Fujiya & Miyagi- Transparent Things [2006]

Fujiya and Miyagi, a British trio posing as a Japanese duo, dwell in this sort of everlong geekdom, thumbing their nose at Kraftwerk from the corner of the bathroom and giggling mightily at Arthur Russell’s hard-won austerity. Should they exist in some not-so-far-fetched rock ’n’ roll high school, Fujiya and Miyagi would presumably get their asses kicked by the skaters, the Kraut-rockers, the electro-heads, and Disco Stu. LCD Soundsystem might jump in, but only if, you know, no one was looking. F&M deal in melodic, metronomic beats squatting on short drum hits and clubby bass, leaving enough room for the occasional slinging guitar lick. Transparent Things, then, sounds less the work of three programmers and more like a band that plays together and stays together—like Hot Chip holding it a little closer to the vest, maybe. - Andrew Gaerig

Transparent Things [2006]

Ankle Injuries

Myspace

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Chikinki- Lick Your Ticket [2004]

Bristol's Chikinki, who have one of the most "you think you have the pronunciation right but you don't" names around, sound like they want to be several different kind of acts at once -- a dance group, a Britpop act, a punk band -- on Lick Your Ticket, which in itself is no bad thing. Any number of U.K. acts aim at pulling off a hybrid with what's around them, sometimes to success, such as with the Super Furry Animals, the Beta Band or the Lo Fidelity Allstars. say. Lick Your Ticket is a strange album, though -- it doesn't quite fall down between two (or more) stools, perhaps, but it does have an uncomfortable edge to it that makes it an album to be a bit impressed by rather than to love. Something truly memorable could yet come from Chikinki, but for now they still seem to be a work in progress. - Ned Raggett

Lick Your Ticket [2004]

Ether Radio

Myspace

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Starfucker - Jupiter [2009]

Starfucker is an American indie electronica band founded in the summer of 2007 in Portland, Oregon by Josh Hodges, Ryan Biornstad, and Shawn Glassford with Hodges on drums and Biornstad and Glassford on multiple instruments including keyboards, turntables, synthesizers and drum machines.


Just over eight months after the release of their well-received self-titled debut, electro-pop upstarts Starfucker are putting out another album to coincide with the onset of the universal summertime adrenaline rush. The record is entitled Jupiter and is considered by the group to be a sister LP to their debut, bringing to light a smattering of songs that have already gone into heavy rotation in Starfucker’s live performances. Jupiter is scheduled to be released on May 5 on Badman.

Judging from the opening track “Medicine,” which can now be streamed at the band’s MySpace page, the Portland-based quartet seem steadfast in continuing their allegiance to synth bliss and distorted hooks, which is a noble venture if there ever was one.


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