New The Moments: Short Trip EP

Man, has it been almost two years since Nagoya’s The Moments caught our attention with “Short Trip.” The Japanese indie-pop boom was just getting underway, and that was one of the first songs to earn dozens upon dozens of repeat listens, and even pop up on our monthly music mix (remember that thing). Now, a year and some months later, a polished version of that irresistible track appears on the group’s Short Trip EP. That song remains as catchy as ever, the guitars propelling forward in summer glory. The only real difference now is the vocals have been sharpened a bit, no longer muffed in static but coming through clearly. It improves the quality of the song even more.

The EP also included one other track, “Midnight Escape.” It’s a slower affair, but still charming. Oddly enough, though, the vocals do sound a bit more obscured here, The Moments not making “Midnight Escape” as clear as “Short Trip.” Maybe that’s because “Midnight Escape” is more of a burner, a slower number that changes a lot more in its brief play time. Listen below, or get the EP here.