How would you depict oceanic landscapes with sound?  

Never-ending cascading arpeggios? Unstable harmonies so the listener can’t set foot on solid ground? Maybe a waltz? Samples of bubbles, perhaps?  

Or we could go the easy route with musical clichés of the beach—you know, a ukulele and a steel drum always do the trick.

We've heard these examples countless times in movie soundtracks, classical music, and even video games, where the industry has developed a recognizable tradition of water music.  

However, Ichiko’s approach is different in many beautiful ways. Her newest album, Luminescent Creatures, offers a glimpse into what this journey will be about.  

The water themes here are secondary—they provide the setting rather than the focus.

For instance, there are arpeggios here and there, but most often, they ascend in small fragments, like a water current, subtly shaping a sense of movement and direction. Additionally, their delicate arrangement creates a spaciousness—perfect for filling the environment with all kinds of musical critters.

Ichiko’s voice contributes to this effect as well. Known for its sweet, calm tone, however its real strength lies in its precision. It’s like the song of a bird in a big city—no matter how dense the surrounding noise or how distant the bird is, you can always hear it clearly.  

Such a precise and delicate voice never overwhelms the sonic landscape. Instead, paired with the subtle arrangements, it ensures that the compositions always feel vast and oceanic.

In regards of the glow of such luminescent creatures, maybe it is conveyed through the prominent use of melodic percussion. The bright, high-pitched tones of the piano always evoked in me images of crystals and ivory structures—I can’t help but picture intricate seashell fractals and delicate crustaceans in this album.

Beyond the musical elements, the song titles are evocative as well—Auroras, a tower (a lighthouse, perhaps?), flags, and even a cochlea, as if traversing the ocean is something that must be done through listening.

Most intriguing are the coordinates referenced in the second track, which lead to Hateruma, the southernmost inhabited island of Japan—where the locals taught Ichiko the song heard in the aforementioned track.

This album is recommended for lovers of nature, fans of classical music (particularly the Romantic period), and anyone looking for an intimate moment with themselves.

Author: Martín Cacho

Martín is a video game composer, producer and writer from Sonora, México.