Name: CHAI
Brand: CHAI

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

SP1585X

Colour

Pink

Colour details

Transparent Pink

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-09-22

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

PIAS

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

098787158502

Total Cap

Pink LP

Artist

CHAI

Genre GB

Indie Pop / Shoegaze

Label GB

Sub Pop

CHAI is a Japanese rock/experimental pop band that originated from the punk music scene in Nagoya. Formed in 2012, they have since captivated audiences with their unique sound and energetic performances.
With their infectious blend of genres, CHAI has carved out a distinct niche for themselves in the music industry. Their songs are characterized by catchy melodies, clever lyrics, and a fearless approach to experimentation.
Known for their vibrant stage presence and colorful aesthetics, CHAI has gained a dedicated following both in Japan and internationally. Their music resonates with fans who appreciate their boundary-pushing style and unapologetic authenticity.

Short for "Subterranean Pop" 

The label was an outgrowth of [a=Bruce Pavitt]'s Olympia, WA based (print) fanzine, which became the well respected cassettezine of the same name. 

After his move to Seattle he ran a music column in the Seattle Rocket also called Sub Pop.

After initial forays into the record label world with a [a=Green River] 7" (not officially on Sub Pop) and the Sub Pop 100 LP, the label exploded onto the indie scene with four influential colored vinyl 7"s which included [a=Mudhoney]'s "Touch Me I'm Sick" which made the year-end top 10 playlist of nearly every music journalist in the world.

Subsequent hyping of the label in the English music press put them on the map, and grunge was born.

Label-Code is 03159; rarely found printed on releases (basically only on releases manufactured/licensed by Warner/WEA Germany)

Newest Listed Items

The Japanese band CHAI cast a spell on the world in 2017 with their debut album,&nbsp;Pink, a collection of songs that introduced their singular brand of playful pop. The enthusiastically feminist follow-up,&nbsp;Punk, raked in accolades from the music press and fellow artists. That led to&nbsp;Wink, which CHAI made via remote Zoom sessions, a limitation that became a strength by allowing Mana (lead vocals and keys), Kana (guitar), Yuna (drums), and Yuuki (bassist-lyricist) to collaborate with artists abroad to create a work that found catharsis in their international community.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The band’s new self-titled album finds CHAI returning to their roots, drawing inspiration from their Japanese heritage and the music that raised them. “Everything reflected in the lyrics expresses our experience as Japanese women,” Mana says. CHAI’s ethos is one of inclusion, and lead single “We The Female!” – recorded live to honour the band’s riotous performances – beckons listeners into the mission. “We are human and were born as female, but we have both female and male aspects in each of our souls, each with our own sense of balance,” CHAI said in an accompanying statement. “We can’t just label ourselves into clear-cut, simple categories anymore! I’m not anyone else but just ‘me,’ and you are no one else but just ‘you.’ This song celebrates that with a roar!”

On&nbsp;CHAI, the band draws directly from city pop, a Tokyo-born sound popularized in the ‘70s and ‘80s. City pop was a Japanese take on Western lounge music, borrowing from jazz, boogie, funk, and yacht rock to create a sound that straddled two cultures. While city pop has recently found a US audience via TikTok and YouTube, CHAI grew up on the genre. For production, they tapped previous collaborator Ryu Takahashi, who shared their love of city pop, eurobeat, and the melodies of J-pop artists like Maria Takeuchi. “They wanted to dig into their Japanese identity, not in a traditional sense, but in this filtered Western way,” Takahashi says.&nbsp;

Music GB

Discover CHAI by CHAI. The Japanese band returns to their roots with their self-titled album, drawing inspiration from their heritage. Available in CD, Tape, and LP formats. Label: Sub Pop.