Here are my top three blogging dilemmas (if things so ultimately trivial warrant that title):
1. Should albums and singles released via Apple Music or other streaming services get on here?
2. Do I write about Japanese artists who have moved to other countries?
3. Are demo tracks ever worth writing about?
That last one is usually the one I have the least trouble with — no, I’ll wait for the final version to come out. Tokyo indie-pop artist Jan Flu, though, gets a pass on this with their eponymous album. It features “demo versions,” but supplements them with “studio versions,” ultimately pulling off a nifty trick of showing two sides of the same song. Which, in the crowded world of Japanese indie-pop, is definitely a nifty move. Songs such as the beach-rock rambler “Invisible Beach, And The Skying” are presented in a slightly fuzzier version and a more forceful final product, offering a nice look into the process of how they came to be. It helps that the project is really good at the indie-pop game, in either solo or group form. Get it here, or listen below.