With the release of their album named 10 last October, and the single Bakuro in April, Japanese alt-rock powerhouse tricot have certainly kept themselves busy over the course of the pandemic. In comparison to the refreshing riffs and melodies in Bakuro, the band gives us quite a different vibe with INAI, a new single which packs various musically stylistic and complex elements into it. The song was written to be featured in the Japanese drama adaptation of manga series Haru no Noroi (The Curse of Spring), and features a crazy tune and powerful chorus.
tricot have always been known for the complexities in their compositions instrumentally, and it’s for this reason why they often get labeled as a band in the math-rock genre, despite the band members claiming to not know of the genre. Having also toured in the US with instrumental bands like CHON in recent years, it’s understandable why this connection is made. You can hear elements of this style in the passages where the bass and drums are fast and sporadic and drive the rhythm the most, and where the guitars play an almost off-kilter, staccato riff, giving almost a sense of derangement or madness. INAI also features a heavy punk rock inspired riff in the beginning, and while the song goes through many interesting tempo and time signature changes throughout the song, tension is built up well as the song enters a swing-like psychedelic groove before exploding into the chorus a final time. High energy songs that have a fast pace are tricot’s forté, and INAI is another good example of this style on display, while also bringing something different into their already well established sound.
In August, the band are set to play at Fuji Rock ’21, one of the most popular festivals in Japan. At this rate, we can possibly hope or look forward to at least one more release this year, and if it does happen, I’m sure that tricot will deliver music that will push the boundaries of their creativity while also maintaining a familiar sound, once again.
Make sure to read their latest interview with us where they talk about the making and writing of INAI.
- INAI