I don’t know about you but my M.O. for January is to try and squeeze as much fun and happiness out of lockdown as I can. That means being kind to yourself and leaning into music that is going to make you feel good.
Case in point, the Japanese girl group Atarashii Gakkou!’s latest song and video ‘Nainainai’.
Their name is translated as New School Leaders, and that’s the school sailor moon-aesthetic they lean into in their performances as you can see on the dance-lead video for ‘Nainainai’.
The song’s lyrics touch on Tik-Tok virality, boredom, studying, and getting to the final episode of your favourite Anime too quickly. It turns modern existential dread into a ’90s-breakbeat-indebted pop banger.
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Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
