A Journey Through Sound

Soft Sounds From Another Planet is the sophomore album from indie artist Japanese Breakfast. It is an ethereal adventure that truly lives up to the anticipation that had surrounded the project. Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner) builds on the dreamy chillwave feel that was present on her first album and the singles released for Soft Sounds. This new LP cultivates a spectacular journey through sound, leaving the listener with a feeling of thorough satisfaction.

Zauner utilizes a musical style that pulls from dreampop and chillwave, as elements from these two genres help to create the ethereal feel that is present throughout the album. The project uses light, airy vocals on top of thick basslines and dream-like electronic sounds, beckoning the listener to a captivating musical journey.

One highlight of the album is “Road Head,” which truly exemplifies the dreampop style of Soft Sounds while showcasing Zauner’s beautiful voice. We also hear more upbeat, danceable tracks, such as “Machinist,” yet Japanese Breakfast still maintains a dreamy atmosphere.

Soft Sounds exhibits shoegaze elements, particularly on the song “12-steps.” The track embraces a much more rock-influenced aesthetic, which creates a thick melodic atmosphere. It’s a bit of a change of pace, but doesn’t throw the album entirely off of its course. This atmospheric approach is also employed on the track “Body is a Blade,” a more rock-driven number that maintains Japanese Breakfast’s dreamy sound and airy vocals.

Although the album feature a variety of sounds, it maintains a sense of cohesion and fluidity that allows one to take a journey through the ethereal soundscape created by Michelle Zauner. Soft Sounds From Another Planet is a phenomenal project that actually lives up to the hype. It is definitely worth a listen, one that fans of chillwave and dreampop will definitely enjoy.