Led by storming hit “Easy Breezy”, Chelmico’s 2020 record Maze was a rollicking technicolour blaze of indie pop and hip-hop. Follow-up Gokigen [roughly Good Mood], by contrast, sees the duo take a breather. Much of the work settles into a less pacy vein of R&B, opting for space and contemplation over vibrancy and velocity. And that’s by no means a bad thing. Gokigen shows another side to Rachel and Mamiko, one in which the duo are perfectly capable of creating music that is less demanding but no less tactile and detailed. Plus, it means that when the duo does return to their fizzing, playful heights – best typified on Gokigen’s tracks with driving breakbeats – it’s all the more impactful.

Listen to “ISOGA♡PEACH” below.