Zazen Boys 4

Albenrezension

Having adapted to the loss of drummer Ahita Inazawa and bassist Hinata Hidekazu (and their replacement by Atsushi Matsushita and Ichirou Yoshida), the Zazen Boys' fourth album retreated a bit from the pure experimentalism of Zazen Boys III. The group moves toward electronica in Zazen Boys 4, with a tendency toward slicker production and a focus on the synthesizers, bass, and drums that normally make up dance tracks. Rather than sticking purely with dance music, though, the band continues to experiment with funk, and with punk aesthetics. It may be a musical turning point for the Zazen Boys, but one that they handle with musical grace.