Review: Asunojokei – Think of You
“Think of You” is shimmering, restless, a record that balances light and shadow with taut emotion. It literally brittles with energy. Asunojokei lean into cold clarity more than swirling haze, producing an album that feels reflective rather than overwhelming. There is warmth beneath the distortion, a sense that melody can carry weight, that hooks can sing through noise. This isn’t just blackgaze; it’s blackgaze with heart, aimed at connection as much as catharsis.
From the opening riffs onward, the album impresses. The band know how to begin, as every song grabs you early, with lead lines or rhythms that arrest attention. They carry that energy forward rather than letting it dissipate. “Stella” or “Zeppelin” integrate pop sensibility refracted through distortion. The clean vocals are clearer, more confident; the harsh vocals still land hard, even when they push the boundaries of restraint. The instrumentation is thoughtful: fretless bass adds depth in places, the guitars and drums dance in space, allowing melody room within the storm. Even the quieter moments don’t overstay their welcome, and the transitions back into heavier sections tend to feel intentional, not abrupt.
Yet the album isn’t perfect. Some of the harsher vocal passages feel a little exposed or misaligned with the surrounding texture, in moments where restraint might have served better than intensity. Many songs follow a trajectory of clean to build to heaviness, which occasionally makes contrast predictable. The runtime is manageable, but trimming or reworking a few passages might have tightened the emotional pacing.
Despite these flaws, “Think of You” succeeds when it leans into its strengths. The band has grown bolder in drawing melody into heavy spaces; the emotional clarity is stronger than ever. The album is fun, not lightweight, but enjoyable in its dynamics, its hooks, its breathing moments. It never feels overindulgent. And it stays with you: riffs, vocal lines, tonal shifts lingering long after playback ends.
In short, “Think of You” marks an exciting step for Asunojokei. It doesn’t redefine their sound, but it refines it, making intention more palpable, emotion more textured, and jumps between extremes more meaningful. For listeners who want heaviness with heart, clarity with noise, this offers a compelling journey through light and dark.