Japanese Gum, Hey Folks! Nevermind, We Are All Falling Down!

By Hanna

Japanese Gum are an Italian experimental music duo (based in Genova). Hey Folks! Nevermind, We Are All Falling Down! is their first full-length album, consisting of songs previously released on EPs and some new songs.

There seem to be two main sounds on the album: firstly, the clicking and rustling compressed algorithmic sounds that are the main subject of sonology at the moment, and secondly, an atmospheric, almost old-fashioned ambient sound. Most reviewers call it a mix between glitch and shoegaze, which is a pretty good description. The two styles, though maybe an obvious mix in theory, make an uneasy alliance at times.

It is difficult to team something fundamentally amelodic to something orchestral, and while in theory it is appealing, it does not always work in this album. Some of the epic songs sound like they need a heavier base than the clockwork noises provided, while the rhythmic noises might benefit from something more patterned and layered above them.

“Big Whale,” “Sunless Summer,” and “%” are examples where the converging musical styles stay too separate. In both cases, the best features are the clicking, whirring rhythmic bases, which are delicate little songs of their own.

At other times the result is as epic as was probably envisioned. Sometimes this results in a grungy industrial sound reminiscent of Bauhaus, as in “No Rest For The Wicked,” or electro, as in “Mistake/Ghost and Converge.” “Chlorine Blue” has a strange beginning but ends in an interesting fuzz. “To Erase Pains” is probably as perfect a merging of the styles as possible at this time, and is my favorite track off the album.

Mostly, the best thing about this album is the rhythmic base. Some of the noise patterns are incredibly beautiful and interesting. They do not really need the more accessible vocal and guitar parts and to me, those seemed at times like white noise distorting the music I liked the most. On the other hand, they do make the music more accessible, and provide the crossover material that the band will be able to develop.

Hey Folks! Nevermind, We Are All Falling Down! was released through Friend Of Mine on September 24, 2009. To listen to tracks or to find out how to order a copy, please visit the band’s website or MySpace page.