At multiple points during “Sweet Impact,” Sawa Angstrom appear close to losing control of the song. If this winter’s “Tape Loop” offered a soft landing into the group’s electronic sound, this number (and everything off of the wonderful Of Food EP, released this week) reveals a more jagged and near-collapse take on their sound. “Sweet Impact” bounces along, leaving space for some catchy singing but also making sure the synthesizer-generated edges leave a little room for wooziness. Late in the song, everything seems close to collapse, as the vocals start tripping over themselves and everything seems close to breaking apart. Yet Sawa Angstrom hold it together, and even make that chaos come together into a slightly glitchy pop experience. Listen above.
New Seiho: “I Lost Myself in His Car”
“I Feel Tired Everyday” nailed a certain feeling of exhaustion so well, and did so with surprising deftness. It’s “Star Guitar” as imagined by someone going through Millenial burnout, though even they can at least have glimpses back to the more fun times. “I Lost Myself in His Car” still does plenty on the mood front, but the latest from Seiho in a year that is shaping up into something special prioritizes form. Not long ago, Seiho was really getting abstract, peaking with 2016’s Collapse. Those songs featured plenty of twists and turns, with beats often sliced out entirely. “I Lost Myself in His Car” offers up something just as prone to new twists, but does so well maintaining a beat throughout. From quieter stretches to full-on release, this one doesn’t get too heady, making sure the body is always engaged. Listen above.
Rough Edges Towards A Pretty Center: Zohka’s “Consciousness” EP
All kinds of rough sounds come together to form something pretty on Tokyo producer Zohka’s Consciousness EP. Released earlier this month, Zohka starts the four-song offering a beat exercise bordered by a sinister energy, with electronics growling in the back. “Unlightened” teases some delicate malfunction at the start before switching into a rattling bass bop, offering the most jagged number here. Yet the last two numbers find more of a balance between the melodic and the rumbling. Get it here, or listen below.
Go Forward: Hello And Roll’s “Gunjyou”
Hello And Roll have been creating indie-pop for a few years now, dabbling in swift songs and ones unfolding at a slower speed with extra drama on top. “Gunjyou” follows the prior’s script, and that’s probably for the best as the trio work best when skipping ahead. This one works in all the emotional zigs and zags needed, and does so at a quick pace highlighted by the group’s harmonizing. Listen above.
New Smany: “Maboroshi”
For a while there, a lot of artists embraced hushed vocals set over slowly unfolding electronic backdrops. That musical foundation, though, seems to have become a little less prevalent in recent times. Smany reminds why it can be so affecting, though, on “Mabroroshi,” a song from her forthcoming full-length album To Lie Latent. Everything moves slowly here, from the muffled beat to the acoustic guitar plucking interrupted by electronic ripples. Smany’s own vocals appear just as unhurried, as she lets every syllable roll out in a way that their impact isn’t wasted. This slow build only makes the moment when the tension ramps up via some late song noise, introducing a little unease into an otherwise easy song to meld into. Listen above.