Acclaimed avant-rock act OOIOO, fronted by Japanese experimental music figurehead YoshimiO (Boredoms / Free Kitten), share its new single “kawasemi Ah,” a shimmering psychedelic jam that shifts from tight motorik rhythms to wild instrumental breakdowns, punctuated by eruptions of technicolor guitars. The band has also just announced the release of the new album, Nijimusi, (Thrill Jockey) due out January 17th.

After a six-year hiatus, OOIOO takes its music back to the roots of being a four-piece band on Nijimusi. The album was recorded mainly using a conventional rock ensemble of two guitars, bass, and drums, though with OOIOO approaching their instruments simply as “objects that make sounds”, taking a primitive and basic approach to creating the music. The drum tones fluctuate powerfully through the air while sounding as if they are being observed under a microscope. Bass notes and electronic bursts are so dense that they sound like they’ve been vacuum-sealed. The arrangement of the tones seems to be almost ancient, transcending the notion of a musical ensemble, suggesting the connectivity and oneness that is inherent in all living creatures.

Founded in 1995 by legendary percussionist / guitarist / vocalist YoshimiO, OOIOO’s members came together as musicians who move freely between the audible and inaudible, rhythm and non-rhythm, noise and silence. The music they create is a collection of moments and essences of their favorite sounds, captured as they were created before returning into the ether. In 2016, drummer MISHINA joined the band, allowing more freedom in their rhythmic approach and overall sound. Just as each cell in the body consists of a microcosm of its own, the vibrations of each of the members resonate together to create a new life form, a process reflected in Nijimusi.