While ex-Ponytail guitar guru Dustin Wong and long-running J-popper Takako Minekawa have carved out their own respective niches with their solo work they have also made a name for themselves as a duo. Following 2013’s Toropical Circle the twosome have once again teamed up for Savage Imagination an album that continues their bright fluorescent pairing.
More than on their debut Savage Imagination contains balanced contributions from Wong and Minekawa. For the former these once again primarily come from his loop-obsessed guitar heroics while Minekawa adds a bed of cuddly electronics and her light wordless vocals. It’s a familiar formula for the duo but it all sounds more natural and seamless this time around.
Also marking a change is a wider array of instrumentation with the duo further employing some propulsive beat work as well as an array of more indigenous and worldly sounds.
On the downside the album may still get a bit too quirky for its own good and Wong’s guitar work has a way of veering off more in the “wacky” direction rather than the “hypnotic.” Still there are some sonically interesting moments with Savage Imagination proving Wong and Minekawa’s collaboration was worth a second visit.
