Fujiya and Miyagi: Ventriloquizzing
Fujiya and Miyagi
Ventriloquizzing
(Yep Roc Records)
Ventriloquizzing, the latest album by the British group Fujiya and Miyagi, is a manipulative audio world of moody and seething electronica fuming underneath the whispery deep hush tones of David Best’s vocals. Bleary and emotive, at times, Ventriloquizzing brightens up with tracks like “OK†where Best poses, “Let me whisper in your ear and tell you it will be okay,†over a righteous smattering of drums and vibrant keys. “Yoyo†is an even more playful force of fuzzy synthesizers and bass. Fujiya and Miyagi hold a leveled balance between each shift. “Minestrone†begins with a vintage blues riff of fiery guitar used to seductively detail the satiation and warning of attraction or longing. In dedicated spoken word, Best goes into great detail to describe the devil in a cartoony characteristic ode to his own defeat by giving into minestrone of all things.
The beat induced hypnotica of Ventriloquizzing is its stronghold. The minimalistic yet mesmerizing loop of guitar riffs, keys, bass, and drums, especially on tracks like the dizzying “Tinsel & Glitter,†allow the album to flourish, spellbinding the listener in tight loops of soul attaching sound.