Spaceland Presents: At the Echo October 6th, 2006

Asobi Seksu (colloquial Japanese for ''playful sex'') have always been masters at creating musical textures; gauzy, cloudy dreamscapes for their slower songs and squalls of guitar and daisy-chained effect pedals for their barnstormers. What truly distinguishes the band now, though, is that they have now married this ability to a finely honed pop sensibility. The songs here aren't just ''pretty,'' they're melodically rich and incredibly catchy. As this captivating live show attests, Asobi Seksu have outgrown the comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Lush, and have finally realized their potential.