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Taiga
by
Taiga Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

  • Summary: The all-female Japanese experimental rock outfit led by The Boredoms' Yoshimi P-We returns with a fifth album.

Top Track

Taiga
Do you wish you could go back to it all? Do you wish you could go back to it all? And I would never miss the moment of it all Do you wish you could... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. AllMusic
    90
    Their inspired, eclectic mix of sounds and textures is always playful, but Taiga's powerful playing and sophisticated arrangements make it OOIOO's most mature album yet.
  2. PopMatters
    90
    I’m not saying this is the easiest music to deal with; those with more vanilla tastes will not want to come anywhere near this. But for avant-garde multi-genre music from Japan, it’s awfully cuddly and adorable.
  3. cokemachineglow
    86
    All of its tracks are kila kila killer.
  4. Stylus Magazine
    75
    The language barrier and discord makes the record incomprehensible, but nearly everything is still as intoxicating and entertaining as hell.
  5. Dusted Magazine
    70
    Mostly Taiga is about sensation, playful and wild and smart but moving way too fast for contemplation.
  6. Lost At Sea
    70
    Taiga is a surprisingly approachable album.
  7. Pitchfork
    48
    Taiga is OOIOO's broadest, busiest, and furthest reaching album to date. Strangely, those same characteristics ruin it.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. LeoF
    Nov 18, 2006
    10
    Taiga means big river in japanese and forest in russian, and this is kinda how this album sounds like: raw, organic, powerful. OOIOO's Taiga means big river in japanese and forest in russian, and this is kinda how this album sounds like: raw, organic, powerful. OOIOO's best album yet and one of the best releases of 2006.… Expand
  2. ToddW
    Oct 10, 2006
    8
    It's great to hear a member of the Boredoms flexing her creative muscles, considering that band has been essentially stagnant since It's great to hear a member of the Boredoms flexing her creative muscles, considering that band has been essentially stagnant since dropping the ultimate tribal brainmelt that is Vision Creation Newsun. While Taiga is nowhere near as jaw-dropping, it's a whole different beast. Without Eye on board to flail in the foreground, Yoshimi's prowess for all things percussion takes center stage. With songs firmly indebted to free jazz and even prog, you get an album that routinely captivates, but tends to meander more than the recent releases by its maximalist brethren. And, as usual, the cover artwork should preclude any true music fan from downloading or burning the album.… Expand
  4. hydrawithears
    Nov 7, 2011
    8
    The title of this album might suggest some cold ambient territory but you could not get more wrong. Think of Hokkaido in winter and four crazyThe title of this album might suggest some cold ambient territory but you could not get more wrong. Think of Hokkaido in winter and four crazy Japanese girls dancing and chanting on the frozen lakeside. Fronted by Yoshimi P-We, OOIOO move on a thin ice of psychedelia, experimental and tribal. All tracks have strange acronym titles, impenetrable to decipher. The brilliant opener UMA would be a primordial hymn from ancient times if it did not end with a power drill sound (more oddly, it is still awesome). UJA is the witch doctorâ… Expand
  5. matta
    Nov 22, 2006
    7
    Definitely not for all tastes, but there is something incredibly hypnotic and strangely beautiful about this album. In my opinion, this is Definitely not for all tastes, but there is something incredibly hypnotic and strangely beautiful about this album. In my opinion, this is better than any boredom's album I've heard and even slightly better than the only other OOIOO album I've heard, Gold And Green. If you're feeling adventurous and want something completely different, look no further than this album.… Expand
  6. royf
    Nov 8, 2006
    1
    This is simply put, an annoying record. Images of bare white, bead clad feet kicking up suburban dust while organic apple juiced is served at This is simply put, an annoying record. Images of bare white, bead clad feet kicking up suburban dust while organic apple juiced is served at just the right temperature abound. No one will think any less of you for binning this and admitting that you never actually liked it anyway. This is an irking (spiritual lacing together of genres, my bum) din.… Expand