Fujiya & Miyagi

Brighton, United Kingdom

Fujiya & Miyagi are not only the names of two Karate Kid characters: they are four Brighton-based musicians obsessed with krautrock and indie pop. Their mix earned them space in prominent music publications such as NME and Pitchfork.

The album Ventriloquizzing (Full Time Hobby/Pias, 2011) was produced by Thom Monahan, who had worked with Pernice Brothers and Devendra Banhart. “We like a lot of the groups Thom has produced, and besides his involvement with acoustic acts, he has a real love of electronic music too. And he likes Sly & the Family Stone…” says singer and guitarist David Best. As Monahan is based in the States, the album was written in Brighton and recorded in sunny California.

The atmosphere is notably darker than before, the mood forceful, aggressive and confrontational, while keeping the taut, minimalistic funk that has become their calling card. “It’s quite an accusatory record,” says David. “I think there’s an underlying anger, or perhaps just annoyance, at institutions and people in general, and probably ourselves too.” Topics include over-medication, eco-hypocrisy and the myth of Chanctonbury Ring, where it is said that if you run round a clump of trees backwards seven times the devil will appear and offer you soup. The song is called Minestrone.