Anyone who's been to Japan (or spent a decent amount of time on the internet) would have probably come across T-shirts with puzzling or badly translated English. Perusing CHAI's pastel-hued website gives you a similar experience except that everything actually makes sense -- "We Are New Exciting Onna (female) Band From Japan! NEO KAWAII ! COMPLEX IS ART!," its meta description announces. A click and a quick scroll down also give you an overview on the group's "NEO KAWAII" ethos, which essentially goes against any notions of the classic kawaii ("You don't need to have big eyes or have skinny legs to be KAWAII! There should be many more types of KAWAII, and everyone is KAWAII in her own way … Our insecurities make us who we are. The insecurities become art. KAWAII is a never-ending journey!").
Such an empowering statement is a springboard to PUNK, the band's second studio album following 2017's full-length debut, Pink. Here, identical twins Mana and Kana and their friends Yuna and Yuuki take their propensity for hyper pop and hurl it against the backdrop of, well, pretty much everything that falls in line with pop, rock and in between. The clearest example of what sticks is album opener Choose Go!, a pop-punk number fuelled by propulsive bassline and that unmistakable riot grrrl spirit.
Despite its 31-minute runtime, the rest of the record rides the same exuberant energy that doesn't seem to ever fizzle out. Tracks like Great Job and This Is Chai provide a glimpse into CHAI's multicolour, chaotic universe while the funky Fashionista tackles the oft-warped notion of beauty standards ("Someone's trend/ It's a shame! Someone's rules, it's a shame!") and indie pop-leaning I'm Me adorably drives home the message of self-love. "I don't know about the world but I know me/ I won't hide my weight," vocalist Mana sings before proceeding to list things like jelly beans, lollipop, chewing gum and proclaims: "Everything yummy foods!"
Even on the mid-tempo offerings such as Wintime, which captures the moment of togetherness just before the clock strikes 12 on a New Year's Eve, and Family Member, the foursome sing with overjoyed zest that's both inspiring and infectious.
Quotable lyrics: "I put butter on my steak … Pink butt is my charm" (I'm Me).
The verdict: Someone call 911, J-pop's gone rogue!
Listen to this: Choose Go, Fashionista, I'm Me, Wintime.
THE PLAYLIST
Peggy Gou / Starry Night
Apart from K-pop, South Korea has also blessed the world with two of the most dynamic DJ/producers to have emerged over the last few years -- Brooklyn-based Yaeji and Berlin-based Peggy Gou. After performing alongside the former at last year's Coachella, Gou kicks off this year with the launch of her very own label, Gadu Records, as well as releasing the two-track Moment EP. Lead single Starry Night reaffirms her love for house music with all the makings of a classic house track: rigorous hi-hats, lilting piano chords and a steady bassline. But where's the vocals? Well, Gou's got it covered by providing her own multilingual vocals -- an almighty combo of Korean verses and random words shouted in English.
Phum Viphurit / Hello Anxiety
Phum Viphurit has done pretty well for himself for a newcomer. Not only has his massively viral-slash-popular single Lover Boy racked up a cool 37 million views on YouTube, it's also received an official 88rising remix by Chinese hip-hop ensemble Higher Brothers.
Here, the Bangkok-based singer-songwriter keeps the momentum going with his latest, Hello, Anxiety, a funky ode to the disquiet we all experience. "Hello, Anxiety/ You've come to keep me company," Viphurit addresses his demon from the outset. "What if the world won't bend my way?/ What will it take to be happy?" he asks before eventually embracing the Thai mantra of mai pen rai ("Heaven knows we're lost/ But the Sun still shines, so we'll be fine").
MorMor / Outside
Operating as MorMor, Toronto musician Seth Nyquist makes tender, R&B-tinged indie-pop that just begs to be adored. After dropping Heaven's Only Wishful EP last year, he's back with another winsome cut, Outside, which could signal the arrival of a new EP. Introduced by light guitar strumming and murky beats, the song has a subtle melancholic vibe that's becoming more and more synonymous with MorMor. "Looking outside, I'm scared to die/ The sky won't hold light, it leaves me blind/ How can I find the Sun?" goes the hook that reflects Nyquist's feeling of isolation and alienation.
Grimes / Pretty Dark
If the demo of her 2015's REALiTi has taught us anything, it's never to trust anything with a "demo" label from Grimes. The same goes for her latest cut, Pretty Dark, which she's outright declared -- in all caps, no less -- as "not official Grimes music / not the album", but rather a teaser from an "AR musical" she's working on. Following a more pop-oriented route, the track finds Grimes fusing elements of bubblegum with her DIY/bedroom roots. "I wish I could be/ Your first love the way you were mine … I wish you were impaled/ And injured with love the way I am," she coos in her pixie-esque vocals. And, despite the disclaimer saying it's "majorly rough", this demo is as radio-ready as they come.
Fat White Family / Tastes Good With The Money
The second taste from Fat White Family's forthcoming LP, Serfs Up! comes in the form of Tastes Good With The Money, a follow-up to the equally brilliant Feet. In the true Fat White Family fashion, the track opens with grimy guitar riffs and chugging percussions. "On a mental climb it's used both my hands/ Try to figure my way home/ Through the Hollywood hills," frontman Lias Kaci Saoudi growls as he's later joined by his bandmates during the anthemic, albeit drunk-sounding chorus. If you know Whitest Boy On The Beach, this is more or less a sedated version of that.
