Mei Semones - Animaru - CASSETTES

No second-guessing, no overthinking. The way I want to live my life is by doing the things thatare important to me, and I think everyone should live that way, says Mei Semones of herstrengthened self-assurance. Through continuously honing in on her signature fusion of indierock, bossa nova, jazz and chamber pop in a way that highlights her technical prowess onguitar, the 24-year-old Brooklyn-based songwriter and guitarist is quickly establishing herself asan innovative musical force. Since the of her acclaimed 2024 Kabutomushi EP, a seriesof lushly orchestrated reflections on love in it's many stages, Mei has gone on to tourextensively across the US, cultivate a dedicated following, and write and record her highlyanticipated debut album, Animaru. Meaning InchanimalInch in Japanese, Animaru is the embodiment ofMei's deeper trust in her instincts - a collection of musically impressive tracks that see Meisounding more adventurous, more vulnerable and more confident than ever before.Mei's newfound assertiveness comes in part from her experiences in the past year, as 2024 wasa transformative year for the Mei Semones band. They shared bills with the likes of LianaFlores, Elephant Gym and Kara Jackson, among others, and Mei transitioned to doing musicfull-time. Amidst the frequent touring, Mei and her five-piece band recorded the album in thesummer of 2024 at Ashlawn Recording Company, a farm studio in Connecticut operated by theirfriend Charles Dahlke. To these sessions, she brought a batch of tracks that, not unlikeKabutomushi, are sophisticated declarations of non-romantic love love of life (InchDumb FeelingInch),love of family (InchZariganiInch), love of music and her guitar (InchTora MoyoInch). Animaru exemplifies Mei'senchantingly wide range as a songwriter and musician, including some of the most challengingand most straightforward songs Mei has ever written.The si