is available now HERE and at all record stores. All vinyl pre-orders come with a signed and numbered limited edition "Bloodline Maintenance" insert. In addition, deluxe vinyl bundles – including a premium unisex short sleeve t-shirt – are available exclusively at the official Ben Harper Shop HERE.


LISTEN TO BLOODLINE MAINTANANCE



Produced by Harper and longtime studio collaborator Sheldon Gomberg, BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE was greeted by international critical acclaim upon its arrival this summer:



“A potent blend of gospel, funk, and blues.” – ROLLING STONE

 

“The singer/songwriter has returned in a big way…these acerbic songs of love, historical ire, and calls for civil justice recall some of Harper’s most searing work…BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE once again displays Harper’s stirring artistic and conceptual bravery that few other artists dare to tempt.”

– AMERICAN SONGWRITER (4/5)

 

“The soul at the heart of BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE functions as the music that bonds generations, allowing the singer/songwriter to delve into blues, doo wop, and hip-hop, all in a manner that feels heartfelt, not flashy. The result is one of Harper's richer records: it's impossible to separate the music from the message, which makes it all the more resonant.” – ALLMUSIC

 

 

“The music and lyrics on (Harper’s) 16th studio record bristle with fiery questions and provocative ideas about race, humanity and family, all yoked to yearning gospel-blues.” – GUITAR.COM

 

“This Harper sermon is good for the soul, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun to listen to.” – NO DEPRESSION

 

 


# # #


Harper has spent much of the past summer heralding BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE on an epic world tour. Upcoming dates see Harper – joined by his longtime band, The Innocent Criminals – sharing the stage with Jack Johnson at Chula Vista, CA’s North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (October 7) followed by  a 15-night solo run supporting his recent collaborator Harry Styles at Los Angeles, CA’s Kia Forum beginning October 23. Additional dates will be announced. For updates and ticket information, please visit www.benharper.com/tour.


BEN HARPER

TOUR 2022


OCTOBER

6 - Ojai, CA - Libbey Bowl

7 - Chula Vista, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre ^

23 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

24 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

26 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

28 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

29 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

31 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †


NOVEMBER

2 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

4 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

5 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

7 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

9 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

11 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

12 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

14 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

15 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †


^ w/Jack Johnson

† w/Harry Styles


# # #


CONNECT WITH BEN HARPER

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE


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OFF! RELEASE FREE LSD, THEIR FIRST ALBUM IN EIGHT YEARS

OFF! RELEASE FREE LSD, THEIR FIRST ALBUM IN EIGHT YEARS, VIA FAT POSSUM RECORDS - LISTEN NOW 



PUNK SUPERGROUP WITH MEMBERS OF CIRCLE JERKS, THUNDERCAT, …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD, AND MORE HEADING OUT ON FULL US TOUR NEXT MONTH WITH SUPPORT FROM ZULU AND N8NOFACE



WATCH THE VIDEOS FOR “WAR ABOVE LOS ANGELES” AND “KILL TO BE HEARD” FEATURING FOOTAGE FROM THE FREE LSD FEATURE FILM SLATED FOR EARLY 2023, STARRING JACK BLACK, DAVID YOW (JESUS LIZARD), CHELSEA DEBO, JAMES DUVAL, D.H. PELIGRO (DEAD KENNEDYS), DANA GOULD, CHRIS D. (FLESH EATERS), CHLOE DYKSTRA, DAVEY HAVOK (AFI), DON BOLLES (GERMS), DON NGUYEN, AND MORE 


Free LSD cover art by Raymond Pettibon 



“This is a mind-melt of a listen that takes sideroads, but never loses sight of the hardcore fundamentals Morris does better than almost any living being.” - DECIBEL (8 out of 10)


 “OFF! seem to exist primarily to embarrass younger generations of hardcore bands.” - METAL HAMMER (8 out of 10)


"The impenetrable, cinematic wall of sound that is OFF’s FREE LSD is the band’s best music to date" - GLIDE MAGAZINE



OFF!, the hardcore supergroup helmed by Keith Morris (Circle Jerks, ex-Black Flag) and Dimitri Coats (ex-Burning Brides), have just released Free LSD via their new label home Fat Possum Records. Their first new full-length in eight yearsFree LSD is a bold affirmation of the band’s boundless ambitions, introducing a swing to the music’s frenetic fury via the addition of new drummer Justin Brown (ThundercatFlying LotusHerbie Hancock) and bassist Autry Fulbright II (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead). The album was composed over two years, parallel to the writing of a feature film of the same name (slated for release early 2023), a process which encouraged Morris and Coats to elevate their incendiary high-anxiety sound into another sonic dimension. Coats explains,“Since thinking of the album as a soundtrack to a weird sci-fi movie gave us permission to experiment, and the film explains, in a fantastical way, the creation of the album, they both go hand in hand as an overall art project.” 


The effect of this experiment is palpable and volatile, catapulting the band’s established subterranean howl into the orbit of Sun Ra and The Stooges by way of Coats imbibing a number of songs with layers of electronics amid explosions of percussive virtuosity from Brown and bursts of guest saxophone from Jon Wahl (Claw Hammer). Morris sounds timeless as ever, unleashing years worth of stored up sardonic vitriol, all the more concentrated considering the social lunacy of the past few years. Speaking on the album’s revitalized sound, Morris states: "After making music for as long as I have, it was time to use a palette that includes lime green, turquoise, and magenta instead of the typical colors and shades that were involved in all of the other breakneck and car chase scenarios. Miles Davis with Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters as opposed to Milo Goes to College."


The album was previewed by videos for “War Above Los Angeles” and “Kill To Be Heard,” both comprised of footage from the forthcoming film, serving to delineate both the controlled chaos of the album’s frenzied sound and give a hint at what’s to come. OFF! head out on a full US tour with ZULU and N8NOFACE beginning on October 24 - full dates below.




Purchase / Stream FREE LSD

https://offband.lnk.to/FreeLSD


Find OFF! tickets here

https://www.offofficial.com/live


Watch the “War Above Los Angeles” video

https://youtu.be/LBWUgluGdTw 


Watch the “Kill To Be Heard” video

https://youtu.be/I613dabsscU 




OFF! TOUR DATES


(All dates marked * w/ Zulu)

(All dates marked + w/ N8NOFACE)


10/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar +

10/25 - Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole +

10/26 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf +

10/28 - Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Co. +

10/29 - Austin, TX @ Levitation Festival

10/31 - Memphis, TN @ Black Lodge Video +

11/1 - Nashville, TN @ Basement East *

11/2 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *

11/4 - Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall *

11/5 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage *

11/6 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church *

11/8 - Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s *

11/10 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *

11/11 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *

11/12 - Montreal, QC @ Cafe Campus *

11/13 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace *

11/16 - Detroit, MI @ Third Man Records *

11/17 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *

11/18 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *

12/8 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive *

12/9 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive *

12/10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *

12/12 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey *

12/13 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw *

12/14 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *

12/16 - San Francisco, CA @ Independent *

12/17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room


​​2/1 - Berlin, DE @ Fraanz

2/2 - Hamburg, DE @ Logo

2/4 - Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere

2/5 - Antwerp, BE @ Trix

2/6 - Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg

2/8 - London, UK @ Moth



OFF! photo by Jeff Forney




FREE LSD TRACK LISTING


1. Slice Up The Pie

2. Time Will Come

3. War Above Los Angeles

4. Kill To Be Heard

5. F

6. Invisible Empire

7. Circuitry’s God

8. Ignored

9. Black Widow Group

10. L

11. Muddy The Waters

12. Murder Corporation

13. Behind The Shifts

14. Worst Is Yet To Come

15. S

16. Suck The Bones Dry

17. Smoking Gun

18. Peace Or Conquest

19. Free LSD

20. D


 

 

FOLLOW OFF!

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter


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M.I.A. Releases New Track 'Beep.' 'MATA' Artwork Revealed

M.I.A. RELEASES ‘BEEP’
 
FORTHCOMING STUDIO ALBUM ‘MATA’
COMING SOON – ARTWORK REVEALED

[ISLAND RECORDS]
LISTEN | VISUAL
‘BEEP’

 
With the imminent release of her highly anticipated forthcoming album MATA, groundbreaking, global trailblazer and visionary M.I.A. has shared ‘Beep,’ another mammoth tune from the same mind that brought us ‘Paper Planes,’ ‘Borders,’ ‘Bad Gals,’ most recently ‘Popular,’ and so much more, as she teases her forthcoming sixth studio album, expected to drop any day now. 
 
Listen to ‘Beep’ HERE.
 
‘Beep’ follows ‘Popular’ and ‘The One,’ and sets the runway for what is set to be one of the most loved and talked about albums of 2022. More details to be revealed very soon.
 
Undoubtedly, one of the most important and potent multi-medium artists of this millennium, M.I.A.'s career spans 5 studio albums, international performances, multiple sold-out world tours, GRAMMY® and Academy Award recognition, while continuously pushing the boundaries of digital and ideological possibilities. M.I.A. has never lost touch with her indelible punk spirit that inspired her glitching directorial debut; Elastica’s Mad Dog music video, to her self-directed tour visuals, graphics and NFT’s that continue to bend minds to this day. She has consistently paved the way in the music and digital art space and helped create a community of outcasts during the defining years of the internet, a spectrum of influence that is unrivaled by a recording artist.
 
‘Beep’ is out everywhere now.
 
MATA IS COMING SOON

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CLIPPING REMXNG 2.2 OUT NOW

CLIPPING REMXNG 2.2 OUT NOW

Last Wednesday, September 21st, 2022, Clipping announced REMXNGa quartet of EPs featuring remixes of tracks from the band’s Horrorcore-themed albums, There Existed an Addiction to Blood and Visions of Bodies Being Burned. Each EP showcases remixers hand-picked by Clipping to slash, mangle, and brutalize the band’s music into all-new, exquisitely macabre, creations.
 
REMXNG 2.2 leads with UK producer Rian Treanor’s jagged, stuttering edit of “‘96 Neve Campbell.” Treanor blends underground dance music genres with the techniques of musique concrète, and computer music, slicing the slasher-themed track into a collage of stabbing jump-scares. James Acaster (who happens to also be one of the band’s favorite comedians) collaborated with Deerhoof’s John Diederich on a mash-up of the band’s “She Bad” and “He Dead,” which is followed by a synth freak-out rework of “Run for Your Life” by Baseck (who frequently appears as a turntablist on Clipping albums). Next is Fire-Toolz’s  hyperactive neon glitch symphony of “Attunement.” Egyptian producer ZULI gives “Make Them Dead” a crushingly heavy Drum & Bass flip, and akeyamasou’s mysterious “Something Underneath” remix atomizes its source into a dense cloud of IDM haze. The EP closes with a miniature for modular synthesizer and sampler by David Rothbaum—another frequent Clipping collaborator.
 
REMXNG 2.2  is the second of four such EPs, which will be released every Wednesday through October 12, 2022.
 
Clipping’s international touring for the fall of 2022, resumes with an appearance at Southern California’s Desert Daze Festival Friday, September 30th. Then from Thursday, November 10th through November 29th, 2022, Clipping will tour the UK and EU again for a 14-date run. Please find a current list of dates below.
 
Fri. Sep. 30 - Perris, CA - Desert Days
Sat. Oct. 01 - San Francisco, CA - Grey Area
Fri. Nov. 11 - Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival
Sat. Nov. 12 - La Chaux-de-Fonds, CH - Bikini Test
Mon. Nov. 14 -Brussels, BE - Magasin 4
Tue. Nov. 15 - Prague, CZ - Meet Factory
Thu. Nov. 17 - London, UK - Fabric
Fri. Nov. 18 - Leeds, UK - Belgrave Music Hall
Sun. Nov. 20 - Warsaw, PL - Hydrozagadka
Tue. Nov. 22 - Paris, FR - Trabendo
Wed. Nov. 23 - Rennes, FR - Antipode Club
Thu. Nov. 24 - Nantes, FR - Pole Etudient
Fri. Nov. 25 - Lyon, FR - Les SUBS
Sat. Nov. 26 - Lille, FR - L’Aéronef
Mon. Nov. 28 - Copenhagen, DK - VEGA
Tue. Nov. 29 - Aarhus, DK - Voxhall
 

Recently, four of Clipping’s songs were featured on a new app developed with Modify Music, which is available now on iOS and Android app stores. This is a real-time mixing app, that has each song separated into four “stems” that can be mixed on the fly. Alongside the original stems, the listener will have the option to switch out and mix in alternative stems that Jonathan Snipes produced just for the app. The app can be found here: https://modifymusic.com/artists/clipping/

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LCD SOUNDSYSTEM “new body rhumba” from Noah Baumbach’s WHITE NOISE

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
“new body rhumba”
from Noah Baumbach’s WHITE NOISE
FIRST NEW SONG IN 5 YEARS OUT NOW

20-SHOW RETURN TO BROOKLYN STEEL
BEGINS NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Tickets On Sale to the Public on Friday, October 7 at 10 a.m. ET at youarehere.bowerypresents.com

LCD Soundsystem has released “new body rhumba,” its first new song in five years.

“new body rhumba” was written for Noah Baumbach’s White Noise, and is now available via Columbia Records/DFA to stream and download HEREWhite Noise premiered earlier this year at the Venice Film Festival and will be in select theaters November 25 and on Netflix December 30.

“new body rhumba” was written by James Murphy, Pat Mahoney, and Nancy Whang, and produced by James Murphy for DFA Productions.

In addition to releasing its first new original music since 2017’s Grammy-winning AMERICAN DREAM, and following 2022 residencies in London, San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia, LCD Soundsystem has announced a new 20-show residency at Brooklyn Steel. The band will return to the venue it opened with three 2017 runs—and played an extended engagement in late 2021. See below for a full listing of dates, which will include LCD Soundsystem’s 50th show at Brooklyn Steel, taking place December 4.

Tickets for all 20 shows will go on-sale to the general public beginning Friday, October 7 at 10:00 a.m. ET via AXS.com, the only official ticket outlet for Brooklyn Steel. Visit youarehere.bowerypresents.com for presale details.

American Express ® Card Members have access to presale tickets for every date of the LCD Soundsystem Brooklyn Steel residency before the general public beginning Wednesday, October 5th at 10AM ET through Thursday, October 6 at 10PM ET.  Plus, Card Members will have access to Amex® Card Member Only shows on November 27, 29, and 30.

2022 show dates at Brooklyn Steel are as follows:
November 18, 19, 21, 22, 26, 27*, 29*, 30*
December 2, 3, 4^, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17

* Tickets for November 27, 29 and 30 will be on sale exclusively to American Express Card Members during Amex® Early Access, October 5 at 10AM ET thru October 6 at 10PM ET.

^ LCD Soundsystem’s 50th Show at Brooklyn Steel


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Fujiya & Miyagi Share "New Body Language" Single + Video | Read the CHORUS.FM, The Hype Magazine Features | 'Slight Variations' LP Out Now

Fujiya & Miyagi Share "New Body Language" Single + Video

Read the CHORUS.FMSPILL Magazine, Backseat MafiaThe Hype MagazineAustin Town HallRock and Roll GlobeVENTS Magazine, and Psychedelic Baby Features

Slight Variations LP Out Now via Impossible Objects of Desire
Photo by Darryl Webber
LISTEN/PURCHASE & SHARE: Fujiya & Miyagi - Slight Variations (on Limited Edition 180g Vinyl or CD)
Stream / Purchase

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Fujiya & Miyagi - "New Body Language"
Stream / YouTube

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Fujiya & Miyagi - "Slight Variations"
Stream / YouTube

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Fujiya & Miyagi - "Digital Hangover"
Stream / YouTube
"It's a delight to hear that, over 20 years into Lewis and Best's partnership, they are pushing their recognizable but rarely formulaic sound into fresh territory."
AllMusic

"F&M hit peak funkiness on this fat-free blent of Krautrock pulses and pop melodies." **** 4 Stars
- MOJO

"Slight Variations reaches back into the archive and out into the void in equal measure, splicing the best bits of the group's enviable catalogue of linear, krautrock driven grooves with just enough off-piste eccentricities to keep things fresh."
- DJ Mag

"['Slight Variations' is] a funky nu-disco cut that’s practically impossible not to dance to"
FLOOD Magazine

"['Digital Hangover'] combines F&M's penchant for mixing pop hooks with danceable, komische-inspired rhythms and clever wordplay delivered in hushed tones"
Brooklyn Vegan

"Stitching together lush synths and rigid, springy beat programs with thin golden wires of electric guitar, they made electro-pop feel metropolitan, dislocated and somewhat detached from human affairs—qualities embodied in David Best's aloof vocals and the smoothly machined forms they nestled into."
Pitchfork

"Rhyming slop, flop, and prop over a skittering snare, funky guitar, and melodic bassline"
AllMusic

"The Brighton natives have always found a way to fold in their love of electronic music and all its sub-genres, be it electropop, disco, or even the Geramyn’s ’70s-era krautrock."
Consequence of Sound

"Danceable electronica with a distinct pop sensibility"
NPR

"Fujiya & Miyagi once again mine opposite ends of the lyrical spectrum whilst delivering their most musically satisfying collection to date"
The Quietus

"A seductive and slinky groove that was charming and detached at the same time"
PopMatters

"This under-rated Brighton three-piece play a sleek electro-pop that underpins its lustrous allure with a sense of intangible, deadpan menace"
The Guardian

"A vivid creative document, expertly melding the band's left field urgency with their extra-dimensional pop nous."
CLASH

"The band has been blending krautrock influences with post-punk styles to synthesize a cryptic and tongue in cheek style of pop. They carve out an interesting niche somewhere between bands like Battles and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard."
MXDWN

Today, British experimental electric outfit Fujiya & Miyagi shares "New Body Language," the final single off their brand new LP, Slight Variations (out today, September 30, via Impossible Objects of Desire).

Said David Best of their newest track and its accompanying video:

"'New Body Language' is probably the most instant and accessible song on the record. We took a lot of our current listening habits and put them in a blender till it turned out like us.

"The video Bob Brown & I made plays with the idea of perception. How we appear to ourselves is generally not how we are perceived by others."

To convey the almost 20-year career of the band is to take a deep dive into all forms of electronic music - from pop to house to disco to acid - along with nods to 1970s Germany, psychedelia, funk and art pop. And that’s exactly what Slight Variations does, while also capturing the duality of a band who can craft meticulously constructed studio music as seamlessly as they can lock into unpredictable yet infectious grooves on stage. Within the wide variation this record displays, "New Body Language" incorporates 1970s West African funk and high life around a house music template.

Fujiya & Miyagi - "New Body Language" [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

“We wanted to make a record that shows where we were, where we are, and where we will go in the future,” says David Best of Fujiya & Miyagi. “I like the idea that if someone were new to us and they played this record it would convey everything that we are about.” 

To convey the almost 20-year career of the band is to take a deep dive into all forms of electronic music — from pop to house to disco to acid — along with nods to 1970s Germany, psychedelia, funk and art pop. And that’s exactly what this record does, while also capturing the duality of a band who can craft meticulously constructed studio music as seamlessly as they can lock into unpredictable yet infectious grooves on stage. “Slight Variations tries to capture the sound of both sides of the group,” says Best. 

The opening "Slight Variations" is a strutting piece of disco-funk-pop, featuring the backing vocals of Everything Shook. Inspired by equal parts disco and house the track’s bassline also nods specifically to Charanjit Singh’s proto-acid classic Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat. The following "Non-Essential Worker" changes gear into a driving, propulsive and futuristic motorik rhythm, recalling Neu! If they had been given a 2022 studio to work in. “We’ve always been tied to our love of music that came out of Germany in the seventies,” says Best. “But have equally tried to keep it at arm's length in order to become our own thing. This is a bit from column A and a bit from column B.” 

Elsewhere, "New Body Language" incorporates 1970s West African funk and high life around a house music template, while "FAQ" sees the group’s first foray into playing with dub reggae, albeit filtered through the band’s typically subtle and innovative approach - resulting in a deeply unique and atmospheric piece of music. “A few years ago, I had a few epiphanies, and one was falling head over heels with reggae,” says Best. “We tried to incorporate this without it being clumsy or incongruous. It’s probably the song I’m most happy with on the record.” Lyrically, it’s a contemplative track about “heading down the wrong side of middle age, dribbling to the corner flag of life, wasting precious minutes until the end of what we hope will be extra time.” 

This is a theme that recurs somewhat, with Best and co. seemingly taking stock of life and where the band is at. Even the album title is something that looks back on the lineage and perception of the band’s career. “There’s two meanings behind Slight Variations as a title,” says Best. “The first being how although biologically we are pretty much the same it’s the differences that tend to define us and cause friction and misunderstandings. The second is a nod to the suggestion that all our records sound similar to one another, when they all sound quite different to me. There’s a thread running through everything we do but we’ve always tried to push things forward.”

Despite the album being one that is rooted in some reflection, it’s ultimately one that has an eye firmly on the horizon, as typified by tracks such as "Oops" which, once again, is clearly breaking into new sonic territory for the band. “At first, ‘Oops’ may feel incongruous as it has a very different feel than the other songs,” Best says of the track which merges pulsing electronics, rippling guitars, and an almost sci-fi esque hue to it. “But I think it’s nice to be jolted into a new sensibility within the course of a record.” 

Ultimately, this same feeling of being jolted into a new sensibility one minute while appreciating the subtle evolutions of the band the next, can be heard across the entirety of the album. “I feel this record encapsulates the essence of the group, from its beginnings to new places,” says Best. 

Also, a little bit of taking stock has been beneficial for the creative output and future of the band. “There’s a strong desire to leave something good behind you when you are no longer here,” Best says. “To create things that wouldn’t have existed if you had never been born. That and wanting to make people dance, of course.”

SEE FUJIYA & MIYAGI LIVE

08.10.22 - UK Leeds - Brudenell Social Club
12.10.22 - UK Manchester - YES
13.10.22 - UK Brighton - Patterns
21.10.22 - UK London - Oslo
04.11.22 - FR Paris - Petit Bain
 
FUJIYA & MIYAGI LINKS
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Soundcloud | Bandcamp

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