Tokyo’s RAINBOW BELTZ built a monolithic monument of ethereal visceralism in their shoegaze single, 246 –

‘Sonorous’ hardly scratches the surface of the full-frontal production in 246, the latest single from the Tokyo-based powerhouse RAINBOW BELTZ. The track arrives as a colossal surge of sound, pushing its momentum forward with a pulsating, oscillating energy that feels almost physical in its impact. The production asserts itself with monolithic force, creating an atmosphere that floods the senses while still allowing the song’s melodic core to shine through the haze.

Even the most impermeable walls of sound raised by shoegaze pioneers would struggle to match the intensity of 246. The release thrums with kaleidoscopically hazed momentum, allowing indie dream-pop harmonies to ascend above the intrinsically melodic tumult. Those harmonies glide across the arrangement with diaphonous elegance, hovering above the surging instrumentation while the rhythm section drives the track forward with relentless propulsion.

The way the sound resounds, the way the release becomes greater than the sum of its parts, and the way RAINBOW BELTZ establish their own viscerally ethereal sonic signature all contribute to a listening experience that exhibits a band with a cultivated approach to scale and texture. Their ability to turn dense arrangements into something almost surreally luminous is something not easily forgotten.

246 is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast