I thought one of the most surprising and impressive albums of 2011 was [“Bubbleman Engine” by MAA](//www.nyaa.se/?page=view&tid=251929). It is a fantastic synth-pop, dance album that is (at least lyrically) a little more risque or blunt than one usually expects. And the album is entertaining enough for that alone. But what made MAA’s first album look astonishing was its razor sharp distinction from her work as MarBell, an indie rock band that formed in 2006 between MAA, who was then using the name Mar, and guitarist Tsunoda Takanori. Technically MarBell did not break up until 2010, but the band’s career honestly only covers 2006–2008, during which they released their only album, _Sister._ Vocally the two albums naturally share some similarity, but for the most part they are night and day, and a fan of either needs to hear the other simply for the fascinating contrast.