Japanese Breakfast - “Essentially”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Snail Mail, The Dirty Projectors, Mitski

Japanese Breakfast returning to SXSW in 2020 could be a sign that a follow-up to the precisely dreamy Soft Sounds from Another Planet is on the way, or perhaps the New York-based artist is just looking to recapture the fulfilling energy of her sets last year (I caught a great one at Mohawk). Either way, a trip back into her catalog is always welcome for a ride between R&B, indie pop, and alt rock genres within an enrapturing wash of cinematic music. Japanese Breakfast is equally comfortable and explorative, an artist hitting her stride in an emotionally resonant way. (Kevin McStravick)

2019 Review: Indie pop experimenter Japanese Breakfast produced one of the dreamiest records of 2017, a grooving album of R&B melodies, synth-pop waves, and indie rock density that maintains a rich, emotional core beginning to end. Soft Sounds From Another Planet is an aptly titled piece, a cinematic collection that stretches with psychedelic intentions and orchestral expanse. Japanese Breakfast is topping most SXSW bills she’s joining ultimately due to her detailed and driven songwriting. While “soft” in its overall vibe, there is a much to pay attention to within her music, whether in it is investing in unexpected shifts of rhythm or tracking a guitar line through an expertly crafted sonic maze of invention.