MOUSE ON THE KEYS (JAP)
04.03.10 wiesbaden (d) - schlachthof
05.03.10 metz (f) - emile vache art cafe
06.03.10 kassel (d) - galerie loyal
07.03.10 duisburg (d) - djäzz
08.03.10 leipzig (d) - conne island
09.03.10 gdynia (pl) - ucho club
10.03.10 Poznan (pl) - Pod Minoga Club
11.03.10 krakow (pl) - club re
12.03.10 wroclaw (pl) - firlej
13.03.10 chemnitz (d) - weltecho
www.denovali.com/mouseonthekeys
www.myspace.com/mouseonthekeys
Mouse on the Keys is a jazzy instrumental trio from Tokyo, Japan. They partly used to play in "Nine Days Wonder" (a leading band of the Japanese post-rock scene) some years ago: Akira Kawasaki (drum, keyboards) and Atsushi Kiyota (piano, keyboards), along with Daisuke Niitome (piano, keyboards), who has played drums and composed music for jazz-funk/hiphop bands.
The unique sound of the band’s drums, two pianos and two keyboards combines the urgent '90s American posthardcore with early/contemporary classical, jazz and various electronic dance music.
At their concerts, the band projects a variety of images chosen to match their soundviews of Tokyo, geometric symbols, 3D objects, and abstractions. Residents of Tokyo, the members of Mouse on the Keys bring the haunting restlessness of their home city to their live appearances. They even will transform a venue in Germany or France into a kind of virtual Tokyo.
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MOUSE ON THE KEYS (JAPAN) MÄRZ EUROTOUR
REVIEWS (since the record just was released in japan so far a few music blog quotations)
THE SILENT BALLET (8/ 10)
If this is post-rock - post-rock on the keys - it downright jazz-kicks the ass off anything else I've heard recently. Japanese band Mouse on the Keys' second record hardly hangs around in the shadow of their Sezession EP which saw the light of day two years ago. It's the combination of fast-paced, almost drum and bass-like drumming and high-powered sprawling melodies on their debut album, An Anxious Object, that should really give MOTK a strong foot in the proverbial door as a band this year. Intelligently paced and with a pleasant attention to detail, it's worth noting that this classy collection is slightly reminiscent of work by Toe.
http://willywonkahatesyou.blogspot.com/ (10/ 10)
Jazz and post rock. Sounds like a winning combination, but apart from the occasional excursion down this lane by World's End Girlfriend, something that I've yet to find a band that does this really well. Thankfully, I've now found such a band. Mouse on the Keys keep things fairly simple, with drums and piano making up the band's core (though do use saxophones and the like sometimes). (...) The drums are fantastic, the piano smooth and the other instruments masterfully used to make this record 22 minutes of bliss; it's great to see that a band is able to live up to the amazingly awesome fusion that jazz and post rock entails in my head. I give this EP 10/10, which I don't do very often at all so, for the love of god, check out this album. I can't recommend this band enough.
http://sometime-world.blogspot.com
"An Anxious Object" has been one of the albums i've had my eye on for a while, big expectations. They've stepped it up even another notch here! The drumming throughout is phenomenal, but i knew that coming in. The second half of the album in particular is is mind blowing. (...) If you dig some of the other jazzy Japanese post-rock bands like Toe, this is for you.
http://shockmountain.com
Sometime last year, I stumbled across the Sezession EP from these guys, downloaded on a whim, only to find it was flawless. I didn’t just love it, it was one of my favorite 22 minute collection of songs ever. (...) Once again, the Japanese group has created a nearly flawless album, mixing amplified piano, sporadic jazz drumming and a post-rock atmosphere. This album finds Mouse on the Keys not expanding their sound, just continuing it, losing some of the dark/ambient atmospherics of the EP in exchange for some better production. If you are fan of any of those so-called “nu-jazz” acts in the vein of Toe or just wanting to hear the band opening a few shows for Envy (!!!) then definitely pick this up.
http://tokyojazznotes.blogspot.com
There music is what is probably best described as jazz-influenced post-rock, and whilst it's hardly likely to feature on DJ sets in club jazz events, the band produce powerful and compelling tunes. (... )One most of the tracks the two pianists play hypnotic riffs over a backdrop of tight post-rock drum beats creating a rich tapestry of sound that draws the listener in. The liner notes include some sprawling, somewhat incoherent rambling suggesting that Tokyo is perhaps the anxious object of the title, and whilst the text is as garbled as something spewed out by Google Translate, the music on the album reflects the mood of a modern urban life, being both energetic and passionate and yet at the same time somehow cold and distant.
THE SILENT BALLET (8/ 10)
If this is post-rock - post-rock on the keys - it downright jazz-kicks the ass off anything else I've heard recently. Japanese band Mouse on the Keys' second record hardly hangs around in the shadow of their Sezession EP which saw the light of day two years ago. It's the combination of fast-paced, almost drum and bass-like drumming and high-powered sprawling melodies on their debut album, An Anxious Object, that should really give MOTK a strong foot in the proverbial door as a band this year. Intelligently paced and with a pleasant attention to detail, it's worth noting that this classy collection is slightly reminiscent of work by Toe.
http://willywonkahatesyou.blogspot.com/ (10/ 10)
Jazz and post rock. Sounds like a winning combination, but apart from the occasional excursion down this lane by World's End Girlfriend, something that I've yet to find a band that does this really well. Thankfully, I've now found such a band. Mouse on the Keys keep things fairly simple, with drums and piano making up the band's core (though do use saxophones and the like sometimes). (...) The drums are fantastic, the piano smooth and the other instruments masterfully used to make this record 22 minutes of bliss; it's great to see that a band is able to live up to the amazingly awesome fusion that jazz and post rock entails in my head. I give this EP 10/10, which I don't do very often at all so, for the love of god, check out this album. I can't recommend this band enough.
http://sometime-world.blogspot.com
"An Anxious Object" has been one of the albums i've had my eye on for a while, big expectations. They've stepped it up even another notch here! The drumming throughout is phenomenal, but i knew that coming in. The second half of the album in particular is is mind blowing. (...) If you dig some of the other jazzy Japanese post-rock bands like Toe, this is for you.
http://shockmountain.com
Sometime last year, I stumbled across the Sezession EP from these guys, downloaded on a whim, only to find it was flawless. I didn’t just love it, it was one of my favorite 22 minute collection of songs ever. (...) Once again, the Japanese group has created a nearly flawless album, mixing amplified piano, sporadic jazz drumming and a post-rock atmosphere. This album finds Mouse on the Keys not expanding their sound, just continuing it, losing some of the dark/ambient atmospherics of the EP in exchange for some better production. If you are fan of any of those so-called “nu-jazz” acts in the vein of Toe or just wanting to hear the band opening a few shows for Envy (!!!) then definitely pick this up.
http://tokyojazznotes.blogspot.com
There music is what is probably best described as jazz-influenced post-rock, and whilst it's hardly likely to feature on DJ sets in club jazz events, the band produce powerful and compelling tunes. (... )One most of the tracks the two pianists play hypnotic riffs over a backdrop of tight post-rock drum beats creating a rich tapestry of sound that draws the listener in. The liner notes include some sprawling, somewhat incoherent rambling suggesting that Tokyo is perhaps the anxious object of the title, and whilst the text is as garbled as something spewed out by Google Translate, the music on the album reflects the mood of a modern urban life, being both energetic and passionate and yet at the same time somehow cold and distant.
TOUR STARTET AM DONNERSTAG!!!
ROCK-A-ROLLA
We’ve had Martian, Modest and White Mice, and now this. True to their name, the Tokyo trio performs predominantly on keyboards and piano (plus drums), and it’s one mad piece of
work. First released back in 2007 on Japanese label Machupicchu Industrias and now getting its (very) belated European outing, it’s avant-rock meets nu-jazz, but nowhere near as dull as that might sound. Rarely has piano been used with results that are this much intriguing
and just plain fun – Mouse On The Keys have produced a really special EP which, at only four tracks, just leaves you begging for more. Highly recommended stuff.
The Music Fix (8/ 10)
The idea of post-rock mixed with contemporary jazz all sounds a bit po-faced and pretentious, and played by anyone else, it probably would be. But Tokyo-born Mouse On The Keys have managed to inject a whole load of fun into every song on this four-track EP (....)sounds like an
octopus is playing the drums and the piano is trying to keep up, sounding anything but ‘sad’. (...) Denovali have done us a great favour in unearthing and revealing this brilliant act. Look forward to the reissue of their 2009 debut full-length later this year.
ASICE (4/ 5)
Energetic drums are combined with keyboards and pianos making an original combination of organic rock music and jazzy, electronic music. Did someone say Jaga Jazzist? Yes, if these Japanese were from Norway they would've sounded like them. (...)On the record the piano has the biggest role and the accent of this instrument separates Mouse of Keys from the wide range of the current post rock scene. With help of the Soprano Saxophone this EP shows a bright side of this type of music. (....) Most bands in this genre can be classified as autumn music; Mouse on the Keys is definitely something for the spring.
THE SILENT BALLET (8/ 10)
If this is post-rock - post-rock on the keys - it downright jazz-kicks the ass off anything else I've heard recently. Japanese band Mouse on the Keys' second record hardly hangs around in the shadow of their Sezession EP which saw the light of day two years ago. It's the combination of fast-paced, almost drum and bass-like drumming and high-powered sprawling melodies on their debut album, An Anxious Object, that should really give MOTK a strong foot in the proverbial door as a band this year. Intelligently paced and with a pleasant attention to detail, it's worth noting that this classy collection is slightly reminiscent of work by Toe.
willywonkahatesyou.blogspot.com (10/ 10)
Jazz and post rock. Sounds like a winning combination, but apart from the occasional excursion down this lane by World's End Girlfriend, something that I've yet to find a band that does this really well. Thankfully, I've now found such a band. Mouse on the Keys keep things fairly simple, with drums and piano making up the band's core (though do use saxophones and the like sometimes). (...) The drums are fantastic, the piano smooth and the other instruments masterfully used to make this record 22 minutes of bliss; it's great to see that a band is able to live up to the amazingly awesome fusion that jazz and post rock entails in my head. I give this EP 10/10, which I don't do very often at all so, for the love of god, check out this album. I can't recommend this band enough.
ROCK-A-ROLLA
We’ve had Martian, Modest and White Mice, and now this. True to their name, the Tokyo trio performs predominantly on keyboards and piano (plus drums), and it’s one mad piece of
work. First released back in 2007 on Japanese label Machupicchu Industrias and now getting its (very) belated European outing, it’s avant-rock meets nu-jazz, but nowhere near as dull as that might sound. Rarely has piano been used with results that are this much intriguing
and just plain fun – Mouse On The Keys have produced a really special EP which, at only four tracks, just leaves you begging for more. Highly recommended stuff.
The Music Fix (8/ 10)
The idea of post-rock mixed with contemporary jazz all sounds a bit po-faced and pretentious, and played by anyone else, it probably would be. But Tokyo-born Mouse On The Keys have managed to inject a whole load of fun into every song on this four-track EP (....)sounds like an
octopus is playing the drums and the piano is trying to keep up, sounding anything but ‘sad’. (...) Denovali have done us a great favour in unearthing and revealing this brilliant act. Look forward to the reissue of their 2009 debut full-length later this year.
ASICE (4/ 5)
Energetic drums are combined with keyboards and pianos making an original combination of organic rock music and jazzy, electronic music. Did someone say Jaga Jazzist? Yes, if these Japanese were from Norway they would've sounded like them. (...)On the record the piano has the biggest role and the accent of this instrument separates Mouse of Keys from the wide range of the current post rock scene. With help of the Soprano Saxophone this EP shows a bright side of this type of music. (....) Most bands in this genre can be classified as autumn music; Mouse on the Keys is definitely something for the spring.
THE SILENT BALLET (8/ 10)
If this is post-rock - post-rock on the keys - it downright jazz-kicks the ass off anything else I've heard recently. Japanese band Mouse on the Keys' second record hardly hangs around in the shadow of their Sezession EP which saw the light of day two years ago. It's the combination of fast-paced, almost drum and bass-like drumming and high-powered sprawling melodies on their debut album, An Anxious Object, that should really give MOTK a strong foot in the proverbial door as a band this year. Intelligently paced and with a pleasant attention to detail, it's worth noting that this classy collection is slightly reminiscent of work by Toe.
willywonkahatesyou.blogspot.com (10/ 10)
Jazz and post rock. Sounds like a winning combination, but apart from the occasional excursion down this lane by World's End Girlfriend, something that I've yet to find a band that does this really well. Thankfully, I've now found such a band. Mouse on the Keys keep things fairly simple, with drums and piano making up the band's core (though do use saxophones and the like sometimes). (...) The drums are fantastic, the piano smooth and the other instruments masterfully used to make this record 22 minutes of bliss; it's great to see that a band is able to live up to the amazingly awesome fusion that jazz and post rock entails in my head. I give this EP 10/10, which I don't do very often at all so, for the love of god, check out this album. I can't recommend this band enough.
heute kassel. morgen duisburg.