BRIAN ENO『Reflection』
Even if you're not very familiar with "ambient" music in Japan, you've likely heard Brian Eno's work somewhere. 『Reflection』 is the latest installment in the ambient series he has been developing since 1975. As Eno himself admits, "It's hard to say I understand the meaning of the word 'ambient' right now," which perhaps means his work, and all other ambient works, will forever remain "experimental." Eno stated, "My original intention in creating ambient music was to make music that continues to flow, creating different developments as if sitting by a flowing river." You can experience this with the 54-minute 『Reflection』, which flows endlessly.

Tim Hecker『Love Streams』
Tim Hecker is a sound designer and composer from Canada. He has an unusual career, having worked as a political analyst for the Canadian government and lectured at universities as an expert on "the culture of sound." His latest album, 『Love Streams』, released last year on the prestigious British label "4AD," has been highly acclaimed by various sources, including the American music media "Pitchfork," and he is whispered to be one of the most important artists in the current electronic ambient drone scene. In Japan, he performed at TAICOCLUB in 2014 and has held two concerts at Shibuya WWW(X). His live performances, where he envelops the audience in waves of sound that can sometimes be overwhelming (?), and the smoke filling the venue, are addictive, drawing a dedicated following each time. While it might be a bit intense for drone newcomers, once you're hooked, you'll experience a comfort akin to an electric massage.

Robert Lippok『Open Close Open』
Robert Lippok, a member of the Berlin-based electronic music group "To Rococo Rot," has also released innovative electronic music under his own name. 『Open Close Open』, reissued on clear vinyl by the Tokyo-based quality electronica label flau, was originally the soundtrack for "The Lost Explorer," a short film by photographer Tim Walker, who is considered highly influential in the fashion industry today. The track "Close" was also used in Luchino Visconti's "Death in Venice." This is an outstanding work that cannot be overlooked when discussing minimal music of the 2000s. Titled 『Open Close Open』, this work seems to help fill or create distance in the gaps between life and oneself, and to slightly open the doors of perception that are tightly shut in daily life.

Midori Takada『Through Looking Glass』
Midori Takada is one of the few Japanese female artists active in the ambient music scene. She is a world-renowned percussionist who won third prize in the percussion category at the 1977 International Music Competition of Munich and debuted at the Berlin Philharmonic the following year. Her first solo work, 『Through Looking Glass』, originally released on LP in 1983 and becoming difficult to obtain, was reissued in June and also released on CD. The complex layers of various instruments, including marimba, gong, ocarina, and vibraphone, possess a feminine delicacy within their dynamism, drawing consciousness into a vortex of sound. This masterpiece, created with her entire soul on the theme of "time and the body, and how the body reacts to moving inward," remains avant-garde and timeless over 30 years later.

asuna『Tide Ripples』
Asuna is a rare Japanese musician who is globally acclaimed, releasing many original works on overseas labels, primarily in Europe and North America, as well as domestically. His characteristic experimental release style includes drone works using a reed organ and the production of compilation CDs themed around the Casio Tone in mini CD (8cm CD) format. His latest work, 『Tide Ripples』, features vocals by Rima Kaito of the former Strobo, and it's an ambient folk piece where one can be lost in a nostalgic atmosphere and intoxicated by the story within each track, which exceeds 22 minutes. This masterpiece resonates with the Japanese sensibility and is recommended for those who dislike noisy drone music, as well as fans of electronica and whisper vocals.