ChaiPUNK
J-Pop
Pop from distant cultures may not be for everyone: it's not in English so you can't really identify with the lyrics, it's mixed high in treble so it sounds louder and more teen-y, and it's often marketed with a bizarre-almost-disturbing childishness with a reliance on cartoons and funny voices. None of those things matter when you listen to Chai's second full-length, PUNK.
That's not to say those things aren't there--of course they are, it's J-Pop--but what Chai does differently is using those tropes for effect, creating a reaction and sending a message that transcends the usual stereotypes of Japan and its pop culture.
While much of PUNK is pure pop, executed and produced to sugar-sweet perfection, where the album truly stands out is when Chai dips into alternative genres. The garage rock of opener "Choose Go!" is performed with as much sincerity as everything else. The dark electro of "Great Job" carries the weight of that sound well, without sounding like a boring copy of a billion other club bangers. And the furious alt-rock of "Fashionista"--half Waitresses, half Sleater-Kinney--proves that if you write great songs, rocking hard knows no language.
Chai aren't worried if writing songs about being yourself, friends as second family, and not caring if some people don't approve of your lifestyle are uncool; as long as you feel empowered, then their job is done, and damn the cool. PUNK isn't the pop we went into 2019 wanting, but it is the pop we need right now.
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