Takahiro Izumikawa - Life Is Your Thoughts (2020)

Izumikawa’s latest album, Life Is Your Thoughts, is a cross-cultural examination, born out of his experiences living and working in both Japan and the United States. Musically, the tracks on the album balance traditional Japanese melodies and hip-hop, R&B, and jazz.The title track, “Back to the Moon – Life is Your Thoughts” is particularly poignant. It’s based on the 10th century Japanese fictional prose narrative Princess Kaguya, which ends with the princess tearfully leaving earth to return to her home on the moon. The song plays out a conversation between the English rap and the Japanese lyrics, taken directly from poems in the original text.