The original band members, David ‘Miyagi’ Best (on vocals) and Steve ‘Fujiya’ Lewis (beats, synths and backing vocals) are now a proper band with bassist Matt Hainsby and Lee Adams on drums. They played the Big Chill Festival in the summer (on after Hot 8 Brass Band when I was on my way to Benji B and Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson in the club tent) and I was gutted to miss them as the programme said F&M are “influenced by 70s Krautrock bands Can and Neu! and electronic artists such as Aphex Twin”. Well you can’t have it all but I thought I’d try the single taken off Fujiya & Miyagi’s recent Lightbulbs album.

And then the Slices video (see links below) got me interested in the album and the more you listen to it, even David ‘Miyagi’ Best’s vocals become hypnotic/fascinating in a Damo Suzuki type way. The strange ‘pop’ lyrics of ‘Knickerbocker’ (the hit) are a little too clever for me but ‘Dishwisher’ is a happy mix of tongue in cheek lyrics and solid minimal beat ESG. Also check out the funky ‘Uh’, the electronic-punk ‘Hundreds & Thousands’ and the 70s progish ‘Rock To Queen’s Pawn Six’ and ‘Goosebumps’.

Lightbulbs wouldn’t be in my top 20 albums of 2008 (see Links below) but it wouldn’t be that far away either; and I definitely wouldn’t want to miss seeing them playing live again after missing them last year.

Forthcoming Tour Dates:
11 Feb 2009 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, Minnesota
12 Feb 2009 Bottom Lounge - Chicago, Illinois
13 Feb 2009 Magic Stick - Detroit, Michigan
14 Feb 2009 Alfred University Knight Club, Alfred, New York
15 Feb 2009 Paradise - Boston, Massachusetts
17 Feb 2009 LPR, NYC
18 Feb 2009 The Trocadero, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19 Feb 2009 9.30 Club, Washington DC
20 Feb 2009 Cats Cradle, Carrboro
21 Feb 2009 40 Watt Club, Athens
23 Feb 2009 Back Booth, Orlando
24 Feb 2009 Club Downunder - Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
25 Feb 2009 Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge
27 Feb 2009 EMOS Alternative Lounge, Austin
28 Feb 2009 Palladium Loft, Dallas
02 Mar 2009 Rhythm Room - Phoenix
03 Mar 2009 Echoplex - LA, California
05 Mar 2009 The Independent - San Francisco, California
06 Mar 2009 Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon
07 Mar 2009 Neumos - Seattle, Washington

Reviewed: Fujiya & Miyagi - Pickpocket (Full Time Hobby) Cat. No: FTH 064S Release date: November 2008
Tracklisting:
A Pickpocket
B Rot

Links:
www.fujiya-miyagi.co.uk
www.myspace.com/fujiyaandmiyagi
Slices Issue 4-08 (Electronic Beats) Cat. No: EB-DVD 016 Release date: December 2008 features the following artists: Ralph Myerz, Fujiya & Miyagi, Tim Exile, dOP, Dennis Ferrer, Seth Troxler, Margaret Dygas, Phazz-a-delic, Lopazz and 4 videos.
www.eb-slices.net
www.myspace.com/electronicbeatscommunity
Gilles Peterson :: 8 January 2009 :: All Winners - Albums of the Year 2008
20) James Pants - ‘Cosmic Rapp’ (Stones Throw) LP: Welcome
11) Menahan Street Band - Karina (Dunham) LP: Make The Road By Walking
10) Roots Manuva - ‘Let The Spirit’ (Big Dada) LP: Slime & Reason
7) Flying Lotus ft Dolly - ‘RobertaFlack’ (Warp) LP: Los Angeles
6) Quiet Village - ‘Pacific Rhythm’ (K7) LP: Silent Movie
5) Benga - ‘Pleasure’ (Tempa) LP: Diaries Of An Afro-Warrior
4) Jose James - ‘Winterwind’ (Brownswood) LP: The Dreamer