The Suzan: Golden Week For The Poco Poco Beat

The Suzan
Golden Week For The Poco Poco Beat
Fools’ Gold
[Rating: 3 stars]

It’s difficult to pin down where The Suzan fit in the current musical climate. They’re Japanese, they’re an all-girl group that isn’t making shoegaze versions of 60s sounds, and they’re a rare full band on the electro/hip-hop label Fool’s Gold. They are also a divergence for producer Björn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn and John), who cut his knob-twiddling teeth on laid-back indie pop albums from his Swedish compatriots Lykke Li, Taken by Trees, and Shout Out Louds. Instead, the Suzan’s debut LP Golden Week for the Poco Poco Beat is defined by sparse, synth-happy dance rock. The album presents an impressive diversity of sounds, including the piano interlude “Secret” and the classic R&B inflections of “Rondo.” However, when the band really shines, it’s on the tracks that show off their angular pop sensibilities, such as “Ha Ha Ha” and “London Tonight.” Sunny lead single “Home” introduces the album with an insistent bassline. What Golden Week lacks in cohesiveness, it makes up for with its refreshing clarity.