Pop duo Yorushika hit its stride on its 2018 EP, Makeinu Ni Encore Wa Iranai. Before forming the group, producer N-buna worked in the VOCALOID community. There, he used the singing-synthesizer software represented by characters like Hatsune Miku to create vocals and placed them over driving guitar arrangements. The Yorushika project found him teaming with human singer Suis to expand his sonic approach. Musically, N-buna continues exploring the nervy, alternative-rock-inspired guitar melodies that also defined his VOCALOID days. He adds a touch of the dramatic via sudden tempo changes on the title track and even displays restraint on the more minimal, jazzy “Tomin.” These backdrops work well with Suis’ higher register. She can sound airy on the aforementioned “Tomin” or fiery alongside N-buna’s chug on the sunny “Tada Kimi Ni Hare.” While the music sounds upbeat thanks to the mix of zippy guitar and bright singing, the lyrics reveal something thornier. The pair explores the pain of happy memories slipping away (“Tada Kimi Ni Hare”) and confronts existential dread (“Hitchcock,” a nod to the director of the same name and an early hint to Yorushika’s yen for referencing other artists). Yorushika would flesh this out and explore deeper narratives in the years ahead, but its foundation comes together on Makeinu Ni Encore Wa Iranai.