Luminescent Creatures vinyl

Japanese singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Ichiko Aoba is a merchant of the most soothing emotions. Whack this on and you'll be reaching for your incense burner, dimming the lights and switching off your phone as you bask in its elegance. The lead single 'Luciferine' has a lackadaisical flow, with graceful piano and strings underpinning Aoba's pure voice, which introduces the album's central theme of bioluminescence to striking effect. Whilst some musicians wing it through "feel" Ichiko is classically trained and her hard work has paid off - she's had a few great earners along the way, collaborating with Nintendo on the Zelda soundtrack - and had the honour of working with Ryuichi Sakamoto. This new album of hers goes a long way in pushing her brand of Japanese folk-pop towards legendary status - you can envision this being one that will be reissued in 40 years' time.