It might be an exaggeration to say that Kaito is the band I've been waiting for -- but not much of an exaggeration. They earn exceedingly high marks simply for showing that experimentation can be fun.

The multi-layered recording explores non-conventional electric instrumentation -- soaring guitars, howling feedback, whacked-out back-up vocals and various other strange effects -- but without any dour posturing or over-intellectualizing. However, the thing that really sets Kaito apart from their peers is frontwoman Nikki Colk's incredible vocals. She's not a virtuoso by any stretch, but is an absolutely fascinating singer. At times she sounds almost child-like, crooning playful melodies with disarming silliness. It's a vocal style not often heard, and although Colk is British she sounds Japanese. Shonen Knife is a decent reference point, but they're too self-consciously cute; Colk is sassy and cool.

Montigola Underground showcases the band's consistently solid songwriting. "Sweet Allie" starts with a jaunty pop guitar riff and undeniably chipper vocals, but ends with sudden, disturbing waves of electronic thunder, while "Fresno Song" has a mellow acoustic guitar-and-strings sound and an introspective, cinematic feel. The highlights of highlights, however, is "Trailous"; the sliding guitar opening is reminiscent of The Breeders' "Cannonball", but the second guitar creates a wonderfully nasty fuzz that gives the song a pleasing layer of grit. The bridge is a discordant bass riff, and the chorus -- a raucous sonic party of "Oh! Oh! Oh!" -- is more fun than any music I've heard in a long time. There's another verse and then an extended bridge that teases the listener's waiting ears. After a climactic count -- "one, two, three, you know what you're looking for" -- the group unleashes an extended chorus that fulfills all the promise of the extended buildup. It's a classic tension/release structure that couldn't be better.

Kaito are neither the first nor the only band to combine experimentation and a hearty sense of play. Some of the stuff here could have been nicked from the old Crass Records catalog of the '70s -- back before the rules of punk were written, when an anything goes attitude prevailed. But Kaito's sound is too fresh for that to be a criticism. Indeed, the only thing that bugged me was the end of "Non Descript", when the band uses a Speak & Spell toy to spell K-a-i-t-o. Spelling as lyrics, especially when the band's name is involved, is a personal pet peeve, and Gen X retro-ism is another. Kaito did both, but I still love them. They must be something special indeed.