mouse on the keys, Zazen Boys, sgt, Uchu Conbini, nuito, and PENs+ are some of the great Japanese math rock bands NMFT has brought to Canada over the years.  NMFT 13 continues the tradition…. only this time with a band from Taiwan. Elephant Gym is a three-piece band specializing in smooth, highly melodic math rock with a positive vibe and clean instrumentation.  Signed to Top Shelf Records, Elephant Gym kick off their very first world tour in Canada with NMFT 13.  Their music is mellow and soulful but occasionally thrilling and intense, especially in a live setting. Fans of toe, JYOCHO, and This Town Needs Guns should fall in love with Elephant Gym in a heartbeat if they haven’t already.    youtube vid Joining Elephant Gym are four bands from Japan. paranoid void is an all-female math rock band from Osaka.  They can drop it smooth, intricate and technical and then kick into beast mode for vicious, thunderous mayhem.  Beautiful, brainy and badass. If you’re feening for another band like tricot then paranoid void will provide your fix.      youtube vid otori is like no other band on the planet.  They have a truly unique style that blends no-wave, punk/HC, kraut rock and noise. otori’s first appearance in Canada was during NMFT 7 in 2015 highlighted by a legendary performance in Toronto at the now defunct Soybomb.    youtube vid UlulU is a female band with a garage-rock revival sound similar to The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys.  Soulful, melodic, bluesy and unpretentious with occasional bursts of power.  youtube vid And finally, the headliner:  MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS is the first band to make a third appearance on the NMFT tour.  MOTFD perform a blend of post-punk combining beautifully melancholic vocals with ferociously powerful instrumentation.  Having released their first new album in eight years this July, MOTFD are dying to perform the new songs for their Canadian fans and have them crowd-surf and mosh in a frenzy to their face-melting classics.     youtube vid