Trekkie Trax pillar Andrew writes that he made this funky number last September, but has shared “ELB” in 2018. Riffing off of Millie Scott’s “Ev’ry Little Bit,” Andrew creates a loose-limbed electro number fueled by clinky percussion and these big fat bass notes that give this a boogie feel. A nice afternoon pick-me-up. Listen above.
Personal Details: Nonsense Love Letter
Over the last month, Sapporo’s Nonsense Love Letter has shared two albums of bedroom pop, and approaching it felt a little bit intimidating. These aren’t quickly uploaded EPs, but fully realized releases touching on a bunch of styles, while being full of clever wordplay and an air of intimacy, like walking into someone’s living room and finding them writing poetry. But entered I did with Winter Alayz, an eight-song collection offering a concise look into Nonsense Love Letter’s world. Like a lot of young artists this decade, that place has been shaped by Etsuko Yakushimaru. “Lonely You Lonely Me” immediately showcases Nonsense Love Letter’s similarly high-pitched speak-sing, set over a rubbery rock backdrop accented by handclaps. It’s a style the band revisits frequently, such as on the slower “Linus” to the skippier “Bus Stop.” But then you get detours, like the sample-loaded space-out of “Vib-Ribbon,” which pummels ahead on a drum machine beat. Threaded throughout are lyrics that turn the everyday into something more. Get it here, or listen below.
Love Letter From Nonsense Love Letter goes in even more directions, showing more depth. Opener “Fushigi Na Wagon” teases a Shibuya-kei-derived stroll, interrupted by some electronic chirps, while “Harry Potter Potage” is…basically the same song, but now with Hogwarts-friendly lyrics. It’s a trip! This set feels a bit more ramshackle, more a collection of ideas that sometime result in great pop (“Oyasumi Zombie”) while others feel like half-folded pieces of construction paper. Yet it still adds further context to a project to keep an eye on. Get it here, or listen below.
New Haruruinu Love Dog Tenshi: “Liangzhou 105-B” Featuring Rikon Nozaki
The beat had me sweating when this opened up. Haruruinu Love Dog Tenshi is another artist coming up from web-centric indie communities to more exposure, and the subdued mood of early releases appeared to be tossed out the window with those opening rumbles and the general “It G Ma” rehash of it all. But thankfully the artist before the “feature” delivers with what she has done well for a while (Rikon Nozaki is…fine, but feels a bit superfluous). Haruruinu Love Dog Tenshi drifts over the beat, not trying to match it in intensity but rather turning into smoke to waft over head. It’s understated and affecting. Listen above.
New Mom: “Boyfriend”
How do you follow up on one of 2018’s best all-around albums, not to mention one pointing at a way forward for independent musicians raised on the internet to travel down? Release another album — billed as a “first album,” at that — to close out the year, one that might be even loaded with more genre-blurring bangers. Mom will be capping off a breakthrough 12 months with another full-length, titled Playground, out in November, and “Boyfriend” offers the first look at it. It’s pretty on point for what Mom has been doing before — they are one of the first artists to emerge that feels like netlabels and YouTube algorithms played a massive part in shaping their approach to music. Which is to say…Mom is very online, and their songs are not concerned with genre walls. “Boyfriend” finds Mom delivering a sing-rap about RoboCop and his romantic intentions, backed by synths just dazing out and a guitar melody more in tune with indie-rock than anything else (poked fun a little bit in the video which…hey, look at Mom! Charming!). Maybe this will be their “first album,” but it will be building on a very strong base. Listen above.
New Bearwear: “I’ll Take You Anywhere”
It’s surprising how Ano(t)raks turned into this incredible feeder system for slightly larger labels. Call it a mix of having a good ear for great indie-rock, and a bit of good timing too…Ano(t)raks was one of the first places to get ahead of the whole “city pop revival” thing via comps loaded up with mellow numbers. Add Bearwear to the list of form compilation inclusions now getting a bit more shine. The group’s “I’ll Take You Anywhere” finds a midpoint between on-trend laid-back rock and indie-pop, conveyed through the slightly scrappy guitar lines and the heart-on-sleeve love lyrics. It’s pure Ano(t)raks), creeping towards something bigger. Listen above.