Okada Takuro was in a folk-rock band once—Mori Wa Ikiteiru were distinctly less interpretive, but possessed the same life-affirming curiosity as its leader’s solo work. Betsu No Jikan, Takuro’s first album in two years, contains six tracks, each a puddle with elegant rain dripping down upon it at shifting tempos and with fresh textures in every drop. In its reflective rainfall, a kind of contentment is achieved. Questioning what it means to be ‘musical’ in the current age, Takuro seems to posit that a flowing sense of exploration is one worthwhile route of many. Alongside some great collaborators, the artist creates some enchanting work.
23/30
A favourite: ‘If Sea Could Sing’
‘Betsu No Jikan’ is out now via NEWHERE MUSIC.
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