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New Mayor Kenji: $egalopolis (Disc 1)

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$egalopolis (Disc 1) is an argument for hyper culture consumption. The latest from Wasabi Tapes is more collage than works by other projects on the label like Toiret Status and even Pachinko Machine Music, and even feels a bit more quilt-like than other works from the artist now going as Mayor Kenji. But this sprawling album — 32 tracks! — is one of the more impressive experiments in sample overload the label has put out. Video game dialogue leads to faded voices from long-forgotten YouTube videos, while a song like “Robin” matches sludge sounds up with fuckin’ Hanna-Barbera cues. Grooves and skeletons of what could be songs emerge throughout — the frantic beat of “Black Market,” the springy synth work of “Secret Lab” — but songs are often so short that the overall effect is like listening to a bunch of ideas stapled together. It’s another fascinating peak into the world of Wasabi Tapes. Get it here, or listen below.

New Technic Runner: “Junjo Cyborg 80%”

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June is always a great time to revisit highlights from earlier months. Long-running electro act Technic Runner delivered a charmer earlier this year that is still very much worth diving into, and now they’ve shared a new track that feels like it could slide right on to Dream Machine. “Junjo Cyborg 80%” is a bouncy bit of electro-rap, finding the pair tag-teaming over a janky (but damn fun, which is really what matters) beat, singing about…well androids, dystopian futures and microchips. Listen above.

Chewin’: Gum Girl’s “April”

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Make Believe Melodies can always get behind a skippy bit of indie-pop, so Gum Girl’s “April” is a welcome bit of hoppy music to our ears. It’s also a nice step up for the band, who last year leaned closer to fest-approved fare with a song anchored by male vocals. That one is OK, but “April” improves the style significantly by letting a woman handle the vocals — she just sounds so much better, and so much more emotive — while also letting new elements like piano plonks come through more clearly. A nice number for a sunny day, nothing too complex but a perk. Listen above.

New Shine Of Ugly Jewel: Amphisbaena

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The Dark Jinja compilation from earlier this year is one of 2018’s stronger sets attributed to “various artists.” Among the mix of familiar and new producers on that album’s tracklisting was Shine Of Ugly Jewel, who produced one of the more unsettling numbers. Amphisbaena puts Shine Of Ugly Jewel right out in front, and allows their more atmospheric side to shine through. And it is a very unsettling atmosphere at that! Opener “June 1990 Caesarean section” creeps to life with what sound like distant train horn samples before pivoting to…well, what sounds like being stranded in a particularly scary rainforest. “Kame” only builds on that uneasy vibe, with low vocal rumbles mixing beneath the music, while closer “Synonym” ends with something resembling hope, albeit still coated in noise. Dark Jinja has excelled at setting a specific mood with their releases, and Shine Of Ugly Jewel only adds to that burgeoning reputation. Get it here, or listen below.

Parkgolf Teams With Jvcki Wai For “Xaradise”

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If this isn’t quite the best case for musical relations between neighbors, it at least offers a nice step forward. Plenty of steps have been made to bridge the gap between Japan and Korea’s music communities, with all sorts of shows happening between artists of all genres from both Japan and Korea, and…uhhhh, I guess Produce 48, ignoring everything? Unless you pretend this is an alternate world Trekkie Trax song, like I choose to do. Parkgolf working with Seoul rapper Jvcki Wai still feels like a welcome crossover, and it helps that the end result is a trippy bit of electro-rap. Parkgolf’s music is on the blurrier side — on its own, it would be a mess! — but it works wonder when swooping up Wai’s unsteady verses and repeated syllables. Listen above.