With such a busy slate of K-pop releases, I don’t always have a chance to rave about some of my favorite J-pop. This week, I’ll be giving an overview of some of my favorite acts and songs. Hopefully you’ll find a new obsession to add to your playlist!

Why I Love Pick Me Up (and you should too)

Perfume are one of the most popular and well-known acts in J-pop, but I still feel like I’m catching up with their discography. I always love the production in their songs, but the vocal approach is something I really have to be in the mood to appreciate. It’s so aloof – almost deadpan in its own way. This is obviously intentional and one of their biggest charms, but it doesn’t always jive with my personal taste.

Given this, it’s no surprise that the effusive Pick Me Up stands as my favorite Perfume single. Yes, that trademark vocalization is omnipresent. But, the big scale of the song offers a chance to unbridle some elements of the group’s framework and give us moments that reach for the stars. In this case, those moments appear in Pick Me Up’s chorus. We get a hint of this bombast in the opening instrumental, which cascades right out of the gate before pulling back for softer verses. The track builds back bigger with its extended pre-chorus and before we know it we’re scaling the heights of Pick Me Up’s immense centerpiece. This is one of my favorite workout songs for a reason. It just gets your blood pumping in a way only the most satisfying EDM can.

I enjoyed this! Where should I go next?

Well… here’s the thing. I’m open to suggestions. Perfume are a group I’ve checked in with here and there, but I don’t feel like I’m any expert on their discography. I enjoyed 2020’s Time Warp a lot and YouTube keeps feeding me Spending All My Time and Nee, which I also enjoy. But, I’m curious if you all know other Perfume songs that are worth diving into. They’ve certainly got a big discography to choose from.

Grade: A