Jebiotto!

To attempt to describe Jebiotto! is to fumble hopelessly with loose musical ends. Just like the music, in fact. Their charm-point seems to be the rickety imprecision of their Casiotone meanderings through early ’80s no wave territory. A bassline that weaves and strolls in no particular hurry and synth shrieks that could strip paint together open up a musical vista for JJ Madca’s ‘impressionistic’ vocals, the overall effect recalling the dissonant warblings of The Raincoats given a dose of Malaria! with, crucially, an elastic pop nous holding things together.

This is one of those rare occasions we’ll feature a band despite being unable to actually play or show you any of their music. Hopefully, there’ll be a fuller post about Jebiotto! when we see them perform live at the end of February. They don’t seem to have ever released a record bar a couple of fantastic tracks on their MySpace. Yes, aural initiation into Jebiotto’s outre world is just a mouseclick for Murdoch away! In the meantime, here’s a translation of the short biography on the band’s homepage:

Jebiotto! are a rock band whose activities centre around Koenji venue 20000 Volt. Taking influences from various bands of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, they were originally formed by keyboard player Tsutsumi AKA Tutti with the help of Ryo Yoshida of Aura. However, in 2003 the pair went their separate ways. In 2004, the band reformed with a line-up of Tutti on keyboards and guitar and Madoka AKA JJ Madca handling vocals and Casiotone, plus drummer Morioka. A bass player, Hakase, joined the following year but will depart in 2008, leaving a vacancy. The band describe themselves as making a funya to shite gyarin to shita saundo: a sound that while harsh and clanging is also soft and limp.

Go to Jebiotto!’s MySpace, listen to Air Bear and that final sentence should start to radiate with intense meaning.