Wink (album)

Wink is the third studio album by Japanese rock quartet Chai, released on May 21, 2021. It is their first record on Sub Pop, following two albums on the now-defunct Burger Records.

Wink
Studio album by
Chai
ReleasedMay 21, 2021
Studio
  • Endhits Studio Inc, Tokyo
  • Foftoo Sound Labs, Tokyo
  • Sound Arts, Tokyo
  • Strange Weather, New York City
Genre
Length34:53
Label
Producer
Chai chronology
Punk
(2019)		 Wink
(2021)		 Chai
(2023)
Singles from Wink
  1. "Donuts Mind If I Do"
    Released: October 2, 2020
  2. "Action"
    Released: January 19, 2021
  3. "Maybe Chocolate Chips"
    Released: February 24, 2021
  4. "Nobody Knows We Are Fun"
    Released: April 1, 2021
  5. "Ping Pong!"
    Released: April 28, 2021

Wink was greeted with critical applause upon its release, with praise going to its contemplative nature and the quartet's success at a new musical palette, which brought in funk, hip hop and R&B sounds.

Composition

Wink has been noted for adding hip hop and R&B alongside the quartet's signature dance-punk and pop rock.[2][3][4] Many publications echoed this positively, with many finding funk, house, pop and soul stylings woven throughout as well.[4][5]

It has been noted as "all analogue R&B and garage punk with a rap verse".[3]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10[6]
Metacritic80/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Beats Per Minute79%[9]
DIY[10]
Exclaim!8/10[11]
Gigwise9/10[12]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[13]
Our Culture Mag[14]
Paste7.8/10[15]
Pitchfork7.5/10[16]
The Skinny[17]

Wink received acclaim from music critics. On Metacritic, it has received a score of 80 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]

Tara Joshi for The Quietus applauded it as their "most comforting listen to date".[18] Clare Martin for Paste called it "fun and filling" and noted the quartet made "every moment feel like a treat".[15] The album was placed at number 47 in The Guardian's list of the 50 best albums of 2021, with Laura Snapes describing it as "blissed-out, dreamy synth-pop".[19]

Track listing
Wink track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Donuts Mind If I Do"3:48
2."Maybe Chocolate Chips" (featuring Ric Wilson)2:53
3."Action"3:23
4."End"2:15
5."Ping Pong!" (featuring YMCK)3:16
6."Nobody Knows We Are Fun"3:01
7."It's Vitamin C"2:49
8."In Pink" (featuring Mndsgn)3:45
9."Karaage"3:11
10."Miracle"2:37
11."Wish Upon a Star"2:47
12."Salty"1:08
Total length:34:53

Personnel

Chai

  • Mana – vocals, keyboards
  • Kana – vocals, guitar
  • Yuuki – bass, choir/chorus
  • Yuna – drums, choir/chorus

References
  1. "WINK by CHAI - Credits | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  2. "WINK by CHAI | Bandcamp". chaioffical.bandcamp.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  3. Gatward, Tristan (May 17, 2021). "CHAI - WINK - Album Review | Loud and Quiet". loudandquiet.com. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  4. Moody, Mark (May 21, 2021). "CHAI: WINK (Sub Pop) - review | Under the Radar". undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  5. Daly, Rhian (May 17, 2021). "CHAI – 'WINK' review: punks go pop with healing third album | NME". nme.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  6. "WINK by CHAI reviews | AnyDecentMusic?". anydecentmusic.com. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  7. "Critic Reviews for Wink | Metacritic". metacritic.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  8. Sendra, Tim. "Wink - CHAI | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  9. McMullen, Chase (May 24, 2021). "Album Review: CHAI - WINK | Beats Per Minute". beatsperminute.com. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  10. Wright, Lisa. "CHAI - WINK | DIY". diymag.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  11. Fink, Adam (May 17, 2021). "CHAI Add Contemplation to Their Manic Sweetness on 'WINK' | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  12. Vincent, Jack (May 20, 2021). "Album Review: CHAI - Wink | Gigwise". gigwise.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  13. Kuscher, Oliver. "WINK is CHAI channeling the energy of a slow year into their fast paced formula | The Line of Best Fit". thelineofbestfit.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  14. Pappis, Konstantinos (May 25, 2021). "Album Review: CHAI, 'WINK' | Our Culture Mag". ourculturemag.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  15. Martin, Clare (May 19, 2021). "CHAI: 'WINK' Album Review | Paste Magazine". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  16. Jagota, Vrinda (May 24, 2021). "CHAI: WINK Album Review | Pitchfork Media". pitchfork.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  17. Wade, Lewis (May 19, 2021). "CHAI album review: WINK | The Skinny". theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  18. Joshi, Tara (May 20, 2021). "On The Blink: WINK By CHAI | The Quietus". thequietus.com. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  19. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben; Snapes, Laura (17 December 2021). "The 50 best albums of 2021". theguardian.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
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