"No second-guessing, no overthinking. The way I want to live my life is by doing the things thatare important to me, and I think everyone should live that way," says Mei Semones of herstrengthened self-assurance. Through continuously honing in on her signature fusion of indierock, bossa nova, jazz and chamber pop in a way that highlights her technical prowess onguitar, the 24-year-old Brooklyn-based songwriter and guitarist is quickly establishing herself asan innovative musical force. Since the release of her acclaimed 2024 Kabutomushi EP, a seriesof lushly orchestrated reflections on love in it's many stages, Mei has gone on to tourextensively across the US, cultivate a dedicated following, and write and record her highlyanticipated debut album, Animaru. Meaning "animal" in Japanese, Animaru is the embodiment ofMei's deeper trust in her instincts - a collection of musically impressive tracks that see Meisounding more adventurous, more vulnerable and more confident than ever before.Mei's newfound assertiveness comes in part from her experiences in the past year, as 2024 wasa transformative year for the Mei Semones band. They shared bills with the likes of LianaFlores, Elephant Gym and Kara Jackson, among others, and Mei transitioned to doing musicfull-time. Amidst the frequent touring, Mei and her five-piece band recorded the album in thesummer of 2024 at Ashlawn Recording Company, a farm studio in Connecticut operated by theirfriend Charles Dahlke. To these sessions, she brought a batch of tracks that, not unlikeKabutomushi, are sophisticated declarations of non-romantic love: love of life ("Dumb Feeling"),love of family ("Zarigani"), love of music and her guitar ("Tora Moyo"). Animaru exemplifies Mei'senchantingly wide range as a songwriter and musician, including some of the most challengingand most straightforward songs Mei has ever written.The simpler moments on Animaru are equally as captivating as when Mei is shredding on guitaror her bandmates are carrying out an intricate arrangement. "Donguri," a stripped-down jazzduo performance between acoustic guitar and upright bass, is the simplest song Mei has everwritten, brought to life by Mei sweetly chronicling (mostly in Japanese) what she imagines lifewould be like as a woodland creature living in the forest. The album's penultimate track alsoencompasses themes relating to the titular "animaru." Translating to "crayfish," the bright,effervescent "Zarigani" is a nostalgic expression of love for her twin sister, with Mei singing"We'll always have each other / I love you like my guitar / I love you like no other." Family is oneof the top loves of Mei's life, with her mom, Seiko Semones, making all of her album and singleartwork. Despite Animaru being a statement of Mei's autonomy and confidence at this point inher life, it's the various loves that she surrounds herself with - her family, her friends, her band,her music - that empower her to do things her own way.