For the first time in five years, experimental psychedelic rock band Qujaku will release a new single, titled Ruiteggaakupanshi, and with this new release, the band will tour the UK. The tour will kick off at Fat Out Fest in Manchester and end in Preston, in between the band will perform as a support act for the MELT-BANANA show in London and also appear at Glastonbury Psychfest.
The new single will be released on a 12-inch single, which contains three tracks and follows up on their EP In Neutral, released in 2019. Qujaku’s music is described as aggressive but with a delicate melody, but also heavy with a steady rhythm reminiscent of Japanese underground legends like Keiji Haino and Les Rallizes Denudes.
The band was formed in 2013, then under the name The Piqnic. After releasing their debut album in 2015 and a European tour, they released a single a year later as Qujaku. Since then, they have toured Europe several times, in 2017, 2018 and 2019, in addition to releasing an EP and their first self-titled album. In the years that followed, Qujaku performed sporadically in Japan.
Vocalist Shuya Onuki ended up in Berlin and has a noise-industrial solo project under the name s/h/u/y/a, but is also active as a producer. Interesting to note is that he will be performing solo at Fat Out Fest in addition to performing as part of Qujaku. Guitarist Soushi Mizuno has been busy in a studio as a mastering engineer and has an interesting list of work he has worked on. Bassist Hiromi Oishi focused on her solo project and released her debut solo EP in 2020 in which she plays the piano. Just like s/h/u/y/a, she will also perform at Fat Out Fest, this will be the first time she performs in Europe with her solo project. Drummer Ryo Habuto has been quite active in recent years, including in the improvisational band Mizumi, which released an album in late 2023.
Qujaku UK Tour 2024 Dates
Friday 20 September, 2024: Fat Out Fest – Manchester, United Kingdom (Shuya solo)
Saturday 21 September, 2024: Fat Out Fest – Manchester, United Kingdom
Sunday 22 September, 2024: Fat Out Fest – Manchester, United Kingdom (Hiromi solo)
Tuesday 24 September, 2024: The Lanes – Bristol, United Kingdom
Wednesday 25 September, 2024: The Castle And Falcon – Birmingham, United Kingdom
Thursday 26 September, 2024: Saltbox – Nottingham, United Kingdom
Friday 27 September, 2024: Dingwalls – London, United Kingdom (supporting MELT-BANANA)
Saturday 28 September, 2024: The Prince Albert – Brighton, United Kingdom
Sunday 29 September, 2024: Glastonbury Psychfest – Glastonbury, United Kingdom
Monday 30 September, 2024: The Moon – Cardiff, United Kingdom
Tuesday 1st October, 2024: The Ferret – Preston, United Kingdom
