Green Lp

moshimoshi

I've been really digging this debut album from Finnish math rock and screamo band moshimoshi lately. It's crunchy, bright, the melodies are jovial and uplifting, and the desperate screaming adds a nice touch of catharsis. I also really appreciate the urgency that many of these songs have, ripping through tons of frenetic ideas with start/stop dynamics in very short time spans. Soon is probably my favourite track on the record which is odd because it is not the most flashy in terms of riffs or complexity. It actually reminds me a little of the more studied approach that bands like COVET display, which is not typically my favourite branch of math rock. It might be the addition of screamed vocals that adds that unhinged quality that I typically look for.

The band also likes to play with dynamics at a few points, often starting or finishing a song with a lighter, instrumental, midwest emo-inspired section that either primes the listener for all the crazy riffs to come or offers a cool down after the whirlwind of noodly guitars, rapid drum fills, and emotive throat shredding. For me, I have mixed feelings when it comes to these songs. The first half of Is It Still Called Sailing If the Ship Has No Sails? is one fire riff after another; super fun and thrilling. However, the band quite literally takes all the wind out of the sails to close out the song. I much prefer when the band flips the script, like on the closer Well, This Is Where We Part Ways, starting with the quiet instrumental bit and finishing the song out with a triumphant burst of hopeful energy. In general, I would probably prefer the band compartmentalize these two dynamics exampled by the lovely instrumental interlude Sammelet or the straight-to-the-point The Great Battle Between the Frog and the Yellow Rabbit.

There's a moment on the record where the band really gets aggressive, leaning into a more post-hardcore sound. Dull Song is anything but as we get some of the most discordant guitar chords featured on the record as well as an explosive passage that feels surprisingly violent for a record of this nature. The following track I Have Never Seen You Like This Before extends that energy for just another minute and a half, making sure that all of those raw emotions have been vented before returning back to their happy-go-lucky selves. It's just a blip on the record, but it does balance out some of the sweeter moments that the record has to offer, like on the aforementioned Soon or the And So I Watch You From Afar-styled conclusion to Anime Theme.

It's a really solid and fun record. I don't have many other complaints except for that the screaming can become a little one note by the end, and that sometimes the snare drum sounds like it's a wet plastic bag; robbing some tracks of some additional forward momentum. Really though, I'm quite impressed. This thing is packed with tons of fun riffs, exudes great spirit and energy, and is quite dynamic. Math rock, screamo, and emo fans should not have a reason to miss out on hearing this thing.