Shortcake Collage Tape sounds best when his music seems recorded straight to VHS. New song “✈Empire≈Beach☼” (sorry, no symbols from here on out) resembles the excellent “Polaroid Full Of Kisses” from earlier this year, as SCT filters the whole track through fuzz. It has a tropical vibe to it, “Empire Beach” sounding like it could double as a theme to a well-worn copy of a beach resort promo. The key moment, though, comes at the minute-forty mark, when a smooth-jazz sax slides in. It is a fantastic sound that I wish lasted a little longer. It sticks around to accompany what I presume to be an anime sample, but vanishes as the song warps to an end and a voice mentions Okinawa. Listen below.

Also worth checking out…at the very least for some laughs…is the month-old “Meet Me In Your Dreams.” It is a nice enough track, but the real reason it sticks out to me is that it’s just a Japanese ad from this year manipulated into this glitchy little creation. Specifically, SCT samples this really fucking annoying Gillette ad that played before every YouTube video I watched this summer starring Serina The Gillette Gel Genie. The fact SCT made her sound interesting is damn impressive.