Shuffle, Play, Repeat

From K-Pop to J-Rock to Indie, we review the newest music releases to have on repeat (or Skip).

- Chew Hui Ling

Ambitions

ONE OK ROCK

Bigger, bolder and better than before, ambitions is an ambitious follow-up to one OK ROCK’s (OOR) groundbreaking success from 35xxxv. The result is an experimental record that reflects the J-rock juggernaut’s lofty dreams of conquering the world. Switching effortlessly from euphoric stadium anthems to stripped-back acoustics, one OK ROCK wastes no time in delivering what they do best and more.

Repeat these

‘Bombs Away’

Leaping into a snarl of punchy guitar riffs and thumping drum beats, this blistering opener packs a familiar wallop that will satisfy old-time OOR fans and draw in new listeners with its powerful pop hook. Talk about exploring uncharted territory!

‘Always Coming Back’

While OOR retains a feisty rock heart at its core, we love how they always make sure to add a soft, personable touch to their music. Particularly memorable was this soul-baring piece, which speaks of Taka’s adolescent memories of his father.

Fast Forward these

‘American Girls’

A straight-up pop-punk track that wouldn’t sound out of place in a typical boy band record, ‘American Girls’ felt overly stuffed with mainstream ingredients that choked up its otherwise jam-worthy potential.

‘One Way Ticket’

One of the band’s biggest assets is their knack at adopting influences and making it into their own, but ‘One Way Ticket’ risked coming across as a grab bag of genres. Gotta give ‘em kudos for attempting to break out of their usual fare though!

I See You

The xx