The debut single from Tokyo-based trio Baby Fire, “Water” latches onto a vein of dreamy, shoegaze-influenced pop that fans of Blonde Redhead and Asobi Seksu will greatly enjoy. Apart from all possessing a female vocalist who is at least half Japanese, these acts all use gently swaying guitars, steady rhythmic involvement, dreamy synth/key infusions and a convincing vocal presence to great success. “Water” uses a touch of effervescent twinkling synths to make their dreamy soundscape even more robust, with the consuming chorus – first introduced starting around 01:11 – adding just the right uptick in intensity to diversify from the tranquil verses. It’s all serene, but the added forcefulness during the chorus really gets the job done.
In addition to the Blonde Redhead and Asobi Seksu comparisons, the band is fond of the “50% Cocteau Twins / 50% Shonen Knife” label. With this being their debut single, I’m looking forward to whatever else Baby Fire churns out.
