Naoki Zushi - IV 2LP

A member of two groups that seem to exist on opposing poles of the Japanese psych spectrum, Naoki Zushi was both a founding member of noise pioneers Hijokaiden and the sublime guitar pop group Hallelujahs. This solo LP from 2018 (reissued for the first time on LP by World Of Echo) doesn’t so much reconcile these two histories as it does offer another thread through his practice.

This is Japanese guitar psych at its most classic. Majestic guitar lines on the edge of feeding back and spinning out soar above a grounding clean rhythm guitar and a drifting, impressionistic rhythm section, with occasional forays into electronics.

These four sides would appeal to those (like me) who were obsessed with Yuko Iwata’s second LP for Siltbreeze a few years back. Zushi’s modus operandi isn’t as rocking or in the pocket as Iwata’s, instead favouring a more exploratory form of playing that favours [modal? Atonal? My music theory is a bit rusty] lead lines that seemingly veer into unknown territories before resolving.

One also for fans of Neil Young’s Zuma (in my head this kinda playing approaches the heights of Cortez The Killer) as well as Headroom and the New Haven psych underground!

-Mitch