This is actually a release that we’ve restocked many times, but it always sells out immediately—and we’ve finally been able to add it to our recommendations. Featuring artists such as μ-Ziq, MINOR SCIENCE, NICK LEÓN, and STEPHEN VITIELLO, this is yet another superb release from the influential label 〈BALMAT〉, which has pioneered a wide range of avant-garde electronic and experimental music rooted in New Age ambient. Featuring LAURENCE PIKE, a talented drummer and graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, who is well-known not only for the band projects mentioned above but also for his work with 〈LEAF〉. Although the title, *Possible Utopias For Jazz Quintet*, suggests an ensemble and a jazz-inspired approach, this is a solo project. The sound itself, while conscious of modern jazz, is distinct—a unique blend where a wide range of genres, from electronic music to post-rock, intersect. As expected, the drumming stands out, and it feels as though ideas and developments branch out from that foundation. Even the opener, “Guardians of Memory,” which at first seems like beautiful piano jazz, expands its horizons through the drumming. (Original Japanese text by Akie)