Kyoto’s tip top nap put out their first single, “Yureru/Hakuchuumu”, in July, and just a couple weeks ago they followed it up with a new three-track EP titled “calm down”. The band has added its name to the remarkably versatile 2018 roster of fresh faces in the Japanese shoegaze scene at a time when the Kansai region could use a little depth. Tip top nap hops back and forth between bouncy post punk and slow dreamy psychedelia on the intro track “Dull”, slowing it down completely on the EP’s ambient, acoustic slowcore finale, “Hum”. Sandwiched in between the two is the band’s strongest track to date. “Moon” plays like the Kinoko Teikoku track that fans have been praying for for a few years now. It’s a mellow, emotional song that builds slowly to an explosive, heart-melting chorus, carried throughout by vocalists Natsumi Yamamoto’s gorgeous, breathy vocals. The song climaxes with a minute or so of roaring guitars and dreamy moans before dying down to an outro beat that gives you some time to catch your breath.
Check out tip top nap’s “calm down” EP on Bandcamp.