Nisennenmondai - Destination Tokyo

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 26 / 9 / 2009

Label: Smalltown Supersound
Format: CD

Abrasive, but compelling fourth album from avant-garde, all-girl Japanese instrumental trio, Nisennmondai

Review

Released in their native Japan in 2007, 'Destination Tokyo' is now available via Oslo's Smalltown Supersound Records. An old-fashioned snare and drum trio, Nisennenmondai's sound is big and busy in the urban sense. Rattling percussion, tortured guitars that produce a sound similar to a cello and no vocals. The thick and rudimentary density, that these three female musicians, Sayaka Himeno (drums), Masako Takada (guitar) and Yuri Zaikawa (bass) churn out, changes to a jiggy sound on 'Disco', although it still sounds as if someone's slowly drilling for oil in your basement cellar. On first appearance, one would be inclined to think of New York's No Wave music from thirty years ago but whereas musicians then started to freak out at some stage, Nisennenmondai stay on course on these tracks, hence 'Destination Tokyo'. Masako Takada does a neat job, making her guitar sound like many other snare instruments. The album seems to have been recorded in one go and this directness obliges you to listen without stopping, let alone use the shuffle option on your CD-player (one of the worst assets ever added to stereo equipment if you'd ask me). Should have been an LP ... I must admit I was tempted to give Japan's smooth railways a mention. Yet, Nisennenmondai are sooner, however, compared to a rumbling freight train on a rough track. An excellent engine nonetheless, no flaw on the go while the arrangement remains very basic. No ornaments of sound are included. 'Mirrorball' is my favourite composition with delicious snare treatments, slightly Pacific yet not really Hawaïian and perhaps the most obviously Asian track on 'Destination Tokyo'. The title track is a lengthy stonker imitating an airliner's liftoff. First a big whoosh, then continuing to climb and climb. By no means, a classic album, it, however, holds a great promise and they're probably an excellent live trio.