Michelle Zauner and Ryan Galloway Craft Infectious Nostalgia as BUMPER on Pop Songs 2020

Crafted in quarantine over nothing but internet-enabled communication, Japanese Breakfast mastermind Michelle Zauner and Crying member Ryan Galloway came together to bring the sounds of past and present together on vibrant summer closer, “pop songs 2020.”

The aesthetics of the promotional art tie almost seamlessly into the sound of the songs, with percussion reminiscent of the lofi beat phenomenon, vivacious synths reminiscent of the mid-2010s future funk movement and of course, a nice smattering of 80s Japanese city pop. At the same time, though, the EP defies genre.

There are certainly moments of early Crying’s tweet sound and the dreamy synthscapes of Japanese Breakfast are present, yet all the parts that can be individually dissected, studied and compared come together to create a breath of fresh air desperately needed in modern indie pop. It’s fun and high-energy, with Michelle’s vocals free to shine, no longer buried in the beautiful-yet-smothering shoegaze effects of the Japanese Breakfast project. Pop Songs 2020 is a glimpse of summer, a sugar rush, a brief sip of energy drink and a 10 minute trip to better times. Whatever remains in store for the two, “pop songs 2020” is a strong debut and a tight hold on the last fleeting moments of the strangest summer in recent history.