Tanukichan
Circles
CARPARK
Making music as Tanukichan since 2016, Oakland-based artist Hannah van Loon combines Cocteau Twins–like dream-pop vocals with heavy, distorted guitar riffs that invoke both nostalgia and something completely outside of time. Her new EP Circles moves into unique sonic territory and away from the sound of last year’s GIZMO LP—it’s heavier, yet also more melodic. While Tanukichan’s music flirts with elements of shoegaze, it doesn’t confine itself to a single genre, instead weaving through surprising corners of alt-rock like post-hardcore and nu-metal to create a rich, complex concept that transcends the homages this type of music tends to invite.
Van Loon’s classical training in piano and violin is evident in her technical prowess and ability to craft catchy melodies, which are on full display across Circles. In place of longtime collaborator Toro y Moi producing, van Loon works with producer Franco Reid here, whom she initially bonded with through a shared love of Incubus. That band’s influence can be heard throughout Circles—the title track in particular brings the alt-rockers’ 2001 single “Nice to Know You” to mind. This new partnership has elevated Tanukichan’s sound once again, giving it a grander backdrop for van Loon’s introspective lyrics of personal growth.
Explosive like an early-2000s action film, the EP’s opener “City Bus” builds tension for the first few seconds before the track fully ignites. It then alternates between a driving rhythm and a pause, like a bus lurching through rush hour, as van Loon reflects on her place in society. This intense dynamic continues on the next track, “Circles,” which is defined by subtle synths that crisscross in and out of the song before it explodes into distortion during its chorus. The Wisp-featuring single “It Gets Easier” is a nod to Tanukichan’s more straightforwardly shoegaze sound heard on previous records, but with a more intense edge due to its fast-paced staccato drumming. The frantic energy feels cathartic as van Loon sings of releasing places and people that no longer serve her, shedding all the emotions tied to her past.
After easing on the breaks with the considerably less frenetic “Low,” the final song takes the EP on a surprising yet welcome turn. “In a Dream” feels mournful, as if all van Loon’s anger and energy have been sapped away. The song is stripped down to its bare bones, leaving nothing more than vocals and what sounds like flanger-effected guitar as van Loon looks back on a past relationship. Her use of suspended chords imbues the track with the perfect floaty, melancholy vibe, elevating her lyrics and making us empathize with the narrator. It’s a fitting end to a release that feels more intentional and thought-out than previous Tanukichan projects, better allowing the listener to get lost in pleasing textures and emotional catharsis.
