鮎川のしづく (Ayukawa no Shizuku)

Ayukawa no Shizuku is an interesting entry in Ichiko Aoba’s repertoire, almost feeling like a process document that informs her other pieces. The folk singer-songwriter recorded six studio albums of mostly acoustic guitar and vocals before widening her sonic palette on 2020’s Windswept Adan, but there were always hints of found sound and field recordings that gave her work additional texture. Here, she allows those background noises to take the forefront, offering clues for the sort of non-musical sound she listens for in her daily life. You hear lots of running water, wind, rustling leaves, and even what appears to be the sound of her own heartbeat. There are original compositions and more of what you’d normally expect from Aoba, but the music sits low in the mix, taking a backseat to an audible travelogue of beautiful scenery.