Strung Along: Special Favorite Music’s “Summer Serve”

It has been an indie-pop sort of week, which seems about right given the suddenly warm weather gracing Tokyo (just remembered a typhoon arrives tomorrow, alright). Special Favorite Music add to the week’s already sunny collection of Japanese indie-pop with the seasonally appropriate “Summer Serve.” Like a lot of the better indie-pop bands out there, though, Special Favorite Music’s decision to put in a little more effort goes a long way. “Summer Serve” has a nice bounce to it, but what makes it sparkle are the strings rising up in the background and the horns, adding an extra urgency and drama to the song. Indie-pop often benefits from a childlike simplicity, but “Summer Serve” shows a little polish goes a long way. Listen above.