The first full-length track, “Strawberries” kicks in, and its allure becomes obvious right away an ambitious cross between My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins, with a little jangle pop thrown into a lo-fi mix.
Me, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I hit play, and the 17-second whirr of electronic noise that opens the disc “Everything Is On” offered little in the way of hints. You might expect some post-ironic Shibuya-kei club music. You might be forgiven for assuming this is another cooler-than-thou New York club band, heavy on the style, and light on the substance. Next, you’ll notice photogenic focal point, Yuki Chikudate, who gazes from her pictures with a cool sex appeal and a generous dollop of irony. The first thing you’ll notice is the hyperstylized and club-chic packaging of the band, as trendy as a handbill for an underground party in Shibuya. ‘Citrus’ is no doubt an exceptional album even under the pressure of our unforgiving scrutiny it holds up, deftly avoiding the sophomore slump.Brooklyn-based Asobi Seksu (“Sex for play” in English) comes across as a Quentin Tarantino wet dream at first glance. No matter what direction they go, Asobi Seksu seem to pull it off with style, mesmerizing listeners with a wide range of airy indie gems. Another notable standout, ‘Goodbye’ is sung completely in English and exhibits a poppier side to the band while retaining their trademark softness. However, while the first several songs are undeniably good, Asobi Seksu seem to find their stride on the second half of the album, developing textured tracks with definitive identities ranging from the unique twinkling lullaby ‘All Through The Day’ to the rowdy guitar of ‘Nefi-Girly’ that pleasantly shakes up the routine. The album begins with a fuzzy softness, with tracks like ‘Strawberries’ and ‘New Years’ which both capitalize on showcasing Chikudate’s vocals. Paired with Chikudate’s celestial voice, ‘Citrus’ appears inexplicably dreamlike with sound waves that seem to float in the air, if only weighed down by psychedelic guitar riffs that echo against imaginary walls. With a newly acquired rhythm section, ‘Citrus’ is clearly grander in scale, each piece of the album is precisely architected and amplified to ironically create sounds that are perfectly whimsical and utterly carefree. It appears inevitable this one’s going under the microscope. A few years later, here we find ourselves again with Asobi Seksu’s sophomore effort, ‘Citrus’, up for debate and carrying a load of our harboured expectations. Yes, they produced charmingly sinuous melodies with soothing experimental pop tendencies, but it was singer Yuki Chikudate’s angelic blend of English and Japanese vocals that truly entranced us and caused critics to embrace the New York shoegazers, empowering the band with the oh so fickle title of Next Big Thing.
We all know what originally sparked our interest in Asobi Seksu’s debut.