No stranger to the LOUD WOMEN universe, Brooklyn’s jazz-inspired indie-pop artist Mei Semones is back with her debut album Animaru. Following the success of singles such as ‘Dumb Feeling‘ and ‘I can do what I want‘, this first full-length record is bold and gentle in equal measures.
Innovative, delicate and a masterclass in both technicality and musical arrangement, Animaru is ambitious and flawlessly-executed. Bossa-nova and jazz sensibilities lace effortlessly through indie-pop, producing a sound that is so uniquely Mei Semones. Animaru, meaning animal in Japanese, signifies her new-found trust in herself and her instincts.
“No second-guessing, no overthinking. The way I want to live my life is by doing the things that are important to me, and I think everyone should live that way”
Mei Semones
Mei’s lyrics are considered, non-romantic love letters to family, her hometown and her guitar. Album-opener and single ‘Dumb Feeling’ is a bossa-nova indie-pop nod to NYC. Mei uses lyrics in both English and Japanese for her music, here to weave a charming contentment for life in the big city, while the words and vocalisations of ‘Tora Moyo’ are dedicated to her guitar. In ‘Tora Moyo’, the intricate, cascading guitar melodies come alive like a conversation, as if we are hearing Mei’s guitar sing to us directly.
The complex, stand-out ‘I can do what I want’ is a fearlessly evolving arrangement, with self-assured lyrics that fit perfectly above. A playful tug-of-war between jazz, orchestral and indie music, this song is a whirlwind of excitement and technical prowess.
Despite being a clear exploration of skill, Animaru also has it’s moments of charming simplicity. ‘Donguri’ is a stripped-back imagination of how life would be as a woodland creature in the forest and is as bewitching as Mei and her band’s more multi-faceted creations.
‘Zarigani’ is fizzy and bubbling; expertly controlled chaos that declares Mei’s unconditional love for her twin sister. Family is one of her great loves, with her mother Seiko Semones creating all of her music’s artwork.
Animaru is a refreshing reminder of all the other types of love we can feel and the gratitude we can have for the little (and big) things in life. While a manifestation of self-belief and expression, Animaru recognises the love around her that empowers her autonomy. Mei Semones is a creative and technical visionary, with one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. Out now via Bayonet Records.
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