Toe | Artist

Toe is a Japanese post-rock band formed 2000 in Tokyo by Kashikura Takashi (drums), Mino Takaaki (guitar), Yamane Satoshi (guitar), and Yamazaki Hirokazu (bass). An instrumental-only group, Toe are known for their intricate melodies, complex rhythms, and emotive performances, and have gained international recognition for their unique blend of post-rock, math rock, and ambient music. The band began when the members met in high school and discovered their shared passion for experimental and instrumental music. Influenced by jazz, post-hardcore, and electronic music, toe set out to create a sound that was both technically impressive and emotionally stirring. The vast majority of the band's music is instrumental, featuring a very dynamic drumming from Takashi blended with melodic, clean guitars. The band's sound has evolved over time by incorporating acoustic guitars, Rhodes piano, and vibraphones. Their early years were marked by numerous live performances in the vibrant Tokyo music scene, where they quickly gained a dedicated following. In 2003, toe released their debut EP Songs, Ideas We Forgot, which showcased their ability to seamlessly blend complex guitar riffs with delicate, introspective passages. The EP received critical acclaim and set the stage for the band's future success. To-date, toe has released three full-length albums, a live album, and several EPs and Singles. They also contributed to the excellent Sonny Boy TV Soundtrack album from 2021. Standout Toe releases include their albums; The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety (2005), For Long Tomorrow (2009), and Hear You (2015), plus the live album doku-en-kai (2021), and the EP New Sentimentality (2006). Each album has demonstrated the band's growth and evolution, cementing their reputation as innovators in the math-rock music scene. In reviewing their debut album, one critic described it as "The quintessential mid-west emo album. An acoustic masterpiece that is carried by the rhythmic and plentiful drumming. The progressions and switching of the chords sound like a playful dance in which the spotlight is passed between the melodies". Toe's energy and technical prowess have served to make them a dynamic live performance unit, who have developed a dedicated global fan base.

Artist Website: toe.st

Featured Albums: Toe

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