Japanese Sleepers
Dear The Reader,
I recently began writing music reviews for an online publication, We Are Unseen, you can visit them here.
I'm also going to start publishing the reviews on this site for your own perusal; and my own pathological cataloguing needs.
You can listen to Japanese Sleepers here.
Japanese Sleepers are a quintuplet from the seven hills of Sheffield, a river city which was once a industrious silvery pool of steel production set into the fragile beauty of the surrounding hillsides. The band do much to reflect this contrast of manufacture and meadows with their delicate mix of crisp guitars, snapping drum loops, glockenspiels, and folksy violins. Their new EP, Little Victories is a pleasant and slightly refreshing take on the somewhat indie folk feel that permeates through the pirouetting choruses and drifting violin melodies of Whistler's Breath and These are our End Times. The chorus of the band's first single, Celebrate, is reminiscent somewhat of early Los Campesinos! shout-and-clap-along tracks, and there's a definite splash of the Celtic folk hidden amidst the laptop drum samples, and completely mystifying 'sparkle' effect; which the band seem to have hidden somewhere within each song, presumably as some form of 'Where's Wally' in-joke.
Of course, be not mistaken. This band doesn't fit into the comfortable label of 'indie-folk' so readily. Whilst occasional comparisons with Mumford & Sons et al. may appear, the band bypass the genre to produce something with a slightly simpler sound, which serves both to hamper and elevate their style in parts. On some tracks one can't help but feel the abrupt repetitiveness of laptop generated drum loops and the buzz of tapping synth undercuts the violin and vocals, causing a sense of restriction. On, These are our End Times the song structure becomes awkwardly visible at points, pulling the listener up before they have had a chance to properly submerge themselves in the song. After a first listen one may be left with the impression that they have just heard something ephemeral; appreciable, but lacking in weight.
I'm also going to start publishing the reviews on this site for your own perusal; and my own pathological cataloguing needs.
You can listen to Japanese Sleepers here.
Japanese Sleepers are a quintuplet from the seven hills of Sheffield, a river city which was once a industrious silvery pool of steel production set into the fragile beauty of the surrounding hillsides. The band do much to reflect this contrast of manufacture and meadows with their delicate mix of crisp guitars, snapping drum loops, glockenspiels, and folksy violins. Their new EP, Little Victories is a pleasant and slightly refreshing take on the somewhat indie folk feel that permeates through the pirouetting choruses and drifting violin melodies of Whistler's Breath and These are our End Times. The chorus of the band's first single, Celebrate, is reminiscent somewhat of early Los Campesinos! shout-and-clap-along tracks, and there's a definite splash of the Celtic folk hidden amidst the laptop drum samples, and completely mystifying 'sparkle' effect; which the band seem to have hidden somewhere within each song, presumably as some form of 'Where's Wally' in-joke.
Of course, be not mistaken. This band doesn't fit into the comfortable label of 'indie-folk' so readily. Whilst occasional comparisons with Mumford & Sons et al. may appear, the band bypass the genre to produce something with a slightly simpler sound, which serves both to hamper and elevate their style in parts. On some tracks one can't help but feel the abrupt repetitiveness of laptop generated drum loops and the buzz of tapping synth undercuts the violin and vocals, causing a sense of restriction. On, These are our End Times the song structure becomes awkwardly visible at points, pulling the listener up before they have had a chance to properly submerge themselves in the song. After a first listen one may be left with the impression that they have just heard something ephemeral; appreciable, but lacking in weight.
However, the light melodies and punching rhythm, whilst certainly a little understated, allow the lyrics to be appreciated as an integral middle filling to this 'song sandwich', and it is here that the weight comes to bear. Song for a Satellite Town clearly takes its lyrical cue from The Enemy's, and Indie's love in general, for the mettle and spirit of the industrial northern town. Other lines, such as 'You were a gentle melody/Dancing from a whistler's breath' are permitted to stand alone by the slightly mellow style, yet the Sufjan Stevens-ish electronica keeps the songs ticking over nicely.
Japanese Sleepers are well worth the listen, and their Ep, Little Victories is certainly not one that grows tiresome after just a few listens. To the contrary, once you know what to expect the songs seem to gain something with each play. It would also be worth catching any live gig you can, in and around Sheffield or Nottingham, just to see a violin and glockenspiel accompanied by a macbook. (That their laptop is a macbook is an assumption, but judging by most bands' prerogative, not a massive one).
I give Japanese Sleepers an animal rating of: Alpaca.
Certainly not just another sheep, and not restricted to mere black and white clothing; yet indecisive towards becoming a full llama. In doing so however, it perhaps gains something else, and becomes a more interesting and individual creature because of it.
Japanese Sleeper's 'Little Victories' can be purchased or download from the Sheffield Phonographic Corporation's website for £4.99. A meagre price to pay to encourage the growth of unseen talent.
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