Paradise on Planet Popstar in Bloomington, MN

Following the release of their celebrated debut album, 2024's
Triple Seven
, noisy, romantic indie stylists
Wishy
return less than a year later with something old and something new. The compilation
Paradise on Planet Popstar
brings together their 2023 EP,
Paradise
, and six new songs dubbed
Planet Popstar
. Spoiler alert: the latter's ultra-fuzzy, gushing title track ("Love at the speed of light") is one of the highlights here. But first, in case you missed it,
offers five slightly melancholier tracks that demonstrate that
arrived as a concept pretty much fully formed by what was their second EP, with its intriguing mix of boy songs, girl songs, boy-girl songs, hazy dream pop, buzzy shoegaze, bouncy jangle, and rich harmonic palettes -- and just a touch of prog rock. The new EP adopts a more uplifting outlook on average, beginning with the laid-back and breezy "Fly," a
Nina Pitchkites
-led tune that references
Ace of Base
before she reveals, "I found a way/To be grateful every day."
Kevin Krauter
takes the lead on the aforementioned "Planet Popstar" as well as on the more reflective and intricate "Over and Over." The set's three remaining tracks maintain a warm and blurry soundscape and contemplative, affectionate tone, with "Portal" embracing a trip-hop-adjacent beat, and with closer "Slide" riding along an ambling groove that fades out seemingly into the sunset. With all of these releases arriving relatively closely together and adopting such a similar production and songwriting approach,
serves as a fine alternate entry point to the band. ~ Marcy Donelson