Dream-pop group Luby Sparks is shrouded in mystery. Comprised of five university friends bonded by their disinterest in popular Japanese music and fascination of brooding British bands, the Tokyo-based outfit has learned to craft a sound less at home in their modern neon city than it would be, say, in the 90s UK grunge scene with the floppy-haired youth penning angsty tracks to be performed in underground venues littered with DIY punk flyers and touches of ironic confetti here and there.
Both Luby Sparks’ self-titled LP and (I’m) Lost in SadnessEP arrived this year with little fanfare, which is surprising considering a) the current level of enthusiasm for Japanese music, b) both were produced by Max Bloom of Yuck, and c) they’re fantastic. It’s safe to assume these kids have been on a steady dose of Loveless, Heaven or Las Vegas, Disintegration, and NME C86. But rather than regurgitating the remnants of those touchtones, they’ve crafted a brilliant debut that’s enjoyable after repeated listens.
The Fat Angel Sings 