Rather like Hot Chip, Fujiya & Miyagi have transformed their geeky interests and appearance into a band that's no less nerdy, but surprisingly robust. What this means for the Brighton group is the production of music that is best defined not in words, but with a quizzically arched eyebrow: ironic, littered with references to popular culture and clearly the work of some meticulous study. As demonstrated on album Lightbulbs, it's a policy that's done the group no harm. Revelling in the motorik beats and minimal guitar lines of 1970s German rock music, they work with these source materials, add what you would have to call their sense of humour and then polish them up into something that's presentable. So far, it's appealed to advertisers. Their fanbase, meanwhile, burgeons, quirkily.
Electronic preview: Fujiya & Miyagi, on tour
John Robinson
Cargo, EC2, Wed; The Faversham, Leeds, Thu; The Deaf Institute, Manchester, Fri
Contributor
John Robinson
John Robinson
The GuardianTramp