Asobi Seksu

The Profile

Asobi Seksu were a New York City shoegaze/dream pop band led by vocalist/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate and guitarist/vocalist James Hanna. Known for shimmering guitars and bilingual vocals, they released four studio albums between 2004 and 2011 and went on hiatus in 2013.

New York City shoegaze/dream pop group active 2001–2013; core members Yuki Chikudate and James Hanna. The name is Japanese and roughly means “play sex.” Albums include Asobi Seksu (2004), Citrus (2006), Hush (2009), Fluorescence (2011), and the acoustic Rewolf (2009).

Four DeBaser reviews chart Asobi Seksu’s rise from the noisier self-titled debut to the dreamy poise of Hush and the layered glow of Fluorescence, with Citrus as a key breakthrough. Reviewers praise Yuki Chikudate’s crystalline voice, the band’s shoegaze/dream pop blend, and evolving production. Overall tone is warmly positive and often lyrical.