Holes in Modernity

Tokyo-based post-punk band Modern Jazz War (MJW) will release their debut EP "Holes in Modernity" via digital platforms on Wednesday, September 24.
The EP features seven tracks in total, including their debut single "Bleeding for Nothing," their second single "C2 (scared to name it me)," the brand-new track "Lost in Static," and several noise-based pieces. The record condenses both the raw urgency and experimental spirit of the band' s formative phase.
The title Holes in Modernity refers to "the holes torn into contemporary society," setting forth a critical stance toward fabricated notions of correctness and excessive harmony. Each track attempts to expose the beauty that lies within instability, rupture, and distortion.
All songs were recorded live in single takes without a click track. The EP opens with delicate ambient-like textures, escalates into the tension of "Lost in Static," reaches its cathartic climax with the anthemic "Bleeding for Nothing," then dissolves back into fragile noise looping seamlessly to the beginning. This cycle, filled with unease and volatility, defines the arc of the entire EP. Recording and mixing were handled by Kensei Ogata, with mastering by audio engineer Katie Lau (Japanese Breakfast, Blondshell). The jacket design, created by design studio SIUN, visually interprets the concept of "holes," echoing the central theme of the EP.
On the same day, MJW will also release an ambient EP titled "Habitual Emptiness Remains." Expanding on the band' s experimental side, it focuses on noise and reverberation, providing a deeper dimension to their world when experienced alongside the main EP.
To mark the release, a launch party will be held on September 24 at Shimokitazawa SPREAD. Guest acts include aryy, A Virgin, and Gretchen Grundler, with DJ sets from Natsuki Kato (Luby Sparks) and Kai Fujita (Deadbeat Painters). It promises to be a night where audiences can experience the full spectrum of MJW' s current vision, both in sound and in performance.