Various Artists

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The label is new and based in Brisbane, a spin-off of Room40. The musicians come from Tokyo, Hong Kong, and (again) Brisbane. The music is small-scale, sometimes twee or verging on it (The Pancakes’ “Jane and Jenny” couldn’t get any more pinkly adorable if it wiggled a bunny nose and hung Hello Kitty danglers on its schoolbag); sometimes warm and atmospheric, a mist that tickles or strokes; and sometimes brisker but still cute (the wonderful Shugo Tokumaru contributes a banjo piece, The Deadnotes toddle with trumpets, and two women from Tokyo who call themselves the Groopies twiddle and beep and gibber frantically as if someone is amusing their mixing desk to death). The compilation drifts to a close with a starry-eyed combination of piano and night insects from Akira Kosemura. Add to Friends depends on its extreme cuteness to survive; it’s like a sweet little ant that you don’t want to step on.

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