The other day, on my way to Compuma’s 7-hour set event held at the former Guggenheim Residence in Shioya, Kobe, I was so moved that I listened to this album the whole time. Listening to it while gazing out the car window at the sparkling Suma Beach under clear blue skies was an extraordinary experience. Give it a listen and experience the breath and warmth unique to live recordings, along with the handpan’s tones as they swirl, roll, and leap—it’ll make you feel as if you’ve become a fish gliding effortlessly through the water. Highly Recommended
(AYAM)

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Sawako Kano is a drummer and handpan player based primarily in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. She began playing drums in a school marching band as a child and later performed as a drummer in numerous bands. She began playing the handpan in 2020 and has since joined the “Tokimeki Trio” and “Sawachiko” as a handpan player. She has released the album “Kibako Tetsu,” recorded using the handpan and tang drum. She continues to perform as a drummer with “Kobune” and “kobukan” (Kobune + Kanji Nakao).

This album, “Spinning,” is a recording of a live performance held at cafe tohka on April 20, 2025.
It captures the open acoustics and peaceful atmosphere of the cafe, located in a quiet residential neighborhood. The sound, which he himself describes as having a “human-powered techno flavor,” is acoustic yet occasionally reveals moments reminiscent of natural sounds, much like those produced by analog synthesizers.
Although the handpan has a limited range, the noise components in the attack, the rich overtones, and the rhythmic sensibility unique to an exceptional drummer combine to construct a complex sonic world. Combined with the acoustics of the minimalist café space, the sound is reminiscent of a suikinkutsu.

Mastering was handled by Yousei Suzuki, and
the cover art was designed by ann ihsa.