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Alexa Leung

Review: "Drunk in Japan" - The Kites



Upbeat, peppy, and oh-so fun, The Kites’ newest single “Drunk in Japan” is a high-powered pop song that’ll make you want to drop everything and dance. It’s got everything you’d ever want from a good pop song: lyrics about love and freedom, a twangy, energetic guitar, and the thrum of a steady drum threading itself throughout the track. For those of you who feel like you need a change of scenery, this song is for you; reminiscent of a season long gone, and nights spent wandering a city with good company in a drunken haze, "Drunk in Japan" is the perfect song to remind you of those distant days.




Everyone knows the best kind of dance-pop has to be energetic, fast-paced, and have lyrics that roll off the tongue– “Drunk in Japan” has all these staples and more. If there were ever a song to sing along to, you’d be doing it to this one; with Joseph Staniforth on vocals, you just get the urge to join in with his smooth singing. The instrumentals, too, keep the good vibes going; The Kites have truly outdone themselves with just how dynamically sonic the song is, a fantastic blend of strings and percussion. All together, there is a harmonious balance that results in the vibrant soundscape of “Drunk in Japan.” Instrumentals aside, the lyrics are exactly what should be in a song like this: easily singable, cyclical, and catchier than any other earworm. The chorus is fantastic, repeating, “Out there, drunk in Japan” over and over again, feeling just like a night out after drinks, spinning around in a fuzzy spiral.



The Kites are a Leeds-based band composed of four teenagers: Joseph Staniforth on vocals and guitar, Jake McBrinn on guitar, Elodie Parsons on bass, and Oliver Staniforth on drums. Brothers Joseph and Oliver first met Jake in secondary school, and then eventually met Elodie at a songwriter camp, after which The Kites were born. Inspired by artists such as Twenty-One Pilots and Stevie Wonder, The Kites are an indie-pop band with uniquely punchy and high-octane sounds. 2022 marked the year of their debut single “Jaded” which has gained over 550,000 plays on Spotify, and 2023 welcomed their debut EP “POSTCODE” to great success and popularity. The Kites’ most recent release is “Drunk in Japan”, but they’re not stopping there; with the band having over 87,000 listeners and counting on Spotify, The Kites are a non-stop force of pure indie-pop.


Written By Alexa Leung



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