Biography
Originating in Kyoto, the all-female math rock trio Tricot fashions a sound of precisely governed disorder that fuses frantic rhythms and guitar patterns with an inviting pop foundation and sweet, high-register melodic vocals. Despite performing exclusively in Japanese, the group reached Western indie listeners and ranks among the small number of acts to achieve that crossover. Their name comes from the French word for knitting. Formed in 2010 by vocalist/guitarist Ikumi "Ikkyu" Nakajima, guitarist Motoko "Motifour" Kida, and bassist Hiromi "Hirohiro" Sagane—all of whom had played in school music clubs and connected through overlapping local bands—the trio initially recorded with drummer Kazutaka Komaki. He departed after their first album, and they chose not to recruit a permanent replacement, instead using session drummers thereafter.
Japanese acts such as Shiina Ringo, Acidman, and Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, together with earlier Western groups including the Eagles and Earth, Wind & Fire, shaped their approach; the members stated they had no familiarity with math rock and no allegiance to any genre or scene, simply creating whatever they wished and self-mockingly labeling the result “jumbled rock.” Favorable reactions to early tracks posted online led them to launch their own label, Bakuretsu (“Explosion”), on which they have self-released every album to retain complete creative control without major-label obligations.
After modest results from their first three EPs, the 2013 debut album T H E entered the Oricon chart at number 18. Its 2015 successor, A N D, earned praise from NME and drove broader international attention that was heightened by a series of striking music videos. The band toured the U.S. and later supported the Pixies across Europe, appearing at multiple major festivals. Capitalizing on the overseas audience built through those shows, they entered their first partnership with foreign labels for the 2017 album 3, issued in the U.K. by Big Scary Monsters and in the U.S. by Topshelf Records.
Japanese acts such as Shiina Ringo, Acidman, and Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, together with earlier Western groups including the Eagles and Earth, Wind & Fire, shaped their approach; the members stated they had no familiarity with math rock and no allegiance to any genre or scene, simply creating whatever they wished and self-mockingly labeling the result “jumbled rock.” Favorable reactions to early tracks posted online led them to launch their own label, Bakuretsu (“Explosion”), on which they have self-released every album to retain complete creative control without major-label obligations.
After modest results from their first three EPs, the 2013 debut album T H E entered the Oricon chart at number 18. Its 2015 successor, A N D, earned praise from NME and drove broader international attention that was heightened by a series of striking music videos. The band toured the U.S. and later supported the Pixies across Europe, appearing at multiple major festivals. Capitalizing on the overseas audience built through those shows, they entered their first partnership with foreign labels for the 2017 album 3, issued in the U.K. by Big Scary Monsters and in the U.S. by Topshelf Records.
Albums
