This past spring, CHAI released their new album WINK via Sub Pop. On WINK, the “scrappiness of Chai’s early records is peeled back to reveal a dreamier collection of melodies driven by Yuna’s sprightly and varied drumming” (New York Times), and their recently-released Adult Swim single “miniskirt” falls into this sound. Today, they share an accompanying video directed by Yoshika Matsuoka. CHAI consistently have an incredible, colorful aesthetic - and this new video is a hi-def presentation of their curated sets. 

CHAI’s YUUKI elaborates: “W​​e brainstormed everything, from the ideas to the plot, and with the director, we brought it all to life! This song’s keywords, ‘miniskirt’ and ‘showing off your skin,’ brought the vision for a battle between the miniskirt and long-skirt cliques. Our ‘fight for justice’ in the means of ‘kawaii’ may differ from ‘justice’ for others…and the thought of ‘kawaii,’ that never came to our minds, may actually be the door to opening something new…It’s a story of realization through battle! In the end, what we see is ‘NEO!’ Within this one life we get to live, let’s reinvent ourselves over and over again!”

PRAISE FOR WINK

“Chai is a professional purveyor of whimsy.” - New York Times

“One of CHAI’s greatest strengths is the Japanese band’s ability to weave between different genres, buoyed by their generous sense of humor and vibrantly catchy hooks” - Pitchfork

“challenging your expectations is a key tenet of this band.” - NPR Music

“Inspired by the varied genres they were listening to at home, WINK injects the effervescent energy of their past dance-punk work into funk, chiptune, and more.”

 - Pitchfork

“This is the year CHAI breaks through like never before.” - Complex

“WINK looks to possess a glitzy, glossy appeal all its own, incorporating EDM and R&B in gleefully idiosyncratic ways.” - AV Club