Kobayashi are a band whose music always sounds on the verge of something spectacular, though with THE BIPOLARITY EP, the band never quite reach the highs that you'd hope.

Opener BIPOLARITY mixes the post rock majesty of Sigur Ros with the whining emo strains of a band like Panic! At The Disco, all that glistening and glimmering beatific guitar work gatecrashed by weak sounding vocals that diminish the songs potential. Its a similar story with LAST TRANSMISSION, this time the electro ringed rock anthemics counter pointed by underdeveloped vocals that fall somewhere between Danny McNamara and a pre pubescent Geddy Lee.

With THEY TRIED, things show a slight improvement, the quieter portions of the song managing to match the vocals and music to better effect, though the explosive hard rock chorus makes for the odd cringe worthy moment.

Whilst standing on the verge of something more impressive, Kobayashi struggle to make for a totally convincing or cohesive experience here. THE BIPOLARITY EP shows enough glimmers of hope though, that you'd expect Kobayashi to iron out the wrinkles and emerge with something truly special in the future.

Kobayashi make synth-driven alternative rock that defies categorisation.

Think QOTSA meeting Erasure in a sleazy jazz bar and you're on totally the wrong track.

Imagine a heavier Athlete, a funkier Beta Band and you're still nowhere near it.

Picture Emerson Lake & Palmer doing the running-man and you're still a mile wide from the sound.

Kobayashi take their cues from all these bands and more, influenced by every genre going but led mostly by the strange sounds in their heads.

Kobayashi>http://www.kobayashirock.com/