ALBUM REVIEW: Ikigai – Girih
Ikigai refers to the Japanese philosophy of finding purpose and fulfilment; fitting, then, for New Hampshire-based instrumental post metallers GIRIH to choose it as the title of their second album and their return in a pandemic-ravaged world that put a stop to live music and many of the arts. The lack of vocalist gives almost unrivalled freedom to explore every other instrument, but it also lays a trap of robbing music of a typical focal point. GIRIH’s 2018 debut Eigengrau showed a band unafraid to push into that typically vocal space and utilise loops and guitar melodies as focuses, and with Ikigai they once more set forth to do the same while expanding on their sonic and textural palette.
The Mirror is just that; a reflective, almost plaintive, simple guitar melody opens before a barrage of drums heralds the arrival of the other two members of the band. Despite not getting truly started til near the halfway point, the RUSSIAN CIRCLES-esque chug pattern rapidly ensnares the ears and the crunching, almost beatdown toward the song’s end leaves them battered ahead of The Frame. The band opt again for a soft open, this time with somewhat tribal drumming before winding, looping melodies. It’s a strong start but there’s a constant, nagging feeling of familiarity that’s starting to creep in.
None of that is the songs’ fault, particularly; rather that with instrumental post-rock or metal, there’s a somewhat shallower pool of influences to draw on from those that have stamped their own identity on the genre. The first and most obvious comparison is that of CASPIAN, but there are also shades of MONO and yes, in their heavier moments, RUSSIAN CIRCLES. The emotional swell is very much reminiscent of CASPIAN in its gradual build, while the grandeur owes more than a little to the aforementioned Japanese post-rock titans. The Door, for instance (and they are all titled “The X”, a somewhat minor niggle), has morose guitar and fitful drumming, while The Key explores far calmer soundscapes despite a somewhat urgent pace, gradually crescendoing to a burst of statuesque grandeur.
That title once more comes into play when considering Ikigai as a whole; it’s clearly the result of a long refinement process, one in which the three members have come together and shared their trials, tribulations and dreams for the band to create something that feels like it’s striving to be somewhere. The where isn’t necessarily important; the journey is the far more important part, and GIRIH exemplify that on Ikigai. While a lot of the ground has indeed been trodden already, you’d be hard pressed to not find the minimalism of The Hand compelling as it offers a striking counterpoint to other songs like the urgency of The Ring’s grungy bass and COLDBONES–inspired driving rhythms.
Ikigai doesn’t ever truly find the meaning or purpose it seeks; what it does, though, is far more important. It takes the listener on a journey through calm and storm, through introspective minimalism into violent struggle against a lack of fulfilment or purpose. Simply put, as all good instrumental music is, it’s something that’s very much its own journey that allows listeners to ascribe their own meaning to it. You’ve likely heard this done before by others, but that doesn’t make it any less worth the time.
Rating: 7/10
Ikigai is set for release on October 14th via Dunk!records/A Thousand Arms Music.
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