Inspired by the work of My Bloody Valentine, Michael Lückner‘s Guitar project was intended to further that group‘s ideas through manipulated guitar samples. On Tokyo, the third Guitar record (and first with vocalist Ayako Akashiba), the duo introduces an identity separate from their influences. The spirit of MBV is still evident on tracks like “Wash Me Away,” but the record also spans lush pop (“Sunday Afternoon At Tamagawa River”) and playful hip-hop (“Akiko”). Far from derivative, Tokyo is a carefully executed record that should not be missed.