Gotou, named after the Taiwanese restaurant the trio frequent in Sapporo, capital of Japan’s northern island Hokkaido, is made up of Otaco Gotou, Nanae Bndy Gotou, and Chika Gotou, some of the most exciting artists from the city’s experimental music scene (Cup & Saucers, Aoi Swimming). Gotou uses the guitar, bass, drums format and creates goth post-punk in homage to early 1980s groups (Mania D, Malaria!). It's your turn to run.Our take: The new label Inu Wan Wan Records hit me up about carrying this, their debut release, and I was instantly sold. Gotou is a three-piece band from Sapporo, Japan, and their sound is different from what Sorry State typically carries. I’d place them on the artiest edge of post-punk. Malaria! is the closest comparison I can think of in terms of the overall feel (the label’s description makes the same connection), but Gotou’s sound isn’t too different from the least pop moments on LPs by Wire, Joy Division, or the Cure, but you don’t get the contrasting moments of pop those bands offer. Gotou base their songs around repetitive grooves, the drummer banging out angular, non-rock patterns, the bassist looping simple and hypnotic lines, and the guitarist tending to make rhythmic and percussive sounds rather than melodies. The vocalist has a deep moan that’s a bit like Nico’s baritone, but (if you can imagine it) even colder and with less affect. The music is tense and nervy, with only the last track, “Go To U,” offering something slightly more melodic. Gotou’s music isn’t rock or pop, but if you have a lot of records from this more experimental edge of the post-punk scene—I’m thinking of bands like Throbbing Gristle, Einsturzende Neubauten, early Swans, etc.—you’ll hear that same spirit in this slice of confrontational art music.
