Mimi-Unagi

Void Sound Studio demo Mimi-Unagi : Gyu-nyu-no-bero-bero /

Slimy Skin of Cow Milk (JAP,2006)****'

Mimi-Unagi (=ear-worm) originally was formed in Seattle in 1999 as a one man band, street performing with an acoustic guitar and home-recording with a cheap 4-track. Back in Japan, in 2001, Motaro Mimino joined the Metal band “Gotsu-Totsu-Kotsu”, as a vocalist called ‘slimy Allah’. But since 2003, Mimi-Unagi was re-engaged, and released a private CDR. Live, Mimi-Unagi now usually performs as a group of 4, but there were moments, under the name of "Electric Mimi Unagi Orcastra” when there are 10 people on stage.

This recording is done completely solo, but has all the power of a full stage band. The music could easily have been influenced by Ruins (some of the mad vocals, and some of the complexity here an there, even when in a slower form), but the electric guitars are more heavy progressive, sometimes slightly heavy metal or some kind of post-rock, or alternative rock, with attractive rhythms, with an easy to follow evolution even when sometimes more complex, while the performance is like theatre-and-rhythm with lots of charisma. The vocals are often like a new form of Japanese theatre, and are like another instrument. This is powerful stuff with its own unique character !! The last tracks, shows the more acoustic site (guitar,..) of Mimi-Unagi, that might have its origins in street performances. Even when using on it funny rhythmical nonsense vocals, there is also a deeper lying convincing darkness contrasting its inner character. This album definitely deserves an official release !

Voidlab Mimi-Unagi : EP (JAP,2008)****'

The first track, “Hail!Hail! The walkman” is a more blues-inspired song, like Beefheart with a desorientating voice, and with deliberately slightly overdone energy and fun, but kept more simple and straight and essentialised to the “recognisable” style, compared to earlier tracks I have heard from the band’s full release, with still some punk flavour hanging despite acoustic guitars leading the track (together with electric bass, percussion, drums, and some didgeridoo??), with some voices becoming communal crazy or child-like near the end. “Vatican Waltz” has a fun rhythm too, some jazzy piano, and communal singing, and a strange silent break with a bit of piano, keeping up a tension before the last part. Last track is led by acoustic guitars and percussion is bluesier too, with an entertaining rhythm and singing, like dance music for the deliberately insane people because that’s more fun to be. Brilliant ! Please release their music, NOW !! But don’t forget to check their more up tempo and more complex debut. Both are like well recorded demo-formats.