SEOI NAGE – NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER

Playing it cool like it’s 1974! But what’s oozing out of those bass-heavy speakers actually comes from the year 2025 and goes by the name Seoi Nage, who are now making their debuta hybrid of 1970s funk and film scores somewhere between Eastern cinema and Italian giallo. Detective music, but beyond noirdrenched in vibrant colors, packed with car chases, hedonism, and the occasional brawl. The name Seoi Nage, a classic judo throw, was a natural choice given the band members’ shared background in martial arts. The four musicians first crossed paths in Münster a few years ago: Jakob Hersch (Taishogoto), Anton Zimmermann (drums), Pascal Schaumburg (electric guitar & synthesizer), and Pogo McCartney (bass guitar, electric guitar, percussion, synthesizer & piano). Initially a studio project, Seoi Nage occasionally took the stage in recent years, accompanied by film projections from Simon Büchting, who visually captured their retro-esque sound. Following an initial EP, the project kept growingand now, finally: an album! No Retreat, No Surrender. The title promises action! Across eleven tracks, Seoi Nage sound like a lost movie quoteperhaps even better executed than the original. Their music tells stories without words, serving up a sonic crime thriller, sometimes sleazy, always playful, embodying the mischievous spirit of a bygone decade. It’s martial arts turned into sound, a meticulous aesthetic discipline, where four musicians have found perfect harmony. Multi-instrumentalist Pogo McCartney, who also produced the album in his Münster-based studio, and drumming prodigy Anton Zimmermann create an unshakable groove. On this rhythmic foundation, Pascal SchaumburgMcCartney’s longtime bandmate from Messerunfolds his meandering guitar ideas, while Jakob Hersch (Der Ringer, Monako, wohinn) adds pointed melodic peaks on the Taishogoto, an unconventional instrument that gives the songs their distinctive catchiness. If the kind of dazzling cinema this album recalls still existed, this quartet would be the dream team for its soundtrack! Their sound is infused with film samples from half a century ago, reflecting a youthful pop sensibility akin to the legendary hip-hop and sample pioneer MF Doom, who passed away in 2020. This approach isn’t just about borrowingit’s a tribute, an enthusiastic and reverent continuation of the past. Seoi Nage dive deep into sonic realms, crafting daring musical architecture, summoning imagined ghostsnot for mere escapism, but to spark the listener’s own imagination. If there were a dedicated record store section for a sound like this, it would be labeled “Fan Art Music.” The album was mixed by Pogo McCartney, mastered by Alexander von Hörsten, and visually brought to life by Benny Demmer’s cinematic artwork. And now – keep watching. With your ears. FFO: Yin Yin, Khruangbin, GOAT, Altn Gün