This Sunday, experimental Japanese band Bo Ningen are coming to Brudenell Social Club. The four-piece noise rock and alternative band will play in Yorkshire’s capital for the first time in three years, since they played at Bramham Park for 2015’s edition of Leeds Festival. Their last gig in the city was all the way back in May 2014, around the time they released their third and most recent album III.

Bo Ningen’s style is hard to pin down to a specific genre or even genres. They blend numerous styles and influences, such as psychedelia, grunge and classic rock to make a rather wide-ranging and unique sound, both chaotic and controlled at the same time. This is typified by the vocals of singer Taigen Kawabe. The opening song of their last album, ‘DaDaDa’, is one example of their thrashy yet polished style. Later on the album, ‘Mukaeni Ikenai’ shows a more measured approach, with the song building slowly over its nine minute duration and more soothing vocals over the loud guitars. This variety makes the London-formed group are very interesting proposition.

Bo Ningen, which means ‘stick man’ in Japanese, create dramatic music which seems like it would translate best when heard live on big speakers where it is possible to be properly engulfed by the various instruments and the vocals. The band do not play in Leeds often, and so the opportunity to see them in an intimate setting like the Brudenell should not be missed.

Bo Ningen play the Brudenell Social Club on the 14th of October. 

 

Lawrence Cwerner

Image credit: NME