Sharp Pins – Balloon Balloon Balloon

Kai Slater’s endearing quest to monopolise Best Album Of 2025 lists continues with Balloon Balloon Balloon, his latest exercise in jangly British Invasion-inspired indie rock.

Slater is clearly a rare talent, but compared to his ‘90s counterparts—think Elephant 6, Guided By Voices, and Sebadoh—the lo-fi nature of his Sharp Pins work feels more like a conscious aesthetic choice than one borne of necessity. I grew up with this sound, and it’s highly nostalgic for me, but there is a nagging sense of affectation here, which Slater’s Anglophile vocal only amplifies.

Fortunately for Slater, his songwriting often compensates for these minor concerns. While writing about Radio DDR in April, I pondered, "Why does no one else write bridges like Kai Slater writes bridges these days?" This question remains relevant on Balloon Balloon Balloon, even though this record feels more sprawling and chaotic in nature.

Of the album’s 21 tracks, only eleven are longer than two minutes, and many of the shorter compositions feel like partially explored scraps of ideas. If Radio DDR was a surprise breakthrough hit, Balloon Balloon Balloon feels like a clear statement from Slater that he’s not ready or willing to be the next indie rock superstar. Sharp Pins is his vehicle for weirdo ideas, retro exploration, and inevitable Guided By Voices comparisons—not main stage slots at major festivals.

On the subject of soundalikes, in addition to bands like The Nerves, The Byrds, and early Supergrass, I can hear shades of Portland’s much-missed Exploding Hearts on the side B standout “Takes So Long.” Balloon Balloon Balloon is not Slater’s best album of 2025—it’s probably not even his second best—but any record that evokes the snotty power pop of Guitar Romantic is worth investigating in my book.

Balloon Balloon Balloon is out now via Perennial.