''3'' is the third studio album by Japanese

math rock Math rock is a style of progressive and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush as well as 20th-century minimal music composers such as Steve Reich. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (includi ...

band Tricot. It was released on May 17, 2017 in Japan by the band's own label Bakuretsu Records. The album was released on the same day by

Big Scary Monsters Recording Company Big Scary Monsters Recording Company (often known simply as Big Scary Monsters or BSM Records) is an independent record label based in Oxford, England, UK. Its releases include La Dispute, Beach Slang, Modern Baseball, Minus The Bear, mewit ...

in the United Kingdom and by

Topshelf Records Topshelf Records is an American independent record label started in Peabody, Massachusetts and as of 2015 is now based in San Diego, California. Topshelf Records has been profiled in the ''Pittsburgh City Paper'', ''San Diego Reader'', ''San D ...

in the United States.

Critical reception

Patrick St. Michel of ''

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched b ...

'' wrote that ''3'' showcases Tricot's "ability to strike a balance between complex instrumentation and sudden emotional flourishes." Phil Witmerwrote of ''

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'' opined that "what makes ''3'' and the rest of Tricot's music transcend the '

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a ...

' label is a transparent, pop-derived emotional core", while noting ''3'' to be the band's "heaviest, most challenging album". Chris DeVille of '' Stereogum'' described the album's music as "intricate and noodly" but played with "a frantic energy and melodic directness worthy of

the Bangles The Bangles are an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. The band recorded several singles that reached the U.S. top 10 during the 1980s, including " Manic Monday" (1986), " Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986), "Hazy Shad ...

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critic John D. Buchanan found that Tricot, while not innovative, are nonetheless "very good, and in a crowded marketplace they do manage to bring something unique to the table", citing their ability to "infuse their challenging

avant-rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...

with a real pop sensibility".

Track listing

All tracks written by Tricot (Motoko Kida, Ikkyu Nakajima and Hiromi Sagane). # "Tokyo Vampire Hotel" – 2:31 # "Wabi-Sabi" – 3:06 # "Yosoiki" (よそいき) – 3:56 # "DeDeDe" – 3:28 # "Sukima" (スキマ) – 5:16 # "Pork Side" – 1:01 # "Pork Ginger" (ポークジンジャー) – 4:44 # "Echo" (エコー) – 3:47 # "18, 19" – 4:01 # "Namu" (南無) – 2:46 # "Munasawagi" – 4:12 # "Setsuyakuka" (節約家) – 4:28 # "Melon Soda" (メロンソーダ) – 2:44

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. Tricot * Motoko "Motifour" Kida – guitar, backing vocals * Ikkyu Nakajima – vocals, guitar * Hiromi "Hirohiro" Sagane – bass, backing vocals Additional musicians * Yuma Abe – drums (track 12) * Kosuke Wakiyama – drums (track 7) * Yusuke Yoshida – drums (tracks 1–6, 8–11, 13) Production * Masayuki Nakano –

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, mixing * Akihiro Shiba – mastering Design * Hikaru Cho – cover artwork

Charts

References

External links

* * 2017 albums Tricot (band) albums Big Scary Monsters Recording Company albums Topshelf Records albums {{2010s-indie-rock-album-stub