Staff Reviews

Asobi Seksu - Fluorescence

Review by Jazz Monroe

In places Fluorescence is fairly triumphant - exhilarating even; on paper, it tickles all the right neurons. The payoff, though, falls short of expectations.»

User reviews

• 7/10 by Guigss
• 8/10 by LostChimera

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the cd comes with artwork by acclaimed designer vaughan oliver (cocteau twins, pixies). when describing the recording process for asobi seksu's fourth full-length, 'fluorescence', guitarist james hanna said, "this time, our agenda was to not have one at all; to be mellow about the entire process instead of obsessing over everything." maybe mellow isn't the right word, unless he's comparing the band's new album to a coiled-up cobra or unconscious crocodile - temperamental types that are one false move away from striking. after all, 'coming up' sets the scene by plowing into beehive-like synth lines and warp speed washes of dream-pop that leave you wondering just what the hell is going on. things don't let up on 'trails,' either, as singer / keyboardist yuki chikudate sets her immaculate melodies against a barrage of battery-powered chords. catchy and chaotic to the core, the sky-scraping song pays homage to the pitch-perfect songwriting of the '60s by chartering a yellow submarine to the moon. and when the brooklyn-based quartet (rounded out by bassist billy pavone and drummer larry gorman) finally hits the ground, their colour-saturated soundscapes don't get dull or cold. they get even brighter, as 'fluorescence's many shades shift with each passing song. that includes everything from the expansive / erratic - and yet, oh-so-poppy - prog movements of 'leave the drummer out there' to the weightless balladry of 'ocean,' a track that channels its title with swollen synths and beats that bob and weave through the murkiest waters around. on polyvinyl.
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