Discovery of the Week: Grimm Grimm

Koichi Yamanoha, otherwise known as Grimm Grimm, last week released his debut album Hazy Eyes Maybe. Despite what connotations a name like Grimm Grimm may hint at, there is nothing grim or ghastly about Hazy Eyes Maybe – in fact it’s quite the opposite. The album begins with a mystical amalgamation of lulling rhythms and multi-instrumental samples of assorted bells and whirring gears. This is simply a tiny insight into what the rest of the album beholds – a contrast between blissful dreams and disturbed nightmares switch when you least expect it.

Yamanoha’s approach to lyricism and melody on Hazy Eyes Maybe is beautifully abstract and unusual, at times it’s as though he’s become preoccupied and only remembers in a minute or so he’s performing. Although this could give the impression that the album loses pace or momentum, this is certainly not the case. Grimm Grimm maximises the skill of using prolonged time and musical sparsity to his advantage musically; there’s no rush, he introduces simple and interesting melodies and elements gradually to create gentle and dreamy musical concoctions.

Each song produces new emotions and new images are created by a unique selection of sounds. ‘Last Word Is Mine’ could have been recorded at a new, yet slightly eerie fairground. Yamanoha’s gruff and whispered vocals combined with chromatic vintage synths create a rather odd yet intriguing track. Yet, if I close my eyes and listen to the 7 minute instrumental that is ‘Robert Downey Syndrome’, I can easily imagine stepping into a dark robot graveyard created by diminished chords and high pitched electronic drones.

Grimm Grimm is Yamanoha’s new solo project, a very different approach to his previous performing role as frontman of Screaming Tea Party. Now based in London, Grimm Grimm are due to support Let’s Wrestle on their last ever gig at on July 10 at the 100 Club – a gig certainly not to miss out on.

Hazy Eyes Maybe is one of the most original albums released so far this year, and you should certainly listen to the marvellously soothing track that is Grimm Grimm’s newest single ‘Tell The Truth’. Gentle acoustic guitar and far-off misty vocals are a perfect representation of this glorious album.

Hazy Eyes Maybe is out now on ATP Recordings. You can purchase it here or on iTunes.

 

Elli Brazzill
@littlelionelli

Elli Brazzill

Elli Brazzill

I’m Elli, 20 and live in Manchester. I like good music, gigs, rice krispies, 7” singles and puns. Alex G, Day Wave, Jaws, Talking Heads, Best Friends, Mac DeMarco, The Strokes, Parquet Courts and Tyler the Creator are pretty cool aren’t they. @cometobrazzill on twitter.