We really don’t deserve bands like Black Cab. Be it Call Signs‘ post-punk interpretation of East Germany or the droning gaze of Games of the XXI Olympiad, they’re tireless when it comes to crafting authentic theatrical atmosphere.
Inspired by classic Japanese sci-fi anime movies, Akira will become their flagship example – a work of genuine passion and integrity. Like the media, Black Cab has meticulously extracted inspiration from classics like Akira, Ghost In the Shell and Neon Genesis Evangelion – it means something much more below the surface. Japan’s cultural relationship with technology – the duality of its rich history and culture, forever colliding with emerging new worlds beyond comprehension – is a unique creative beast to witness, and Black Cab have moulded a poignant and respectful observation that perfectly embodies those works.
An ominous atmosphere of dark purity penetrates Akira. It’s a classic anime hyperdrama framed by gentle whispers and a hypnotic, vibrating electronic ambience. If you’re an anime fan, you’ll instantly recognise those repetitive, rolling, turn-of-the-century synth ripples echoing seamlessly against the traditional militant thud of taiko drums. You’ll feel its foreboding patter reverberate in your bones. The sweeping range of the narrative is all here – the pangs of adrenaline, the journey, the danger, the light – crafted within an agonisingly nostalgia-soaked realm of warped tape and future dreaming.
Daring and bold, Akira not only perfectly represents its inspirational namesake on a technical level, but it transports you to your own original adventure, continuing the distinct imagination and heart that have inspired so many. Truly reinvigorating.
