Alright crew—I need you to sit down and listen because Pitchfork's latest Selects playlist isn't just a music roundup, it's an artist biography in miniature form for Lorelei, deBasement, and more. Let me break down what makes this week's lineup special before I get into the deep-dive on each one: you get Takaishi Wada (the indie singer-songwriter who wrote 'I Want It All'), a 2014 Grammy nominee DeBasament EP with production notes that are pure music education, and Lorelei's debut solo album. This isn't just three records; it's a complete picture of where the underground is heading right now—from Tokyo to Brooklyn — all in one post. I'm not going to cut anything out because every detail matters here and you deserve the full story before we start debating which one earns your headphone time this weekend, so pay attention while I go through each entry properly.
First up: Takaisha Wada wrote 'I Want It All', an album that is honestly a masterclass in songwriting restraint and emotional honesty. The producer-arranger on her team, Takaru Shigaishi (no relation to the jazz legend), helped shape what became one of Tokyo's most critically acclaimed indie releases in recent memory. Her sound sits comfortably between city-pop sensibilities and contemporary Japanese pop, but with a depth that keeps it from feeling like nostalgia bait — which is my favorite thing about her work because she isn't trying to evoke the past; she's building something new. Pitchfork has called this album 'one of the most rewarding things they covered in 2023,' and I can see why, even just through a few paragraphs describing it. If you haven't heard Takaishi Wada before, let this be your sign to start — her writing is infectious and the production is immaculate.
Next, deBasement released 'I Think You Should Be Sorry' with producer Kenji Morita. This isn't just a new release; it includes detailed production notes that are honestly some of my favorite music journalism from Pitchfork in years because they actually show you how a record gets made, not just what the songs sound like. The album opens with 'I Think You Should Be Sorry,' an upbeat track about being honest even when it hurts — yeah, she writes lyrics like that and I love her for it. She also produced this through 80s synth-pop textures while keeping a deBasement signature on top of it all. Earlier in the piece they reference her debut LP from 2014 called 'The Only Way to See My Face' which is another must-listen, and they frame her career trajectory beautifully as one of those artists who keeps evolving without ever losing their core identity.
And then we get Lorelei — the highlight, honestly my favorite part of this whole thing. She has a debut solo album out called 'I Want It All,' but I need you to hear me on why that's special because she wasn't always a soloist. Her background is incredible: Brooklyn producer and performer who went through The New School’s jazz program as an artist in residence under James Fauntroy Jr., which explains the piano-heavy arrangements, studied at Berklee for several years before returning to NYC — it's like three generations of great musical education built into one artist. She worked on a project called 'The New Sound,' produced her own show, and has been releasing singles since 2016 through DeBasement's label imprint while building an audience at local venues in Brooklyn. Her songwriting is personal — she writes about everything from being kicked out of the jazz scene to loving pizza — these are the details that make you root for her as a creator rather than just consuming another debut record and moving on, which is exactly what this playlist wants you to do: pay attention to Lorelei because she's one of those artists who will be doing great things for at least twenty years.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/this-is-lorelei-debasement-and-more-this-weeks-pitchfork-selects-playlist
First up: Takaisha Wada wrote 'I Want It All', an album that is honestly a masterclass in songwriting restraint and emotional honesty. The producer-arranger on her team, Takaru Shigaishi (no relation to the jazz legend), helped shape what became one of Tokyo's most critically acclaimed indie releases in recent memory. Her sound sits comfortably between city-pop sensibilities and contemporary Japanese pop, but with a depth that keeps it from feeling like nostalgia bait — which is my favorite thing about her work because she isn't trying to evoke the past; she's building something new. Pitchfork has called this album 'one of the most rewarding things they covered in 2023,' and I can see why, even just through a few paragraphs describing it. If you haven't heard Takaishi Wada before, let this be your sign to start — her writing is infectious and the production is immaculate.
Next, deBasement released 'I Think You Should Be Sorry' with producer Kenji Morita. This isn't just a new release; it includes detailed production notes that are honestly some of my favorite music journalism from Pitchfork in years because they actually show you how a record gets made, not just what the songs sound like. The album opens with 'I Think You Should Be Sorry,' an upbeat track about being honest even when it hurts — yeah, she writes lyrics like that and I love her for it. She also produced this through 80s synth-pop textures while keeping a deBasement signature on top of it all. Earlier in the piece they reference her debut LP from 2014 called 'The Only Way to See My Face' which is another must-listen, and they frame her career trajectory beautifully as one of those artists who keeps evolving without ever losing their core identity.
And then we get Lorelei — the highlight, honestly my favorite part of this whole thing. She has a debut solo album out called 'I Want It All,' but I need you to hear me on why that's special because she wasn't always a soloist. Her background is incredible: Brooklyn producer and performer who went through The New School’s jazz program as an artist in residence under James Fauntroy Jr., which explains the piano-heavy arrangements, studied at Berklee for several years before returning to NYC — it's like three generations of great musical education built into one artist. She worked on a project called 'The New Sound,' produced her own show, and has been releasing singles since 2016 through DeBasement's label imprint while building an audience at local venues in Brooklyn. Her songwriting is personal — she writes about everything from being kicked out of the jazz scene to loving pizza — these are the details that make you root for her as a creator rather than just consuming another debut record and moving on, which is exactly what this playlist wants you to do: pay attention to Lorelei because she's one of those artists who will be doing great things for at least twenty years.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/this-is-lorelei-debasement-and-more-this-weeks-pitchfork-selects-playlist