TEKE::TEKE – Shirushi

So what do you get when you combine the obvious instruments of guitars, bass and drums with a trombone, shamisen and shinobue (traditional Japanese three stringed instrument and bamboo flute)? Then you name your band after a vengeful spirit from the Japanese legend about a girl who fell onto a railway line where a train cut her in two. The simple answer is the new album ‘Shirushi‘ by seven piece Montreal-based psyche-rockers TEKE::TEKE.

Shirushi rattles along with nine songs that will take you on a journey through all sorts of territory with a musical backdrop well suited to anything from 60’s good time surf movies, dark, mind twisting horror plots or simple psycho thrillers. Opening with the atmospheric, almost serene introduction to ‘Kala Kala’ it’s not long before the punchy sounds of drums, guitar licks, shrill shinobue and lamentful sounds from vocalist Maya Kuroki kick in. Single ‘Yoru Ni’ smashes home with full on surf guitars, rolling drums and bass, sultry vocal sounds and that piercing, agitating (in a good way) flute.  

The beauty of ‘Shirushi’ is in not knowing what’s coming next. There’s no predictable punk rock noise from one track to the next. In fact you’d be hard pushed to find another album by any band that varies as much from track to track as Shirushi does. Whilst a song such as ‘Barbara’ smashes things up with slashing guitars and an almost manic energy, whilst telling the story of mistaken identity and a ghost that escapes a house and then plays pranks on people, there’s then the polar opposite in a song such as ‘’Dobugowa’ with it’s backdrop of an almost slow waltz like beat that wouldn’t be out of place in some sleazy 70’s Bond movie scene. Then there’s the haunting, repetitious, soundscape of ‘Kizashi’ perfectly suited to any exploration of the darkest recesses of your mind. Not content with such variety between the songs TEKE::TEKE even manage to cram every possible combination of sounds into just 5 minutes with ‘Kaminari’.

Beguiling, atmospheric, hypnotic, unnerving, haunting, evocative, theatrical, deranged, exciting, romantic. The list of words that could be used to describe ‘Shirushi’ is almost endless. Is it ‘punk rock’? Well no, not in the way most would think about music. But in attitude it certainly is. It pushes boundaries and that’s what this reviewer likes. You’re unlikely to hear anything else like ‘Shirushi’ until…. well, until the next TEKE::TEKE release. And one thing’s for certain. I can’t wait for the opportunity to see them play live.

Shirushi is now available on limited edition red vinyl, black vinyl, cd and download via Kill Rock Stars, the album can be ordered here and from Bandcamp here.