Grace

On Grace, Chihei Hatakeyama returned to Soseki Natsume for literary inspiration via the first of the album’s two long tracks, “I Am A Cat.” Named for the writer’s famed early 20th century novel about Japanese society seen through feline eyes, the piece’s gentle, considered flow, created via guitar improvisation, is thoroughly enveloping. The title composition, meanwhile, is one of Hatakeyama’s longest at nearly fifty minutes, combining a further improvisation along with piano and field recordings of birds and other natural sounds to create a mesmerizing serene float.