About

Since forming in 2000, Toe have synthesized everything from pop, post- and math-rock, jazz, R&B, and electronic into one of the most distinct sounds in rock music. Their debut LP The Book About My Idle Plot On A Vague Anxiety (2005) left an unmistakable imprint across the splintered worlds of instrumental and experimental music, exploding the tenets of post-rock with writing and performances that channel the intensity of hardcore. Toe have kept the same lineup since their inception. Yamazaki Hirokazu’s acoustic and Mino Takaaki’s electric guitars often juxtapose one another against the backdrop of drummer Kashikura Takashi’s unmatched sense of feel and rhythm, specializing in phrases that trick the listener with unanticipated backbeats and climactic gasps. Bassist Yamane Satoshi lends depth to the staccato, explorative melodies, gluing them to, and making sense of Takashi’s unique style.

Hear You is the third studio album and it marks a shift toward a more minimal, vocally-focused sound for the band, and it received generally positive critical acclaim. On drums, Kashikura Takashi provides swift, complex beats, while toe's instrumentals and occasional vocals opt for a more starkly minimal sound than they employed on their previous effort, EP The Future Is Now. There are many surprises on Hear You for fans who've followed their 15-year long career, notably the inclusion of vocals that offer a reflective tone and nuanced complexity. While this album is a departure from their past work, the consistent and cohesive quality of the album is a marvel of fluidity and control. — (via Label)

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Label: Topshelf Records
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Yellow / black / white
Reissued: 2024 / Original Release: 2015
Genre: Electronic, Jazz, Rock
Style: Math Rock, Post Rock, Alternative Rock, Jazz-Rock

File under: Japanese Folk / Rock
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