A Constant Visual Feast

I’ll admit I’m uncertain what I expected from a conversation* with Ichiro Agata and  Yasuko Onuki, the eccentric duo comprising the Japanoise outfit known as Melt-Banana. But in my uncertainty, I found genius. Theirs. Not mine.

For most of my adult life, the phrase “Melt-Banana” has occasionally arisen in my head, seemingly at random, with no specific trigger tied to its recurrence that I can decipher. I’ve listened to them before. I just haven’t had them on my radar in ages. So I’m glad the opportunity to listen to them all over again arose with the release of their 9th album, 3+5, and no, I cannot tell you what the meaning of the title is, because it’s whatever you think it is and want it to be.

Consider this a learning experience for me! Agata and Onuki’s insights helped open up the record by opening up their aesthetic. You can read the full piece over at JoySauce.

*Not explicated in the article: Because of the time zone difference and language barrier**, our conversation was conducted via email.
**The barrier represents a kind of comedy, as Onuki writes and sings all of her lyrics in English.