Your Review
CRITIC REVIEWS
90
UK pop singer Rina Sawayama teams up with Clarence Clarity for the most vibrant, colorful, and instantly catchy pop EP of the year.
85
RINA is bursting at the seams with bona-fide pop bangers and quirky interludes.
80
Sawayama might be keen to pay tribute, but she’s proven she can shepherd pop into the future, too.
Clarence Clarity and Rina Sawayama find the future in the past, and as a result, we have what is to me one of the most enjoyable and gorgeous-sounding projects of the decade. Not a moment is wasted, with Sawayama's rich voice being backed up by equally textured glitchpop compositions throughout. I honestly can't get enough and hope it doesn't take the duo long to follow up, preferably with something longer.
Favorite Tracks: Alterlife, Ordinary Superstar, 10-20-40, Take Me As I Am, Cyber ... read more
Favorite Tracks: Alterlife, Ordinary Superstar, 10-20-40, Take Me As I Am, Cyber ... read more
"Take Me as I Am" brings me back sometime in 2000-2002 where I would confusingly observe my two older sisters proclaim themselves to the family as "SUPASTAHhhhs" as they would (poorly) belt out Sting's "Desert Rose" - yes, even Cheb Mami's part - and whatever else would play on MTV (primarily Britney Spears' best hits). Spice Girls sadly broke up at around this time so it was an especially difficult time around the house, but the passion for achieving ... read more
This is such a tight EP that leaves me thirsty for more every time I listen to it. Rina Sawayama working with Clarence Clarity on production works too well. I was already a big fan of Clarence before this, but a certain Melon brought this project to my attention, with his large score, and the fact that Clarence Clarity did the production, I just had to hear... This one EP was on repeat for about two months afterwards. The production is shimmering and dense, while not being too squeaky-clean, ... read more
Despite the considerable lack of personality in her vocal style, Rina's latest release is a shiny, glorious pop EP containing a handful of boastful, shimmery tunes carefully laid out by Clarence Clarity expansive production work. It is a fusion of all sorts of past pop trends chewed and reprocessed into one solid, tight repertory that still manages to present its own vision in satisfactory fashion.
This has become my #1 most played album in the car. Short enough to finish on the way there and back on most rides, and it's straight bops.
END OF YEAR LISTS
| #10 | / | Dazed |
MISC LISTS
| #1 | / | The Needle Drop (EPs) |
| #19 | / | Pitchfork (Pop and R&B) |
Track List
- Ordinary Superstar
- Take Me as I Am
- 10-20-40
- Tunnel Vision (feat. Shamir)
- Time Out (Interlude)
- Alterlife
- Through the Wire (Interlude)
- Cyber Stockholm Syndrome
Added on: October 28, 2017
