Don’t Test The Unmaker’s Patience

Description

Tanukichan, the musical project of Hannah van Loon from Oakland, California, has been a leading figure in modern shoegaze music since 2016, when she first collaborated with Chaz Bear of Toro y Moi. Together, they released an EP and two full albums under the Bear's Company Records label, culminating in GIZMO in 2023. With her new EP Circles, released on September 20, 2024, via Carpark Records, van Loon ventures into new territories by partnering for the first time with a new producer - Franco Reid. The genesis of their partnership dates back to the GIZMO campaign, when Reid noticed that van Loon was wearing an Incubus t-shirt in a press photo on Instagram. Intrigued to know if van Loon was a true fan, he sent her a DM. Their shared musical interest sparked a dialogue that ultimately led to the creation of the single "NPC" in 2023. The lead single "City Bus" offers a reflection on van Loon's childhood bus rides in San Francisco, evoking the rhythm of the stops and departures in the lives of commuters through a punchy drumbeat and a heavy guitar return that ebbs and flows in the mix. Themes of self-reflection and societal belonging permeate the track, echoing van Loon's ongoing personal journey. While much of Circles leans into internal struggles, "It Gets Easier" takes a more festive tone as van Loon realizes she has developed an increased sense of maturity in the face of difficulties. "It's easier to let go of situations or people that don't serve me," reflects van Loon, "Or if they can't be avoided, at least I don't have to dwell on the sadness or discomfort I feel when I let someone go." Introduced by Reid, the nu-gaze sensation Wisp contributes to a verse in her equally ethereal vocal style. There is a notable shift on Circles considering that the first three releases of Tanukichan were produced by a pioneer of the chillwave genre. With van Loon's ever-dreamy writing and Reid at the helm, Tanukichan enters a new sonic territory that feels larger, arena-ready, and closer to a high-speed night drive than the hazy summer dream of its predecessors.