"at once cosmically huge and acutely personal, Zauner captures grief for the perversely intimate yet overwhelming pain it is. Long may she keep at this music thing." -Pitchfork
"a stunning debut" -Rolling Stone
"overwhelmingly colorful and joyous; while her words betray grief and frustration, she turns the pain into power." -NPR
"Psychopomp is exemplary, finding joy in sadness and despair in the brightest of lights...It is an immaculately crafted debut, and you should listen" -Stereogum
A side project from her work as front woman of Philadelphia indie punk band Little Big League, Michelle Zauner released a tape in June 2013 under the solo moniker Japanese Breakfast. The tape was titled June and boasted thirty tracks written and recorded every day of the month. A stark deviation from Little Big Leagues guitar-based indie rock, it showcased Zauners dark lyrics, unique vocals and inherent knack for pop melody.
Two bedroom pop cassettes later, Japanese Breakfast returns with its first full-fledged LP and vinyl release, Psychopomp. The album explores Zauners experimental interests and hosts a wide range of sound: jarring anime samples, minimalist ballads, rhythms and synths reminiscent of Tango in the Night-era Fleetwood Mac paired with the moody intimacy of Mount Eerie. Psychopomp revisits and revamps lo-fi tracks and adds chilling new songs to fall in love with.