Album Review CHAI - PINK

There’s an exuberant giddiness that runs through ‘PINK’ - the debut from Japanese quartet CHAI - that could be bottled as a tonic to all the bores and dullards of the world. Careering between the electro-pop pulse of Shamir-recalling opener ‘Hi Hi Baby’ to the Dream Wife-esque sweet/ sour riffy mash-up of ‘Walking Star’, via tropical poolside pop (‘Horechatta’), chanty Rapture dance-punk (‘N.E.O’) and the bonkers cacophony of ‘Gyranboo’ – which begins with all four bleating like sheep, it’s an 11-track trip that’s a joyful delight from start to finish. Throw in a note of Moldy Peaches’ charming naivety to the sing-song nursery rhyme of ‘Kawaii Hito’ and you’ve got a record that’s an unapologetic, brilliant melting pot like little else.