Wink [LP], Chai, Vinyl

Vinyl LP pressing. Since breaking out in 2018, Chai have been associated with explosive joy. At their live shows, the Japanese four-piece have become known for buoyant displays of eclectic and clever songwriting, impressive musicianship, matching outfits, delightful choreography, and sheer relief. At the core of their music, Chai have upheld a stated mission to deconstruct the standards of beauty and cuteness that can be so oppressive in Japan. Wink is a fitting title then: a subtle but bold gesture. A wink is an unselfconscious act of conviction, or as Chai puts it: "A person who winks is a person with a pure heart, who lives with flexibility, who does what they want. A person who winks is a person who is free." Yuuki noted that "With this album, we're winking at you. We're living freely and we hope that when you listen, you can wink and live freely, too." Chai came to see the album-with it's home-y feel-as a collection where each song is like a new friend, something comforting to rely on and reach out to, as the album was for them throughout 2020.