Fujiya & Miyagi live at Wrongbar

photography: Brian Patterson

Fujiya & Miyagi’s sound is as unique as their name. We’re not exaggerating the situation here or getting creative with our descriptors, but you’re free to judge for yourself.

It took a long time for David Best and Stephen Lewis to find their sound but now that they have, they truly own it. Their thematically dark, electronic funk fusion accompanied with mere whisper sounds of rhythmic lyrical poetry is addictively catchy.

After adding bass player/keyboardist Matthew Hainsby and drummer Lee Adams to the lineup, Fujiya & Miyagi set upon a mission to make something different, something darker and deeper than their first three albums. The resulting LP, Ventriloquizzing, was released in January 2011 and was immediately well received by the critics. Following the album introduction with a mildly horrific trailer, the band went on a brief North American tour and last night brought their electro-funk to Toronto’s Wrongbar.

The first notes of Collarbone set the dance floor afire with people coming out of the woodwork brandishing unexpectedly tribal dance moves. Throughout the rest of the crowd of subtle swayers and violent headbangers, everyone seemed to find their own beat to move to.