Koen Holtkamp is known as a member of Mountains, an influential duo in the drone, ambient, and experimental scenes, but in his solo work as well, he has consistently pursued a meticulous attention to the texture and spatial qualities of sound. The source of the bouncy string sounds that take center stage on this album is, surprisingly, a new instrument he developed based on a modular synthesizer he invented himself; it reportedly uses electronic circuits and acoustic modeling to reproduce the resonance of stringed instruments like the guitar and kora. Tracks like “Slow Fox Run” and “Northern Flicker” (sample_1)—which can be enjoyed as ambient jazz or post-rock— and “Dream On”—tracks that can be enjoyed as “Slow Fox Run,” ambient jazz, or post-rock—feature collaborators active in the American experimental scene, including Matt Bauder on saxophone and flute, Greg Fox on drums, and Ben Vida on synth bass. These 12 tracks are the culmination of a long-standing exploration into how sound interacts with the environment and perception. You’ll want to experience them on a high-quality sound system. (Original Japanese text by AYAM)