The Forest—a green sea? The sounds with which the latest album, Forest of Tranquility, by Japanese vibraphonist and electronic musician Masayoshi Fujita greets its listeners are characterized by tranquility and vastness, inviting listeners to let their imaginations run free.

This nearly 43-minute sonic experience comprises a total of seven tracks. It blends electronically generated strings and flutes with percussive bells and delicately interwoven vibraphone sounds. Fujita originally composed the music for the nature installation Forest of Tranquility at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. This explains not only the understated nature of the soundscape but also the structure of the composition.

The 7-minute track Portal to the Universe opens the journey into an atmospheric counterpoint to the tonal bustle of typical releases. At the same time, it serves as the prelude to an acoustically depicted day in the forest—from the departure in Departure, through the surroundings in Light, Wind, and Water, to the evening atmosphere in All Creatures Bow to Evening, and the farewell with Time to Go.

Fujita wrote his pieces in the seclusion of a small mountain village three hours west of Kyoto—in a former kindergarten. His desire to compose from nature finds expression in the relaxed, almost meditative sounds of Forest of Tranquility and gently carries the listener into a state of relaxation and a whirl of imaginative imagery.

The wide soundstage, which almost envelops the listener, enhances this effect, as do the sophisticated, finely balanced acoustics, which fill the listening space with a pleasantly warm sound despite the use of some electronic sound sources. At the same time, the range of its frequencies makes it—presumably unintentionally—an exquisite test case for the performance capabilities of the audio system.

All these aspects make Forest of Tranquility a refined yet magnificent album. Unquestionably recommended. (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Masayoshi Fujita, marimba, vibraphone, percussion, synthesizer
Mattias Hållsten, shō
Hayk Karoyi, duduk, blul, pku

Recorded and mixed by Masayoshi Fujita at Kebi Bird Studio
Mastered by Zino Mikorey
Executive Producer: Robert Raths