Fujiya & Miyagi ‎- Fujiya & Miyagi (2017)

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Fujiya & Miyagi ‎- Fujiya & Miyagi (2017)

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In 2016, Fujiya & Miyagi released two four-song, limited run 12-inch EPs that found the Brighton, England quartet exploring some of their most inspired and well-conceived songs since their breakthrough sophomore LP, Transparent Things, a decade earlier.

For their new self-titled LP, Fujiya & Miyagi have combined both EPs, along with songs from a third 12-inch that was, puzzlingly, put out the exact same day. But no matter which format you choose to consume these 11 tracks, it's clear that the quartet have crafted a clear and uniform vision for their new(ish) material. Working off of the dance-y Krautrock sound they've been known to favour, Fujiya & Miyagi keep things fresh and resourceful here with tracks like the groove-centric "Serotonin Rushes," the punk-y "Outstripping (The Speed of Light)" and the pulsating, disco-indebted "Impossible Objects of Desire." Yet it's tracks like the spoken word, self-referential/-explanatory "Extended Dance Mix," the motoric instrumental "Synthetic Symphonies" and the heavy guitar snarler "R.S.I." that earn this collection repeat listens.

It's true that Fujiya & Miyagi have a particular formula, and they seem to follow it on their self-titled LP, but they've managed to figure out when to use this formula to satiate listeners and when to tweak it to make listeners salivate. (Impossible Objects of Desire).