There was a time, not all that long ago, that it felt like at least one new indie-pop gem surfaced out in Kansai on a weekly basis. I doubt the collective music fans of Osaka, Kyoto and beyond have moved on from their Sarah Records collections, but the pace certainly slowed down a little bit over the last year. New project Still Dreams serves up a great reminder that the indie-pop atmosphere stays strong. All of the familiar touchstones comes across — a mid-tempo jog, simple but effective guitar, some sweet-sounding vocals hiding melancholy — though Still Dreams push it in a dreamier direction than, say, Post Modern Team. Check the electronic flourishes, or the bass notes, or even the lyrics, which approach something more surreal than most (“I’ve got a spaceship in my garden”). Kansai stays on the indie-pop game. Listen above.
