Gaze On: Looprider’s “Farewell”

ByPatrick St. Michel

New Tokyo outfit Looprider features a handful of musicians who have been kicking around the country’s music scene for a while now – fronted by singer Ryotaro Aoki who, full disclosure, I once drunkenly gave a Dempagumi.inc clear file to at a Japan Times function (where we both contribute) – and debut single “Farewell” is the work of folks who know shoegaze. Backed by guest vocals from Merpeoples’ Charlotte, the song features all the fuzzy guitar sounds one would expect from something labelled shoegaze, but which Looprider always pushes forward (and quite deceptive – this doesn’t feel like five minutes). The end result is a driving rock number that manages to be whirling and hooky. Get it here, or listen below.

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