@@@ Otoboke Beaver: Super Champon (Damnably, 2022) Sometimes a very punk thing is to see some non white folks take it and do it their way and shove that shit out into the public square. I understand there has been Japanese punk and female Japanese punk but I don’t remember it being this tasty. These girls bring it and they also bring that poppy cheesy Japanese flavor and mix them both together and it’s quite satisfying. There’s a lot of energy everywhere from the vocals which are borderline manic to the guitars which are quite interesting and often unpredictable to the sectioning of the songs which jump around to different vibes but work together.
@@@ Dama Scout: Gen wo lai (Hand in Hive, 2022) Another record from the Pitchfork 10 most reviewed albums of the week. I think the album title refers to something Chinese so I thought they were Asian and would pair nicely with the Japanese punks above but they’re from London and they sport a lush, space rock flavor with a dreamy female singer. I’m on the second song, pineapple eyes, and it’s got a tad of psych weirdness to go with the space rock and the slackness. I like it a bunch and would like it more if it were even weirder and occasionally broke out of its slackness providing some necessary contrast.
Deep In the Music 