What makes Soft Sounds from Another Planet by Japanese Breakfast notable?

The album received widespread critical acclaim, landing on numerous year-end lists and earning a spot on The New York Times' list of the best albums of 2017. Its exploration of themes such as grief and identity resonated with listeners and has influenced a wave of contemporary indie artists seeking to blend intimate storytelling with expansive sonic landscapes. Released in early 2017, Soft Sounds from Another Planet is Japanese Breakfast's second studio album, following their debut, Psychopomp. At this point, Michelle Zauner had begun to establish herself as a distinctive voice in indie music, building on the critical acclaim from her first record and further refining her sound and lyrical themes.

How many songs are on Soft Sounds from Another Planet?

Soft Sounds from Another Planet has 12 tracks, running approximately 37 minutes.

Soft Sounds from Another Planet

Japanese Breakfast · 2017

37 min · 12 tracks · indie pop

An ethereal blend of dream pop and experimental textures, weaving personal narratives through lush, atmospheric soundscapes.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Diving Woman — Opening with lush instrumentation, this track sets the tone for the album's exploration of vulnerability and emotional depth through its haunting melodies.
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Road Head — This song juxtaposes upbeat production with introspective lyrics, encapsulating the album's tension between joy and melancholy in a unique way.
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Soft Sounds From Another Planet — The title track beautifully melds dreamy instrumentals with reflective lyrics, summing up the overall aesthetic of searching for connection amidst isolation.
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The Body Is a Blade — Combining stark imagery with emotive vocals, this track illustrates the raw pain of loss while maintaining an ethereal quality that defines the album.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

72 /100

Alpine

Higher than 95% of albums we've rated

The album blends ethereal soundscapes with personal storytelling, showcasing strong craft and distinctiveness.

What we noticed

The first track opens with a slow, atmospheric build that introduces layered synths and distant vocals, setting a dreamlike tone.
Several tracks feature abrupt shifts in dynamics, such as 'Road Head,' which transitions from soft verses to a more intense chorus.
The album includes interludes like 'Planetary Ambience' that serve as sonic pauses, creating space between the more structured songs.
Lyrically, the themes of identity and grief are woven throughout, with personal narratives delivered in a conversational style.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 8/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 7/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Diving Woman 6:32
2 Road Head 3:15
3 Machinist 3:37
4 Planetary Ambience 1:17
5 Soft Sounds From Another Planet 3:22
6 Boyish 3:34
7 12 Steps 2:36
8 Jimmy Fallon Big! 2:36
9 The Body Is a Blade 3:40
10 Till Death 2:57
11 This House 3:02
12 Here Come the Tubular Bells 0:40

What to play next

Listen next

Jubilee

2021

Go back to

Psychopomp

2016

Full Japanese Breakfast discography Artists like Japanese Breakfast

indie pop indie rock

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata