Sam Ostler’s new single, “Lights,” then. It unfolds less like a sudden, intrusive glare and more like the slow, determined burn of a really good stage light finally finding its mark after a prolonged blackout. It’s pop, yes, vibrant and undeniably contemporary as advertised – clean lines, clear intentions. Yet, there’s a certain satisfying heft beneath the melodic uplift, a feeling that these notes...

Nagoya, Japan-based rock band Chai. Mana, Kana, Yuuki, and Yuna are the four members of the group. Pink, the band's first studio album, was released in 2017. https://soundcloud.com/subpop/chai-surprise "SURPRISE," the band's latest song, has been released as an official music video. In Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture in 2012, twins Mana and Kana, together with sisters Yuna and Yuuki, created the band, Chai. Mana, Kana, and Yuna all...