On their fourth album Makkuro, Tricot subtly evolve their playful math-rock sound into a more densely layered experience. The pop sensibilities are still there but the album takes a heavier tone than previous works and slows down the intricate riffing into something more rock-oriented. A little less mathy than what fans might expect, Makkuro nonetheless retains the stylistic flair that Tricot is known for through the cascading melodies. Much of this album depends on reinventing the tiny details within their signature sound: giving the drums more emphasis, switching tempo or energy more often, and filling in the basslines with far more depth. For the most part, Makkuro manages to succeed as it’s easily their most accessible work to date and the formulaic approach retains the best aspects of the Tricot sound.

But it begs the question: where do Tricot go from here? With the fourth album now complete, their standard formula has started to reach the end of its innovation. Whereas previous albums felt like they were continually testing and pushing boundaries in how to meld mathy rhythms with infectious pop hooks, Makkuro feels like them cruising in a comfort zone. For newcomers to the band, it’s certainly a perfect introduction to their tight riffing and sheer consistency. But for Tricot fans, they’ll start to notice how songs are beginning to blend together and there are far fewer standout songs than on AND or THE. The technical aspect of Makkuro feels as polished as ever with a slicker major-label sheen laid over it but it only treads familiar ground throughout its 42-minute runtime and never seems to venture beyond that.

The subtle changes to their sound bring some moments of brilliance like on “危なくなく無い街へ”, a gorgeous moment of respite that replaces the intricate guitar work for an emotional ballad that places vocalist Ikkyu front and center. With the instrumentation taking a backseat to the vocals for the first time, it’s a nice showcase of their potential flexibility in their sound design. The denser songs like “あふれる” are also executed gracefully with the new subdued approach with pounding drum fills and a groovy bassline that feels simpler than previous work but retains the addictive melodies they’ve become associated with over the years. Consistent as the songs are, however, it’s hard not to notice how safe Tricot wants to play their sound design given that many of these songs almost feel like B-sides from previous albums that never made the cut. Seeing as how exceptional their previous albums were, it’s no surprise they wanted to emulate their best work but at the same time, I can’t help but feel like I’ve already heard these ideas plenty of times from Tricot. In the end, Makkuro is a solid addition to the Tricot discography that neither takes a step forward nor a step back. For fans looking to hear more of the sound that the band has perfected over the years, Makkuro condenses what they do best into an airtight package. But for longtime fans that want to see their continued evolution in sound, Makkuro feels a little like complacency.

Must Listens: 危なくなく無い街へ , 真っ黒, あふれる

76/100