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New Haruno: “Broadcast” And “Terminal Center”

Haruno steps towards the spotlight on these pair of recent releases. The artist has previously used Vocaloid singing as a base while in recent months has switched up to more beat-oriented instrumental chill outs. But now Haruno is making their vocals (presumably) go to the center on numbers that opt for mid-tempo pop. “Broadcast” came out last week, and offers something approaching slink from Haruno. Over a beat and some synth squiggles, Haruno delivers an English-language verse darted with regret that gets obscured by the generally bouncy music around it. Listen above.

“Terminal Center” unfolds at an even slower pace, Haruno going for lazy-day R&B allowing plenty of space for their voice to take off…although they ultimately choose to keep it a bit on the muted and fuzzy side, accenting it with piano melodies and a few well-timed anime samples. It’s as easygoing as a 2 p.m. riverside stroll, but also comes a little too close to replicating the inert instrumentals serving as their weakest work to date. “Terminal Center” is background, while “Broadcast” shows a way to move forward towards something interesting. Listen to “Terminal Center” below.

Terminally Chill: Wai Wai Music Resort’s WWMR1

Japanese indie creators ongoing interest with throwback styles and genres associated with the Bubble era might have reached a logical end with Wai Wai Music Resort’s first collection of songs. Released via Local Visions, WWMR1 embraces the most chilled-out elements of retro music culture, creating something breezy but with an emotional aching still present (to be a little more contemporary, this one should be slotted next to On Vacation, albeit it relies a bit more on vocals). Travel plays a big part in establishing Wai Wai Music Resort’s vibe — an airplane announcement starts the album before it pivots into slow-motion umbrella-drink pop, while highlight “For Lonely Drivers” taps into one of the best city pop gimmicks ever (creating a fake radio station to thematically broadcast your songs) to create a warm number aimed at late-night trips by someone alone in their car. Verses and choruses pop up, but they never rise above a breeze, settling in nicely alongside the relaxed Club Med-worthy sounds (save for the funky “For Lonely Drivers (Sunset Drive Mix),” which feels like a lively bonus cut more than anything else). But in all that relaxation, a lot of time is spent hitting on feelings that sometimes don’t come up in busier music. Get it here, or listen below.

New Puni Puni Denki: “Life Is Super Dope”

Every few months, an internet-centric electronic artist in Japan releases a song that makes me stop and go “….wait, is this like a return to Shibuya-kei mindsets?” It’s a feeling YUC’e conjures up frequently, and Puni Puni Denki’s new song “Life Is Super Dope” goes even further by pivoting into bossa nova that would make record diggers from 1993 proud. This risks turning into dentist-office soundtrackery, but Puni Puni Denki’s ability to add in elements that offer a little bite — samples lurking in the back — and letting the singing pop a bit more push it up. Plus you have the semi-jarring use of “super dope” in an otherwise hammock-ready number. Listen above.

New Guchon: Dogs Of The Future

Long-running netlabel presence Guchon returns with Dogs Of The Future, a new one released via Maltine Records. All things considered, Guchon keeps it simple over these five tracks. Opener “Anywhere Door” exists as kind of a distant cousin to Powder’s “New Tribe,” slowly building tension through constant repetition and subtle changes going off just out of view, while “Welcome To My Dugneon” is just total house pogoing accented by what sounds like dog yelps. Simple, but damn effective, especially on the last two songs, starting with “Dream Island Seaside Line’s” beat meshing up against sweet 8-bit melodies late to create as active a melancholy as you could ask for, while closer “Dogs of Paradice” brings out pure bliss via its shuffling beat and soft synth sounds. Get it here.

New Cemetery: “Fatima”

Tokyo artist Cemetery’s music has always been on the ominous side. Noises drift overhead and vocal samples bubble up off in the distance, making even their most angelic stretches hide some tension. “Fatima” shows Cememtery’s livelier, albeit still unnerving, side. This one, debuted a few days ago on Nest HQ, uses an array of chanting samples (among other vocal samples) and beats to create a punchy number that nevertheless carries a familiar atmopshere from the creator. Listen above.