On 2014's Gamel, OOIOO expanded their lineup to include two metallophone players in order to faithfully incorporate the sounds of gamelan into their wide-ranging music. This time, the veteran Japanese experimental outfit returns to standard rock instrumentation -- guitar, drums, bass, and vocals -- and the results are anything but basic. On Nijimusi, YoshimiO and company sound so vibrant that it's hard to believe six years separate this album and Gamel. Their ability to immerse listeners in the moment is as potent as ever, and they throw their audience into the deep end right away with the title track's wild-eyed screams and drums. Soon enough, though, Nijimusi's mosaic-like suites reflect the other sides of OOIOO's music. On "Nijimu" alone, the band shifts from a spacy reverie to funky vamping to airy psychedelia; on "Tisou," they trace an arc from joyous, vaguely tropical call-and-response vocals to a slow, witchy coda. Just how powerful OOIOO can be when they slow down is reinforced by "Walk for '345' Minutes, While Saying 'Ah Yeah!' With a 'Mountain Book' in One Hand, Until a Shower of Light Pours Down." During that impressively named song's equally impressive 11-minute sweep -- which takes on a cosmic scope as it nears its end -- the band reprises songs from Feather Float and Gold and Green, both of which feature some of OOIOO's prettiest and most delicate moments. However, Nijimusi isn't just a celebration of the band's past glories. Many of the album's standout performances come from new drummer Mishina, who gets plenty of showcases for her range. Her rhythms roll, tumble, and seem to defy gravity on "Jibun." Later, on "Bulun," she gives extra power to YoshimiO's fiery blasts, then lays down a striding beat that supports the track's gorgeously raw harmonies. By the time OOIOO crowns the finale "Kawasemi Ah" with a triumphant trumpet, they remind listeners why they've had a reputation as a consistently exciting, engaging band for decades. No matter how many years go by between their albums, the adventures they embark on are irresistible. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi

1		Nijimusi
2		Nijimu
3		Jibun
4		Tisou
5		Asozan5
6		Bulun
7		walk for "345" minutes, while saying "Ah Yeah!" with a "Mountain Book" in one hand, until a shower of light pours down
8		kawasemi Ah

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