Asobi Seksu

Bearing a visually ornate and flamboyant aesthetic, fronted by the delicate and attractive Japanese vocalist Yuki Chikudate who alternates between her native language and English, and carrying a band name drawn from alleged Tokyo slang implying lighthearted intimacy, Asobi Seksu initially suggest the latest ironic Shibuya-kei act in the lineage of Puffy AmiYumi, Cibo Matto, and Pizzicato Five. In reality the New York City-based quartet fuses those Japanese pop elements with the atmospheric textures of early-nineties British shoegaze, most notably My Bloody Valentine, and the guitar-oriented experimentalism of local outfits stretching from Sonic Youth to Yo La Tengo.

Yuki Chikudate on vocals and keyboards, guitarist James Hanna, bassist Glenn Waldman, and drummer Keith Hopkin formed the group in late 2001 and issued their self-titled debut independently the next year. As the city’s club circuit regained momentum after the Strokes and Interpol, Asobi Seksu attracted enough local attention for Friendly Fire Records to re-release the album with fresh artwork in 2004. The single “I’m Happy But You Don’t Like Me” expanded their college-radio and online reach, while “Sooner” and “Walk on the Moon” appeared in the independent film In Between Days, which received a special jury prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

Prior to the second album the lineup underwent substantial change, with Chikudate and Hanna replacing Waldman and Hopkin by recruiting bassist Haji and drummer Mitch Spivak. Working with producer Chris Zane, whose résumé includes Human Television and Ambulance LTD, the more refined and densely layered Citrus emerged in May 2006 to positive notices. After nearly two years of touring, Hanna grew dissatisfied with the band’s longstanding guitar approach; the core duo therefore pared away the dense layers in favor of a more spacious and atmospheric palette. Polyvinyl released Hush in February 2009, and Chikudate and Hanna extended this streamlined approach on Fluorescence in 2011.