Shine out Musique is the debut EP from the expressionistic Japanese rock band Compact Club. It was released in 2015 and was followed two years later by an LP titled Temporary Coffin. By the time the band had gotten around to their first full length though, they had embraced a soulful, mature, and lounge-funk informed sound. Shine out Musique in comparison, is more of a punk record. The guitar work on this album is very frenetic and angular, reminiscent of US no-wave acts like DNA, but much more assertive and deliberate in their nimble, darting delivery. Despite sounding rather alien at times, Compact Club's songs have many identifiable rock elements, such as a driving, 4/4 beat, and jittery, surging melodies with catchy choruses that seem to rely on the convention of post-punk as much as they do the cool glide of surf music. In particular, "Dear cette scène glat glat?" has a sandy beachfront and mid-century modern appeal, which could cause the song to be confused for a foreign language cover of the B-52s. The title track is a little more representative of the band's overall style though, introducing more obtuse, spacey guitar tones, along with dissonant sax accompaniments, and atonal vocal performances- all of which could have been lifted from free jazz sessions. A fact that reveals the experimental zeal at the band's core. Shine out Musique strikes a delicious balance between both mirth and intrigue, and accommodation and the avant-garde. A balance that speaks to a band with an acute sense of vision and an active feeling of promise. Regardless of what else Compact Club will, or have already released, Shine out Musique stands as a single-handed testament to their talent.
