CHAI

Chai

Paru le 22/09/2023 chez Sub Pop Records
Artistes principaux : Chai
Genre : Pop

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24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo

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Japan's CHAI turn the tables on their self-titled fourth album. The quartet looks at how the West views Japanese culture, starting with a list of titles that boil things down to the most basic stereotypes and catchphrases: "MATCHA," "KARAOKE," GAME." "They wanted to dig into their Japanese identity, not in a traditional sense, but in this filtered Western way," producer Ryu Takahashi has said. At the same time, CHAI reflects back on city pop, a style that took over Japanese radio in the early '80s, mashing up American disco and R&B and soft rock and making stars of artists like Maria Takeuchi. You can hear it on songs like "Driving22," which veers between strutting pomp and low-key sexy R&B breakdowns laden with breathy whispers, and the Beat Street-style posturing of "GAME," which delights in cheesy synth. But the band also pilots the way-back machine forward by a decade. Breezy "From 1992" layers on loungey touches, bridging the gap between the two eras. Slow jam "MATCHA" captures the feels of classic TLC, adorned with baby-doll vocals and a yelped chorus. A relaxed-fit giddy goof, "PARA PARA" pays tribute to the hand-waving, two-step line-dancing craze that captured Japan in the '90s ("Left right, left right, midnight dance/ Up down, up down, Japanese style.") "There's not a deep meaning to that song, it's really just about the dance," singer Mana says. "When your body moves to the beat of your heart, you'll realize that the world is smaller than you think, and all your problems are easier than they seem." Fun!

"We the Female!" luxuriates in Luscious Jackson sass and roller-disco grooves for its declarative announcement to the whole world and planets beyond: Women are strong and genders are equal. "Hey! Who are u?/ I'm a human, how about u? … I'm a woman, how about u?/ We're all one, we're all the same … What do u wanna know?" They may not use the word "feminist," but CHAI is all about breaking down the barriers that put women in pretty little boxes. The funky crash-course "NEO KAWAII, K?" digs deeper into the band's much-espoused philosophy about the limitations of Japanese society's obsession with cuteness, politeness and perfection. "This is just my body, not a trendy body/ This is my way/ I'm not humble always/ There's not a single hair/ That's not necessary," Mana sings, waving her self-esteem like a flag. She gets wild on "LIKE, I NEED," howling over an elasticized beat that puts the brakes on deep house. Dreamy "KARAOKE," meanwhile, flaunts trop-house vibes and tricky, clicky drum work from Yuna. But nothing beats the drumming on "I Can't Organizeeee," which comes on like a turbo-charged backlash to Marie Kondo perfection; Yuna's drums go on a wild ride, splashing and crashing and racing ahead, while Kana's guitar revs up. "Cute" is firmly kicked to the curb. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

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