Luminescent Creatures is in many ways a sequel to Ichiko Aoba’s last record, Windswept Adan. Besides the album being named after the final track of her previous album, Aoba continues with the expanded instrumentation that was brought forth in that release, with occasional callbacks to the minimalist sounds of her earliest works
In the making of Luminescent Creatures, Aoba has referenced trips to the Ryukyu island chain in Japan as having had a particular influence on the creation of it. On these trips, she would engage in free diving through the coral reefs of the area, becoming enchanted by the sea life she encountered.
This inspiration has had a clear effect on the sound of the album as it drifts, sways, and wanders like water in the ocean. The lush string arrangements, warm pianos, and Aoba’s signature ethereal vocals combine to make an album that sounds like a submerged version of the Garden of Eden. Each track has an otherworldly quality that is almost indescribable.
Luminescent Creatures opens with the track “COLORATURA,” a mystical piece with gliding flutes, soft string layers that embrace the listener, and shimmering harps. The song is so perfectly arranged, transporting the listener to the remote islands that inspired Aoba in the creation of the album. It feels as if you’re being sent back millions of years to a planet ruled by foreign creatures.
The tracks “aurora” and “FLAG” harken back to Aoba’s earlier albums, stripping back almost all instrumentation, featuring primarily her voice, and a plucked acoustic guitar.
“Lucifèrine,” the longest song of the album, coming in at 5 minutes long, wistfully progresses through string sections and an elegantly played piano, giving the song a pillowy quality. Near the end of its runtime, angelic background vocal layers are introduced to the song, which float around Aoba’s lyrics, making it feel as if you’re entering the gates of heaven
“pirsomnia” is the most instrumentally unique song on the album, opening with icy cold synths lining Aoba’s entrancing vocal melodies, which are drowned in an ocean of reverb. Then out of seemingly nowhere, a bass that wouldn’t feel out of place on a trap beat comes and goes, leaving the listener slightly disoriented. The track sounds like jumping into a deep blue ocean and seeing nothing but water in every direction.
The Synth sounds on “SONAR,” mirror the qualities of an actual submarine sonar. This combines with a softly played piano, creating a hazy landscape to which Aoba’s soaring vocals lay on top of.
While Luminescent Creatures is certainly a beautiful record, it does fall victim to the flaw that many texture-focused albums encounter, feeling somewhat directionless at times. Songs like “mazamun” and the aforementioned “aurora” float right through one ear and out the other with little impact, becoming somewhat forgettable. Due to this, Side A of Luminescent Creatures is almost too dreamy, to the point where it becomes close to sleep-inducing. While these tracks are in no way unpleasant, the album as a whole may have benefited from these songs being removed. This isn’t really a big issue, however, because the record is still extremely cohesive despite these slightly boring moments.
While there are not any hooks to immediately latch onto, the sonically deep instrumentation of Luminescent Creatures demands further listening as each layer slowly hypnotizes the listener. The record is a masterclass in atmosphere and sound texture as Ichiko Aoba continues to cement herself as one of contemporary folk’s greatest artists.
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