With toe’s unforeseen and sudden return to Earth through NOW I SEE THE LIGHT, they show just how sincere music can possibly get.
Release date: July 10, 2024 | Machu Picchu Industrias Inc./Topshelf Records | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Purchase/Stream
There is a saying that goes around that if everyone in the world could hypothetically smoke/consume marijuana, the world would be an infinitely better place. While that is far from the realm of possibility for many reasons, the next best thing that can elicit that same type of effect in a much less complicated manner is somehow getting the world to collectively listen to NOW I SEE THE LIGHT, the comeback record from the vastly underappreciated Japanese math rock legends toe. Much like the album title implies, the blissfully meditative and equally energetic soundscapes will emotionally ground the listener, regardless of who they are, bringing them the much-needed serenity to see the world in a new light.
As a musical entity, toe (Tō) are the very definition of the word ‘modest’. On top of their music being a blend of intricate instrumental nuances and a subtle, reserved demeanor, the way they present and advertise themselves online is as minimal as possibly can be without being off the grid entirely. Social media presence as a means of reaching out to a larger audience isn’t something of importance to them, understandably so as making music is the sole intention after all. The listeners that genuinely want to find and listen to music of this caliber will organically gravitate to it and here we are. Thus, having the fortune to discover toe is one of pure serendipity.
Math rock has been around for quite some time and has had plenty of time to evolve the more bands continue to experiment, as is a characteristic feature of this niche genre of course. With many bands doing their own thing, there are bound to be seemingly endless flavors of math rock and that is most certainly the case. When it comes to toe, they’ve incorporated many sounds into their idyllic sound, ranging from post-rock to pop, jazz, electronic, ambient, and r&b, all in a way that is seamless as can be without ever breaking character or a sweat. Made clear with The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety’s release back in 2005, toe have been known to deliver the musical goods and I have yet to see the day that they ever fail on that front; I don’t anticipate that day will ever come.
From the moment kicks the album off with “風と記憶”, it feels as if I’m caught in a tight embrace with a long, lost friend. The tender, swirling acoustic and electric guitar harmonies pull you in as if it was a benign siren song; just like that, you’re sucked in for the ride. Throughout the record, the instrumentals are so tightly orchestrated, akin to a meticulously choreographed dance where every movement and gesture is perfectly timed and executed amongst the band members. The chemistry and unshakeable bond that Toe possesses as a collective oozes from each hypnotic rhythm and harmony that they conceive.
Although mostly instrumental, there are several tracks in which (acoustic) guitarist, Yamazaki Hirokazu, throws down tender, affectionate vocals (“LONELINESS WILL SHINE”, “WHO KNOWS ?”, “サニーボーイ・ラプソディ”, and the closing track). They’re so airy and delicate and make for an exquisite companion to the already lovely instrumentals. The vocals on “LONELINESS WILL SHINE” in particular remind me heavily of Dredg’s El Cielo, which is one hell of a nostalgia-trip. These tracks with vocals are well-calculated in how they appear in the tracklist, as they’re interspersed between the other instrumental pieces, making for excellent pacing. As a result, the album never truly feels like an instrumental album and vice versa.
The audio engineering/production value on this record is pristine, as there is all the clarity in the world to hone in on every single detail tucked away from the sonic foreground. It is an absolute delight picking up on all the subtle details, with “街のどこかで” being a perfect example of how the band panned certain elements of the music to the left (vibraphone, synth/electronics) and the percussion to the right while the eerie guitars are kept center stage. As much as I dislike super sterile production in general, NOW I SEE THE LIGHT is crystal clear, yet it doesn’t feel overproduced by any means; it just feels so human, and that is what I adore about it.
The thing I admire most about toe in general, as is effortlessly exemplified on NOW I SEE THE LIGHT, is the raw authenticity literally every facet of their music radiates at any given moment. There are zero cheesy gimmicks, no fancy tricks, no over-embellishments, just pure auditory bliss from start to finish. While it may have been nine years since their last full-length album, it truly feels like they never skipped a beat, seamlessly continuing their musical journey as though the years between albums simply melted away – we can all say that we have finally seen the light thanks to toe.
