Here’s Aaron Jackson’s take on The Japanese House’s latest enigmatic album.
This EP can be summed up by what a man with long hair and a guitar once said: “There’s something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear”. In one sense, this is timely. The heatwave has burst and summer is in the air – a season that doesn’t come to life without songs to define it. There’s nothing on this EP that will be a hands-in-the-air festival moment. Nor will it form the backdrop to a night of hedonistic clubbing, unless as part of the chill-out session taking revellers towards dawn – something a remix of ‘3/3’ seems suited for. The word that keeps appearing in my notebook (you say old school, I say craftsman) is languor. What’s happening here are soundscapes: the vocal stacks aren’t as big as before, but this is still lush and measured. What it is, especially on standout ‘Saw You In A Dream’, might best be described as Scritti Politti and 80s analogue adventurism smashing face first into the digital noughties. Perfect for introspective hot summer nights.
7/10
Saw You In a Dream is released June 30th.
