The Chillout Thread

Fishmans - "Uchu Nippon Setagaya" (1997)

The seventh full-length from this Tokyo outfit & a bloody good listen it is too. It's often referred to as dream pop, ambient pop & neo-psychedelia but the reality is that the downtempo tag is all that's required here with the relaxed, soothing atmospheres presented having a noticeably calming effect on even the most battle-hardened extreme metalhead. Perhaps I'm a little more open to this sort of stuff than most but the lushness of some of these soundscapes can't be achieved without a deep understanding of the craft. "Uchu Nippon Setagaya" is classy release that's deserving of the hype around it.

For fans of Slowdive, Spiritualized & Stereolab.

4/5