If you listen to shoegaze and dreampop — or just love surprises —, aoihr’s “Dirty Puddle” might be right up your alley. Based in Tokyo, Japan, aoihr (アオイハル) is a one-member band formed in 2017 by Shunsuke Abe, who acts as the composer, singer, player, and videographer of the band. aoihr currently has one EP, titled “The Spring And Me”, and is set to release a full album around the end of 2025 or early 2026. “Dirty Puddle” serves as the album’s lead single and is out October 28th.
The song starts off sweet and calm, pulling the listener into a peaceful and hopeful state of mind. That is, until the second verse starts: the sound we were getting used to takes a turn, gaining EDM elements such as sidechain compressions and spicing up the track. And the surprises don’t stop there — aoihr keeps adding “plot twists” to the single, which add so much flavor and uniqueness to the song, and help shake things up to add dynamicity to their sound.
Despite the experimental nature of the song, the softness of the vocals stays consistent throughout all of the changes in the track, which demonstrates how well-versed aoihr is at doing things that are different but that can still keep their sound’s essence intact. The blend of electronic and more traditional indie rock elements works really well in the single and helps the band stand out as an artist worth checking out.
All in all, “Dirty Puddle” is a masterclass on making music that is incredibly unique while still having a relatively familiar sound that audiences can connect to. I’m really excited to hear what else they will put out in the near future, as well as their previously released EP, and I hope they have some more experimental tracks for me to be pleasantly surprised by in-store.
Written by Ella Lipp
