CHAI have been spreading their playful brand of disco meets punk since they released their debut ‘Pink’ back in 2017. They kept that frenetic momentum going with 2019’s ’Punk’, just before taking a quick turn from their rock propensities, leaning into comfortable pop on 2021’s ‘Wink’. Now, with their fourth album and second on Sub Pop, the Japanese foursome return to their roots, with lead vocalist Mana sharing in the album bio that “everything reflected in the lyrics expresses our experience as Japanese women”. The self-titled LP is tied tightly to the band’s adopted battle cry, the phrase “Neo Kawaii” they often scream into the mic to the delight of fans at shows, a phrase they see as a rallying cry against oppressive societally prescribed beauty standards not only in Japan but across the globe.
The band’s latest offering is an intentional ode to city pop, a Tokyo-born genre from the ’70s and ’80s which mixes jazz, boogie, yacht rock and funk, all with the goal of digging into their heritage and identity filtered through a Western sonic lens. The result isn’t at all dated go, as the quartet revel in modern beats, swirling soulful ’90s arrangements under lyrics they associate with nostalgia. Opening track ‘Matcha’ does this well, as they harmonize over wide-spanning bridges, comparing the meditative process of making the green-hued tea to their own desire to understand themselves better.
In the album’s lead single, ‘Para Para’ the band again pay homage to Japan, this time with a track about the popular two-step dance that took over Japan in the ’90s. The funky, brisk track drills in on having a good time, with CHAI showing off R&B registers as they beckon listeners to “party into the night”. The groove-heavy track embodies the overall ethos of the album well, a message of optimism that’s also present in the band’s track ‘Game’. In the new wave track, the band sings over synth keys and trickling percussion, all with the goal of urging listeners to move forward in life with joy and passion, winking, “you haven’t seen the best of me yet” before a funky instrumental break.
CHAI doesn’t just live in the past. In the bubbling, ‘Driving22’, where the band slows down their tempo over glittery synth keys, they sing about driving around foreign cities on tour, singing lovingly about imperfect sing-alongs and fans from around the world. Even when they sing directly about touring or dance moves, the real message of the album, one of arriving at your destination no matter what, shines through. With little allegiance to one particular sound, expansive love for their heritage and bold statements in each track, ‘Chai’ is a bright declaration from a band forging their own sonic path forward all while acknowledging where they came from.
LIVE REVIEWS
Ronnie Radke has claimed that Max Georgiev was dismissed from Falling In Reverse due to allegations of sexual misconduct, accusations that Georgiev has firmly rejected.
Georgiev exited the Las Vegas metalcore group in 2024. Last week, the band’s frontman Ronnie Radke shared an Instagram post stating that the guitarist was removed after allegedly admitting to a sexual relationship with an underage girl.
“For those that are wondering why I fired the guitarist,” Radke wrote, according to Lambgoat, “it’s because he admitted to sleeping with a minor ten years before he [was] in my band [when] he was 27 years old. Have fun with that.”
Georgiev, who joined Falling In Reverse in 2018 and now performs with metal outfit Vio-lence, responded shortly after, denying the allegations. “To the fans, I have never done anything illegal with a minor,” said Max Georgiev. “Fifteen years ago, when I was 23, I still lived in Quebec, Canada.”
“Since then, I have played for several bands who never mentioned inappropriate behavior on my part,” he continued. “I have always had great respect for the fans. I have strived to play my heart out for you.”
Radke’s Instagram account has since appeared to be removed, something he addressed during a livestream. “Maybe me talking about my old guitar player getting fired for finding out he was hooking up with minors, I think that AI might’ve caught that and was like, ‘You gotta go’,” he suggested, as reported by Loudwire".
“This man not only did that, [but] the parents of the minor ten years before he was in my band found out, they confronted him, he lied about his age so he could continue doing that with her. He wasn’t 23, he was older. He’s lying about that,” Radke went on to claim.
In a subsequent statement shared on Thursday January 8, Georgiev again rejected Radke’s accusations, calling them “delusional”. “I met someone who turned eighteen a few months later while I occasionally dated her,” he said. “This was fifteen years ago, when I was 23 in Quebec, Canada.”
“Her parents never confronted me because the girl only had a mother. I never lied to her or her daughter about anything.”
Georgiev later suggested that his departure from Falling In Reverse may instead have been linked to him “taking the initiative to learn nine songs of another band”, which he identified as Disturbed.
Elsewhere, Radke has reportedly filed a temporary restraining order against Brittany Furlan, citing alleged harassment connected to a catfish controversy from last year.
He has repeatedly alleged that Furlan, the estranged wife of Tommy Lee, was involved with someone impersonating him online. The filing asks that she be required to remain at least 100 yards away from him. Representatives for Furlan have said they are “aware” of the request and maintain that the allegations are “not accurate”.
Radke also saw his defamation lawsuit against Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop dismissed last year.
