Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010

We mean this in the best possible way: Tomodachi wo Koroshite Made (“To Kill A Friend”) sounds like it was daubed in crayon by a sociopathic 4-year-old. Luckily, the chaos is served with a side order of irresistible charm. Chiba four-piece Shinsei Kamattechan found notoriety by posting a series of demented videos on Nico Nico Douga (many of which feature singer Noko’s bare bottom), each soundtracked by the sort of racket that would have Steve Albini headbutting a wall in blissful confusion. Cheesy pop piano weaving around brutal rhythms and punk guitar squalls call to mind a preschool Pixies, as Noko sings so far off-key it almost creates a new scale. At various points, his voice is distorted, pitch shifted or drenched in echo; on “Shinitai Kisetsu” (“Deathwish Season”), it’s hard to tell whether the vocals are male or female, or even human. The allure is overwhelming; our friends should be feeling very nervous.