Since I can’t just copy-paste the general gist of what I wrote last time, I’ll simply say that Himitsu No Merry-Go-Roung works as a kind of booster pack to early 2019 highlight Hoshizora Romantic. It adds the one element not really present on Mikazuki Bigwave’s breakthrough, which is guest vocals, helping transform familiar future funk backdrops into speedy and sweet pop that…well, look, I’ve written enough about how artists are starting to use “future funk” as a foundation rather than a meme, so I won’t bore you with more of that. But man, Somunia fits in wonderfully among the twinkles of the title track, and even when she breaks down into molecules midway through she adds a human warmth to the song. “Aquarium Night” leans more into the playroom pop vibe and slows everything down, but that only reveals another angle to this project, showing a more intimate side still capable of the skittering energy present in all those nostalgia-eyeing numbers. Combine this with the full-length and you have one of 2019’s more formidable offerings. Get it here, or listen below.