Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2011

Another act following up next weekend’s Fuji Rock with a gig in Tokyo is leftfield Swedish duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums, who impressed audiences last year in gigs with Deerhoof and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Singer Mariam Wallentin and drummer Andreas Werliin met studying improvisation at the University of Gothenburg, and their music joins pairings like The White Stripes in exploring the expressive potential of the stripped-down duo format. With Wallentin’s large-lunged operatic delivery and Werliin’s arty drumming and electronics, comparisons to Björk are inevitable—but W&P have a certain tribal energy that makes them unique. They are joined at the uber-hip Roppongi performance space by filmmaker/future music composer Matt Mehlan of New York-based Skeletons.

Superdeluxe, Aug 3. See concert listings (popular) for details.