toe

toe is a Tokyo instrumental band whose music blends math rock's intricate, shifting time signatures with the warmth of post-rock and the clean, melodic guitar lines of midwest emo. Their sound is built on busy, jazz-trained drumming and interlocking guitars, with vocals appearing only occasionally. Formed in 2000, they have become one of the most influential names in Japanese instrumental rock, and their 2005 album The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety remains a touchstone for the genre. Their shows are tight and rhythm-driven, which suits fans who like to watch how the parts fit together.