Wishy - Planet Popstar 

Recorded during the same sessions as last summer’s debut album ‘Triple Seven’, ‘Planet Popstar’ is a shimmering, nostalgia-tinged EP that expands on Wishy’s fusion of dream-pop, shoegaze, indie rock, and pop-punk, leaning into a more polished aesthetic while maintaining their established emotional depth. Single ‘Fly’ sets the tone, with Nina Pitchkites’ airy vocals layered over warm, reverb-drenched guitars. A meditation on presence, gratitude, and self-discovery, it sets the themes that thread through the entire project. The title track channels early-noughties alternative radio energy, as Kevin Krauter’s vocals soar over a wash of heavy guitars and dreamy backing harmonies. Inspired by the fictional world of Nintendo character Kirby, the song captures a childlike wonder and escapism. Elsewhere, ‘Over and Over’ swirls with melancholy and ‘Chaser’ blends shoegaze textures with crisp, radio-ready synths. The EP closes with the dreamy, percussion-led ‘Portal’, before easing into ‘Slide’, a slow-burning finale with sun-soaked chords, showcasing the band’s skill at merging dreamy atmospherics with deeply personal songwriting. Released alongside a fresh vinyl pressing of 2023’s ‘Paradise’ EP, ‘Planet Popstar’ serves as both a continuation and evolution of Wishy’s sound. Nina and Kevin continue to complement and challenge each other as vocalists, switching roles seamlessly throughout. For fans of nineties indie, early-noughties emo, or contemporary dream pop, ‘Planet Popstar’ cements Wishy as a compelling new voice in alternative rock.