3ND

I moderately enjoyed 3nd's debut EP, View From Here. It wasn't as brash or edgy as most Math-Rock, it invoked the Sun-laded city shore on it's cover and had some great potential with it's more melodic and warm sound around it. Here though, i feel they lose some of their instrumental ability for some more crossover antics. It's really hurts to hear the progression, if you can even call it that, that occurred here. While there are some songs that are okay, any zest or worthwhile characteristics that sung in View From Here seems to have been beaten up and buried.

The highlights in World Tour are China, Lotus, Filter in Dust, and Waltz for Lilly. China is a brilliantly thick bass-led song with some some guitar licks softening the similarly bulky drums accompanying the bass. The song develops well and is probably my favorite percussive piece 3nd has released, a place where i believe they never really got really technical but instead stayed tight and powerful. Lotus beings with the sleek guitar duo constructing some fantastic interlaced passages and continues to stick around until they restrain a bit, letting the bass emerge and having a more balanced and momentarily airy feel to the song. Filter in Dust is a short song but is by far their more Mathy sounding song on World Tour. All the musicianship here is great, and a mixture of contrasting and complementary - creating a total package sneering brilliancy and funky deliverance. Waltz For Lilly is the final track on the album and ironically ends on a high note similar to the style of the past EP. The glossy guitars create merry melodies and the band invokes an eclectic ending with hints of multiple genres. It's well executed and a natural ending for the album.

I think it's a step backward from View From Here, lacking in consistency and sometimes instrumental integrity. While it has higher points than their debut i can't stop from being disappointed with how they changed in ways. World Tour is very accessible and is an easy listen for anyone curious to the genre or liking the more simplistic instrumental music.

As an introduction to the wonderful world of Japanese Math-Rock, 3nd is an admirable quartet that shows strong potential and plenty of room for improvement with their EP, View From Here.

Dual guitars surrender tapping and looping for powerful rhythm methods and glossing interplay. The bass titan Yuuma Hiraizumi is a force to reckon with, having dark tones revolve around the band create complimentary lines. The drums, though not up to typical math standards, never seem pretentious and keep tight. You find post-rock influences here as well to ensure balance and appeasement.

First half of the six track EP begins with Clockworker. A strong piece that incorporates a graceful acoustic guitar in the background adding some earthy moods whenever it emerges. The introductory bassline commands attention for the rest of the track along with some of the best drum work on the album. Though after Clockworker, Auguestline and Season server as a serious handicap. Auguestline has some guitar chords that really get old fast with some more boring drum accompaniment and typical bass. Season is better but is lackluster overall. The post-rock climax is good but again, nothing special.

After those tracks we get some hope with Haruoto and Into the Water. Haruoto has a spirited intro that locks in until 3nd breaks into an imperious dominance until the beginning theme reappears. In the Water has the band tap into their second best work, along with Clockworker. With divine guitar soundscapes and Geddy Lee-like bass contrasts, it makes you wish they honed on this style.

Not quite as unique and technical as other Japanese Math Bands like Lite, Toe, or Nuito.. 3nd still makes an admirable debut with both monotonous boredom and proficient highlights.

We can call 3nd as a 'Delicate Noiseteller' for any sake, can't we?

Cannot mention about them with a word 'noisy' - they play willfully and pleasantly in the midst of exploded noises by Post / Math production. Such a pleasure and flexibility can recall us loveliness and dearness around them. Their ensemble is very simple and basic, with guitars, a bass, drums - actually, these instruments can let us imagine little grace, beauty, or mellowness. But so novel and mysterious they can get something positive for warmth and kindness. From the very start, twin-guitar sounds are very delightful and 'percussive' like percussion, with an eccentric but steady rhythm section. All instruments are popping, tapping and flapping all the studio around, maybe. The second "China" has charming tension and exotic sensation, by a chopping guitar solo and a danceable drumming. A quirk of sound 'n' noise launchers, great taste. "SSK" and "Filter In Dust" are serious post rock songs full of psychedelic fuzz-guitar noises. Oppositely, "Nemuru (Sleepin')" and "Midroll" are slow-down-tempo and dark-heavy-muddy river flows. Heavy and noisy guitar sounds recallin' us a wake of the feedback flood by traditional Japanese psychedelic rock scene.

And the key element of 3nd should be in the fifth track "Lotus" or the last "Waltz For Lilly", a dizzy fuzzy noisy but fresh bobbish beats by the quartet. Look and we can certainly feel they be much enjoyable. On stage, they may play with smiling fully and laughing loudly. What a honest outfit they are, I'm always sure.