Finding Your Niche
Three years since their last album, Fujiya & Miyagi have returned with another hypnotic, electro-pop release.
The new, self-titled work opens with “Magnesium Flares,” which is slightly upbeat and interestingly manages to remain pleasant even with the just slightly out-of-key chords. “Serotonin Rushes” follows and picks up the pounding bass right where it left off. While the lyrics tackle the difficult subject of addiction, the steady bass manages to pull the listener through to the end. Further on, “To the Last Beat of My Heart” sees the album’s sound begin to shift some, as the bass line that had previously strung the songs together is removed. This difference is refreshing, though, helping to establish an almost organic quality. Finally, the LP ends with “R.S.I,” which finds its sound caught in between that heard at the beginning and end of the album.
An initial impression of Fujiya & Miyagi may lead one to perceive it as being slightly repetitive in the respect that early intro songs do not do much to differentiate themselves from one another. On an individual basis, though, each track comes off as unique; it is the never-changing bass line that causes some of them to bleed into one another. As the album progresses, though, everything seems to mature and come into its own, as the tracks that follow begin to stand out individually without much effort. Each song becomes an embodiment of its title, filling the imaginative space just as much as necessary. And as one delves deeper into Fujiya & Miyagi, the album merely gains more depth due to its ability to keep turning its point of view on the songs, lending both humor and perspective to almost every number.
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