Luminescent Creatures - Ichiko Aoba: Review
Review by Lavender:
Ichiko Aoba is a Japanese folk singer whose music dates all the way back to 2010. Her back catalog received a ton of retroactive acclaim in the wake of her critical breakthrough, her masterful 2020 album Windswept Adan. That record introduced many, myself included, to her gentle voice, beautiful arrangements, and naturalistic songwriting. All of that is VERY present on its follow-up 5 years later. Though Luminescent Creatures won't be as awe-inspiringly fresh as its predecessor for most listeners, it achieves a similarly remarkable beauty.
That beauty was predicted by the singles, all three of which I loved. "Luciferine" came first last year and wow was it astonishing to hear it again in its full beauty after a few months when playing the album. The production in the song's densest moments is just perfect, giving every piece of lush instrumentation its own place to breathe and fly. It also features what I think may be the catchiest set of refrains I've ever heard on an Ichiko Aoba song, it's a truly special moment.
As are the other two singles, the first of which was "FLAG" which features a more present vocal performance where Ichiko really envelops you in her voice and the intimate acoustic guitar that accompanies it is magical. That was followed by "SONAR," the gentlest of the three. It's also a huge lyrical highlight. The record is built around a theme of nature once again, specifically underwater animals that glow, or put another way, luminescent creatures. So when the lyrics click with me, it isn't in a very literal way, and songs like "SONAR" are more about delivering fascinating metaphorical material.
The best of these highlights among the deep cuts is "mazamun" which follows the lush, table-setting opener "COLORATURA." "mazamun" uses water as a recurring feature of its lyrical metaphors but manages to apply it in different forms throughout. It pairs that with a lullaby-sounding instrumental that results in a remarkably serene moment.
Later on the record there's "tower" which is built around a little piano loop. It has this entrancing effect where during the song's quieter parts it feels like the only piece of instrumentation in the entire world, but when the intensity is raised it suddenly shifts and weaves its way into the background. I love the way the instrumental mirrors the rising and falling intensity of the lyrics as well. Speaking of lyrics, the closing track seems to circle back to the album's artwork with a blue/green motif. It's the quietest and slowest of any song here but I love the feeling of wind blowing through the track, giving it the feeling of an open expanse.
If there's a complaint I have about the record, it's with some of the shorter tracks and instrumentals. I think they're deliberately breezy and part of the point is that they pass by with far less intrigue. But through that lens I was surprised by just how many of the songs in the tracklist I have nothing at all to say about even after several listens through. As far as complaints go it's a light one, but I think that seemingly inessential space is what separates Ichiko's best work from her otherwise solid but not quite as spectacular records,
And that kind of sums it up to be honest. Ichiko Aoba is as beautiful as ever when she's on and for most of Luminescent Creatures, she's on. The record adds several more instant classics to her beloved discography and is sure to be among the best folk records of 2025 when all is said and done. But given the towering beauty of projects like Windswept Adan and 0, it's merely a middle of the road moment in her excellent catalog. 7.5/10
