【コラム】不完全さの美学 ─ 不完全の時代を生きるポップの新しい美学

Column en History Punk Rave

12 Oct 2025

Indie Sleaze brings back the era of dirty pleasure

Text: mmr｜Theme: Tiredness towards “perfect pop”.As a reaction to this, the “aesthetics of imperfection” is once again sweeping the world.

Weary of the “perfect pop” created by the smartphone era.As a reaction to this, the ``aesthetics of imperfection’’ is once again sweeping the world.Charli XCX’s brat symbolized not just a trend, but a cultural rewilding.

Pop culture has finally tired of the “too clean aesthetic”. Charli XCX’s album “brat” dominates the summer charts. When we breathed new life into clubs around the world, We were made aware again… I think music should be rougher, more improvised, and more “imperfect.”

1. The rekindling of Indie Sleaze and the pleasure of “roughness”

1-1. What lies behind Y2K nostalgia

In the mid-2020s, the Y2K revival spread from fashion to music to internet culture. Among them, the term “Indie Sleaze” is once again in the spotlight. In the early 2000s, a party lit by digital camera flashes, Muses whose make-up is still ruined, An ambiguous romanticism that dwells in the image quality of MySpace. What was there was the truth because it was not in place.

And in 2024, that “roughness” once again destroyed modern boredom. This attitude of rejecting perfect filters has become a new aesthetic.

1-2. Signs shown by fashion

Launched by Saint Laurent and Heaven by Marc Jacobs The “roughness of the night” and “worn out shine” are Eventually, it infected the world of music as well. In the eerie decadence of the Balenciaga show, The “beauty of not being perfect” was stirring. Charli XCX’s ``brat’’ sublimated that feeling into pop music.

2. “Brat” talks about the power of “imperfection”

2-1. Casual reality

When you listen to “brat”, the first thing you feel is the comfort of being “unfinished.” The vocals are rough, the mix is staticy, and the lyrics are spit out impulsively. However, there is a “raw” feel to it that is not found in other pop music. It is a ``human touch’’ that is the opposite of the era of perfection.

2-2. The antithesis of a perfect world

Smartphones and social networking sites have created an obsession with always being right. Images are cleaned up, voices are corrected, and mistakes are instantly removed. However, Charli XCX seems to laugh off the pressure. He dared to throw out an uneven sound to the world. The success of ``brat’’ is a milestone in pop history. It symbolizes a “departure from the belief in perfection.”

3. Ripples of imperfection ─ From Trashy to Organic

3-1. Kesha and the “Joyride” parable

Kesha’s “Joyride” is a nod to 2000s Euro dance. I dared to revive it cheaply. Behind the sparkling synths, a rawness shines through, like a mix of sweat and makeup. It was a carnivalesque rebellion against the world of overly controlled beauty. Charli XCX and Kesha’s movements showed that It was the dawn of an era of ``openness’’ rather than perfection.

3-2. Lo-fi Renaissance

At the bottom of club culture, DIY-style expressions using cheap microphones and used equipment are once again gaining popularity. In clubs in Berlin and London, Taking the beat off, distorting it, and destroying it is becoming the “style.” What lies here is the immediacy of emotion rather than the purity of sound. The fact that it’s not perfect resonates as “sincerity.”

4-1. Freedom of not being visible

The era of “well-formed self-expression” dominated by Instagram and TikTok has changed. It’s slowly coming to an end. Nowadays, the younger generation wants things to “sway” rather than “stand out.” Poorly focused photos, noisy recordings, and unedited videos. It is in them that I find evidence of my real self.

4-2. Escape from online to offline

“The Aesthetics of Imperfection” is It’s not just about aesthetics, it’s also about resetting your way of life. People who are tired of building their personalities on SNS and return to their “body” again. The humidity of the club, the roar of the live house, There is an imperfect but certain feeling within it. Music is once again returning to the “human scene” rather than the digital world.

5. Turning point in beauty ─ From “adjusting” to “collapsing”

5-1. Courage to affirm imperfection

The last ten years have been dominated by ideas of minimalism and tidying up. We have been afraid of what we are missing. But now, what is missing is the blank space for creation. Noisy sounds, blurred images, and stuck words. Instead of removing them, accept them as part of the work. Therein lies the sensibility of a new era.

5-2. “Rewilding” of pop

After “brat,” artists let go of their microphones. Impromptu recording with smartphone, I started uploading songs unfinished. What they all have in common is the attitude of leaving things as they are.'' Pop is becoming wild again. It is the complete opposite of the inorganic perfection created by AI. It is also an attempt to return to thehuman rhythm.’’

6. The future of imperfection ─ Toward a new reality

We are finally on the verge of being freed from the shackles of “perfection.” Outside the world arranged by algorithms, Errors, distortions, and obscurities shine once again.

It’s evolution, not regression. The improvisational nature of music, the accidental nature of art, And evolution that affirms the instability that humans have.

What is “The Aesthetics of Imperfection”? In short, it is the aesthetics of “living itself.” It’s okay if it breaks.It’s okay to waver. The sound is not perfect, we are not perfect, The time has come to make this world sing again.

Appendix: The Aesthetics of Imperfection 2025 Playlist

- Four artists who express the aesthetics of imperfection -

Artist/Album / Track	Year	Description	Link
Charli XCX/brat	2024	21st century rebellion against “perfection” with gritty club beats and impromptu vocals.	Amazon
Kesha/Joyride	2024	Trashy A comeback work that recreates Eurodance and celebrates “dirty pleasure.”	Amazon
Yaeji/With A Hammer	2023	A post-club masterpiece that turns introspection and anger into beats while switching back and forth between Korean and English.	Amazon
Ethel Cain/Preacher’s Daughter	2022	The pinnacle of modern gothic pop, depicting the collapse of Americana and self-salvation.	Amazon