A bold and ambitious work that uniquely explores the possibilities of Japanese R&B and urban soul—incorporating falsetto and obsessive multi-tracking of backing vocals—while also intersecting with the avant-garde, melancholic, ambient, and experimental qualities of a closed-off DIY aesthetic. It is a brilliant, significant, and thought-provoking album.
Shigeaki Kobukuro’s second album, released on December 18, 2019. Entirely self-produced, this important work reaffirms Kobukuro’s avant-garde approach as a trackmaker and his universality as a songwriter. Track B2, “Tohji’s Track,” featuring Tohji; Track B4, “Gaia,” featuring 5lack; and B1 “Down The Line,” co-written with Hikaru Utada—his impeccable judgment not only speaks to his exceptional qualities as a producer but also ensures that each of these tracks possesses the inevitability to be considered a highlight of the album.