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Fujiya & Miyagi



 

Fujiya & Miyagi first came to my notice when there was an upsurge in electronic music of this type while I was living in Korea from 2005 to 2007. At the time, I was more of a fan of Working for a Nuclear Free City, Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem. However, F&M have evolved their style over time and although they themselves lament their decline in popularity in a couple of their songs over the last few years, I am a fan of the way they have developed. In fact I might have a slight preference for the latest two albums, Flashback (2019) and Slight Variations (2022), over their two more popular early albums, Transparent Things (2006) and Lightbulbs (2008). 


The band consists of David Best (vocals and guitar), Steve Lewis (synthesizers and electronics), and Ed Chivers (drums and percussion). The name Fujiya & Miyagi was inspired by a record player brand and a Japanese car brand.


Musically F&M blend elements of Krautrock, electronic music and indie pop, although their latest work is a bit more dancey. You can still hear the influence of Kraftwerk though. 


The band gained attention with their debut album, "Electro Karaoke in the Negative Style" (2002), which featured their distinctive blend of electronic and rock elements. Their subsequent albums, Transparent Things (2006) and Lightbulbs (2008), continued to refine their sound and showcased their ability to create immersive, groove-driven music.


In 2011, Fujiya & Miyagi released their album "Ventriloquizzing," which marked a shift towards a more electronic and dance-oriented sound. The album received critical acclaim and further expanded their fan base. They continued to experiment with their sound in subsequent albums like Artificial Sweeteners(2014) and Fujiya & Miyagi (2017).

This was then followed up by the aforementioned Flashback  and Slight Variations.


Key tracks for me: 

Ankle Injuries

Collarbone

Knickerbocker

Gammon

Flashback



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