Chai Chai Cassette

The Japanese band Chai cast a spell on the world in 2017 with their debut album, PINK, a collection of songs that introduced their singular brand of playful pop. The enthusiastically feminist follow-up, PUNK, raked in accolades from the music press and fellow artists. That led to WINK, which Chai made via remote Zoom sessions, a limitation that became a strength by allowing MANA (lead vocals and keys), KANA (guitar), YUNA (drums), and YUUKI (bassist-lyricist) to collaborate with artists abroad to create a work that found catharsis in their international community. Unlike WINK, the band's new self-titled album finds Chai returning to their roots, drawing inspiration from city pop, J-pop, and their Japanese heritage. The album might be the perfect distillation of Chai's ethic: it urges listeners to keep moving through this life with joy and passion. Per MANA: "It's not about winning or losing as competition, but about what you need to do, personally, to feel you've won."

1. Matcha 2. From 1992 3. Para Para 4. Game 5. We the Female! 6. Neo Kawaii, K? 7. I Can't Organizeeee 8. Driving22 9. Like, I Need 10. Karaoke