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**Tricot - T H E**
★★★★☆

In the swirling maelstrom of Japanese math rock, where technical prowess often threatens to overwhelm emotional resonance, Tricot emerged as something genuinely special. By the time they unleashed "T H E" in 2013, this Kyoto trio had already established themselves as masters of controlled chaos, wielding their instruments like precision tools capable of both delicate surgery and devastating impact.

The album arrived at a pivotal moment for the band. Following their acclaimed debut EPs and growing international recognition, Tricot found themselves at a crossroads between underground credibility and broader appeal. "T H E" represents their bold answer to that dilemma – a collection that refuses to compromise their intricate mathematical approach while simultaneously revealing a more accessible, emotionally direct core.

Ikkyu Nakajima's vocals float ethereally above the instrumental complexity, her voice serving as both anchor and sail in the band's turbulent sonic seas. She sings predominantly in Japanese, lending an additional layer of mystique for Western listeners, but the emotional content transcends linguistic barriers. There's something universally compelling about the way her melodies weave through the labyrinthine guitar work, creating pockets of calm within the storm.

The rhythm section of Hiromi Sagane on bass and Kazutaka Komaki on drums forms the album's beating heart, providing the mathematical precision that defines math rock while maintaining an organic, almost breathing quality. Their interplay is nothing short of telepathic, shifting time signatures and dynamics with the fluid grace of dancers who've rehearsed the same routine for years.

"Melon Soda" opens proceedings with a statement of intent – jagged guitar lines that seem to fold in on themselves while maintaining an undeniable melodic thread. It's Tricot's calling card distilled into four minutes of controlled mayhem. The track demonstrates their unique ability to make complexity feel effortless, as if these intricate patterns were as natural as breathing.

The album's emotional peak arrives with "Pork," a track that begins with deceptive simplicity before exploding into one of the most cathartic releases in the math rock canon. Nakajima's vocals soar over cascading guitars that seem to tumble down mountainsides, gathering momentum and debris as they fall. It's here that Tricot's true genius reveals itself – their capacity to transform technical showmanship into genuine emotional catharsis.

"Swim" showcases the band's more contemplative side, with shimmering guitar tones that recall the best of post-rock's atmospheric tendencies. The track builds with patient deliberation, allowing space for each instrument to breathe before converging in a climax that feels both inevitable and surprising. It's a masterclass in dynamic control, proving that Tricot's power lies not just in their ability to dazzle but in their restraint.

The title track "T H E" serves as the album's centrepiece, a sprawling epic that encompasses every facet of the band's sound. Beginning with crystalline arpeggios, it gradually accumulates layers of complexity without ever feeling cluttered. The song's architecture is remarkable – each section flows naturally into the next, creating a sense of narrative progression that elevates it beyond mere technical exercise.

Closing track "Soso" provides a fitting denouement, its cyclical structure suggesting both ending and beginning. The song's hypnotic repetition creates a meditative quality that lingers long after the final note fades, leaving listeners in a state of contemplative satisfaction.

"T H E" established Tricot as more than just another entry in the math rock catalogue. It demonstrated that technical complexity and emotional accessibility need not be mutually exclusive, that precision and passion could coexist in perfect harmony. The album's influence can be heard in countless bands that followed, but few have managed to capture its unique balance of head and heart.

Nearly a decade later, "T H E" remains a high-water mark for both Tricot and the math rock genre as a whole. It's an album that rewards both casual listening and deep analysis, revealing new details with each encounter while never losing its immediate impact. In a genre often criticised for prioritising technique over feeling, Tricot proved that the most powerful mathematics are those that calculate the distance between isolation and connection, between complexity and clarity. "T H E" is their elegant proof.