Since 2000, Japanese quartet
Toe
have been making highly intricate post-rock music that sounds like it was produced by an advanced, ultra-precise machine, yet feels earthy and organic. Their songs are typically characterized by clean-sounding guitar melodies working in tandem with eternally fluctuating drumbeats. The band has been known to dabble in hip-hop and electronic elements, and releases such as 2015's
Hear You
have contained a heavier presence of vocals, but superhuman drumming and ornate guitar plucking remain the core of the group's sound. Released in 2018,
Our Latest Number
EP provides four examples of
at their finely tuned best (although fans should be aware that a limited Japanese CD pressing appends a cover of
Black Sabbath
's "War Pigs," which is surprisingly faithful except for the fragile vocals by pop singer
Kotringo
). "The Latest Number" features a slightly stilted but danceable rhythm along with hushed yet alert vocals, with bits of electronics and vibraphones stitching the guitars and rhythm section together during the bridge. This is certainly
in pop mode, but even when they concentrate on showcasing their musicianship, they're still quite accessible. "Etude of Solitude" begins with a lumpy bang-bang-bing-boom riff that sounds like it might've been happened upon by accident, yet it's smoothed out and incorporated into the song in a way that makes sense. The drums get particularly complex during the middle, but it all maintains a logical balance, and the song's ecstatic feeling elevates as it progresses. "F_A_R" is the EP's most melancholy moment, working an elegant mini-procession of strings and snare drums into a wistful piano ballad. ~ Paul Simpson