What do you associate with ‘the void’? Weightlessness, breathlessness, nothingness?

Well you might just have an experience as powerful as all three of these if you are ever lucky enough to catch the three piece, all-girl, math rock group from Osaka, Japan- ‘Paranoid Void.’ The three took aim at Fuji Rock’s ‘ROOKIE A GO-GO’ stage last night from 2 – 2:30 am, and positively set it afloat.

With the popularity of vocal driven pop music often satiating the masses in America and Japan, it’s refreshing to see a largely instrumental group making waves. In many ways I would argue that the depth of expression and diversity of sound can actually be quite a bit deeper when freed from the confines of vocals. And deep they most certainly go; the group really is a triple threat- musicality, originality and aesthetics.

First lets talk about the musicality of the group, each member has an extensive skill set in their own right and their cohesive sound was on full feature last night. Mipow, the drummer of the group, has a nice hard-edged energy keeping the drums cracking and tight. The percussive rhythms never feel rushed or crowded and instead provide just the right amount of framework for the guitars to work within. And goto to work they most certainly do, YU-KI the bass player is quite simply on another level. Slap bass or finger picked, she flips between styles, keys and rhythms like it’s her morning coffee. She devours solos, consumes complicated scales and progressions, and eats up difficult sequences like an after-dinner tea. On top of that incredibly solid combination of bass and drums is definitely the cherry on top, Meguri on guitar. She flips effortlessly between long reverb-soaked sequences and shredding Nirvana-inspired grunge solos. The energy, grit and saturation of the guitar lines are everything good we like in the instrument and are the perfect accompaniment to the drums and bass.

But just being a ridiculously talented musical trio isn’t all the group has to offer, they’ve also got a very original approach and aesthetic. Often drums and bass are meant to be backing the guitars of the group which do most of the talking in an instrumental outfit, but ‘Paranoid Void’ does things a little differently. Flipping easily between bass as the main voice or electric guitar taking the lead, it’s really impressive just how much sound and variety the three piece can muster.

If you’re a fan of Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, tastily overdriven distorted guitars, or experimental forward thinking sounds, then Paranoid Void should most definitely be on your radar!