Math Rock is for More than Anime Openings
Most popular songs follow a standard 4/4 time signature, a simple beat that anyone can learn and follow. However, since the mid-90s and more so into the 21st century, artists have been experimenting with time signatures and the combination of multiple different tempos at once. This is how Math Rock got not only its sound, but its name. With the introduction of varying time signatures, artists needed to think about the timing of songs, and how to fit these tempo and signature changes together with smooth transitions-- which requires actual math. Closely connected to progressive rock with influences from genres such as post hardcore and noise rock, math rock experiments and combines song structure, use of odd time signatures, and influence from a diverse range of genres. Things specifically like improvisation and the desire to create original and intelligent music comes from jazz and art music.
While the first bands to identify as ‘math rock’ came out of the hardcore movement in the early 1990’s, the use of math rock can be seen much earlier in the late 70s with punk bands like Black Flag, Minutemen, and Nomeansno, incorporating progressive sounds into their music. On the flipside of the coin, no-wave punk was evolving and artists began to use abrasive noises and odd time structures.
It was Slint and their album “Spiderland” (1991), along with many others, that claimed the official genre of math rock. However, American Football truly issued in the era of math rock we know and love today.
Beyond the time changes and odd structures, math rock itself is actually quite calming music. A primarily instrumental genre, the use of various sound effects and overlapping melodies give the chaotic noise a unique structure that changes on every listen, letting you focus on something that is musically unique each time. With the use of different instruments, including orchestral and brass, American math rock has made a name for itself for being upbeat and complex. On the other side of the world, Japanese math rock is known for its melancholic sound and influential history. Japan has been on the math rock train since the beginning with bands such as Toe and Ruins shaping the modern sound of the genre with songs that can frequently be heard in anime openings.
Japan’s love for math rock comes up in the popular anime, “Given,” which follows a group of high school and college boys as they learn both to make music together and what it means to be there for someone. The show does a good job of showing both sides of Japanese math rock culture, from the dramatic instrumentals to the heartfelt lyrics and emotional time shifts. While the show is focused around the boys and their band, the musical aspect of the show is also highlighted heavily. Many of the performance scenes are full-length as well as full production, and it is here that people are able to understand the extent and influence of math rock.
It is definitely not something you’d hear on popular radio, but math rock still exists and is here to stay. It is a very expansive genre with lots of variations between bands and songs, making it easy to get confused. The biggest names in Math Rock come from the US and Japan, although British math rock is on the upswing. Bands like TTNG and Legends of Et cetera are much more bubbly than American Football and Soha, which are very experimental and might be a bit much for first time listeners. Toe and This Will Destroy You are influential honorable mentions when dipping your toe into the genre.
Overall, math rock is a huge genre with very loose rules and restrictions. It emphasizes trying new things with recordings and furthering the progression of post hardcore, emo and noise music. Despite it being introduced to me through anime, I know I will definitely be listening to much more math rock in my life, whether it be for a Main Character walk “through cherry blossoms” or an intense study session; math rock is truly there for every occasion.
