Her first album Orca (2021), co-released with the US label Orange Milk, had a strong compilation character, showcasing the musical shifts and variations she'd gone through since her debut. Calla, by contrast, is a total production, conceived from the outset as a full-length album. The songs grew out of demos by British producer Dan Shutt, co-writer of "Lan Se" from Orca, and mixing was again handled by The Anticipation Illicit Tsuboi.
Calla makes a world emerge like a "crystal," carefully and minutely transcribing fragments of her most personal experiences and memories, going back to childhood, into sound, composition, singing and arrangement. With its unhurried tempos, finely worked arrangements and ear-catching melodies, Calla is a musical statement that is refreshing, charming and affirmative, underpinned by the ache of nostalgia and a sense of melancholy. Rather than insisting on the extremity of the self, this introspective album quietly proposes the value of sharing an oasis-like repose. The songs collected here glow warmly and shimmer gently: a concise, lovely set of evocative, emotional gems. The cover art was painted by Ellen Thomas, based on a photograph by Shusaku Yoshikawa.