Perhaps it was overly paranoid, but it’s great to see Tricot still chugging along. For a second last year, it looked like lead vocalist / guitarist Ikkyu Nakajima could pivot into more proper J-pop territory, due to the surprise success of the variety-show-fueled band Genie High and just a greater turn to being a more jack-of-all-trades talent. But nope, still in Tricot creating start-stop rockers powdered with her emotionally resonant singing. “Daihatsumei” serves as the first taste of a new EP out next week, and delivers all of the Tricot standards — sudden shifts in pattern, backing vocals used as sonic springs to push Nakajima’s main singing up more, stupid catchy chorus. Listen above.
