First appeared on Never Enough Notes on August 7

Released on September 9 2010 on Upset The Rhythm

Gira Gira contains the kind of music that needs to be listened to after years of progressing through ‘relatively hard core music’ fan badges. For those who, like myself, only ever progressed to the hardcore music equivalent of the 25m swim badge this album could be difficult after repeated listening.

There is no denying the enormousness of this record, arranged like a soundtrack Dr Who makers would envy. Every instrument is played to within an inch of its life, with drums pounding prominently all the way through. As the monster awakens with opener ’50-50′ it builds to a ferocity which is futuristic and full of drama, providing a score to a scene where I imagine Drum Eyes stepping off their mighty space ship guns blazing and bullets flying everywhere in slow motion while they look menacingly on.

‘Future Police’ has keyboards that sound like a frightening Nintendo game, an intensity that continues throughout the rest of the album, which although it is only six tracks long does not leave you feeling short changed. Gira Gira is not just pure noise: there is melody, texture and some heavy beats giving a rich variety of sounds including a heavy metal edge on the track ‘Future Yakuza’.

The album is a far cry from the usual franticness of DJ Scotch Egg, the Japanese gabba music producer who heads up this collaborative side project along with members of bands including The Boredoms and Trencher. Gira Gira is straight up angry, psychedelic and slightly scary ear busting tracks, a thirty five minute assault on the senses. The intensity can be too much, but the question is: Can you handle it?

8/10