Japan's MAZE debut 12" gives a dewey feeling. It's Rainy post punk nice for a walk or a drive on a bleak sunned day. It's real hands in pocket music, like that mellow Big in Japan material. But also sounds like Altered Images. An upper and a downer at the same time. aMAZEing.

Our take: Debut 12” from this Japanese band. While most Lumpy releases have me breaking out adjectives like “raging,” “raw,” and “weird,” Maze pushes me to reach for words like “haunting,” “evocative,” and “twee.” Is Lumpy growing up? Well, not really… Maze is still primitive and punk-y, but in an early Rough Trade Records kind of way. While the whole record is upbeat and snappy, there’s a woozy, dreamy quality that seems very English (even though the band is Japanese). Whether it’s the early Mekons-esque pop tune “Eight Channels,” the punkier “You Can’t Win,” or the early Joy Division / Warsaw-esque closer “The Cobwebs,” Maze always sounds like they’re not in a hurry to get anywhere. It’s a vibe I don’t hear much from contemporary punk-influenced music, but it’s just as just as interesting and addictive as the bands I mentioned above.