We are living in a bold new age of information. YouTube represents an archive of millions of hidden or long forgotten documentaries of some of the greatest performers in music, free and at the tips of our fingers. This week Street covers "Oneday" off Japan post-rockers Euphoria new album, White Pattern.
Euphoria, an excellent post-rock group from Japan composed of a trio of former high school classmates, presents us with an absorbing, beautiful assortment of nature imagery enhanced with some psychedelic effects. The accompanying song, "Oneday," the clear highlight of the experience, is the lead single off their atmospheric 2007 full-length, White Pattern. The album's name is based on the lead singer's visual experiment. As he explains, it's difficult to see a white pattern against a white background, but once someone puts in the effort and does it, the beauty of the hidden image astounds. The idea is fitting for Euphoria's music, which is softer than most post-rock, but possesses a beauty that becomes increasingly apparent with repeated listening.
Bands like Mono and Te` have gotten some attention from the American indie music press, and Euphoria should be the next group to earn a little of the spotlight. The band has been releasing exemplary experimental rock and post-rock since 2003, gaining a following in its native Japan and other Asian countries like Thailand. "Oneday" and White Pattern as a whole should prove an enjoyable listening experience. The band's soundscapes transport the listener into another world. Plus, sung lyrics are used only sparingly, making the whole package highly import-friendly.
Euphoria's official website can be reached at http://www.123records.net/euphoria
