Profile
Akira Kosemura is a Japanese composer and music producer born in Tokyo. He was debut by a piano featured Electronica album “It’s On Everything” from Australian Label “someone good” in 2007.
He runs his own label SCHOLE.
Many soundtrack and BGM works. In June 2023, he major debut the English famous traditional classical label DECCA.
Solo Albums
It’s On Everything (someone good, 2007)
Akira Kosemura’s debut album. A acoustic piano and noises of everyday life featured Electronica album. A very gentle Electronica was filled with respect for ordinary life.
Polaroid Piano (SCHOLE, 2009)
“Polaroid Piano” is the first piano solo album of Akira Kosemura released by his label “SCHOLE” in 2009.
The compositions are simple and minimal piano miniatures. They were played by improvisational floating piano plays.
And, the sound is pure and very natural. It might be recorded in his private studio and was processed sound by a DAW. Each track contains pedal, hummer and key touch noises of a uplight piano, and environmental noises of his home and outdoor includes singings of birds, sounds of children playing .
The pieces are poetic, floating and fragmental, improvisational piano pieces expresses our usual daily life. The title may mean snapshots of a daily life by playing piano.
How My Heart Sings (SCHOLE, 2011)
“How My Heart Sings” released in 2011, is the third solo album of Akira Kosemura, the second his piano solo album and the first his full-scale, serious and orthodox classical music style piano solo album. And the title is the same as an album by the Bill Evans Trio released in 1964.
12 tracked album, 8 songs are piano solo pieces. 2 songs are violin and piano duo songs, and the same 2 songs are saxophone and piano duo songs features an experimental saxophonist, Shin Araki.
I think this album is the most representative, excellent and iconic album of Akira Kosemura. Lyrical but highly sophisticated classical compositions were played by clear tone piano courteously, sensitively and wholeheartedly. The mood of this album is sweet, elegant, pure and fragile also melancholic.
One of fruits of Kosemura’s career. It’s the most precious, pure, sweet and beautiful also melancholic and sorrowful but not miserable music. It’s an extra formidable work of today’s Post-classical music. And, I think this is a master-piece of today’s piano solo music. I want everyone to know this album. Please, listen, all Post-classical fans and all piano music lovers…
grassland+ (SCHOLE, 2010 (Reissue in 2014))
“grassland” is an Electronica album by Akira Kosemura, and it associates his debut album “It’s on Everything” (2007). But the production and the sound became high quality and sophisticated.
The title track “grassland” is a dynamic and sentimental Electronica features an electric piano and organic drum samples.
“light” and “little dipper” feature female vocals.
“xiao ge er” is an Electronica track is made of collage of percussions and synthesizers, then an electric guitar solo follows.
“marriage” is a studio recording version by a clear tone piano, the song which already appeared on an EP “SOLO”.
“daybreak” is an electric piano based beautiful and ennui Electronica. Drums and pads follows.
“ballet” is a romantic and elegant 3 beats piano solo piece.
“over the horizon” is a bright guitar arpeggio and passage based Electronica.
“just a few minutes” is an Electronica track features electronic piano solos and backings. The song progresses from stable to dynamic.
The last track “ensemble” is a short piece of piano passages and pad chords for the ending.
I recommend this album for who like the works of a Japanese Tech House producer, Hiroshi Watanabe and an Electronica artist Rei Harakami.
For (SCHOLE, 2015)
“For” is a Post-classical ensemble and Electronica album by Akira Kosemura. Almost songs feature a piano.
“Gene” is a Electronica track features an electric piano with an elegant and sorrowful synth pad(s).
The title track, “For” is a simple sentimental, ennui and pure piano piece with environmental noises.
“Upstairs” is an experimental pads, electric pianos and percussions collage Electronica track.
“Her” is a minimal gentle, precious and transparent piano piece.
MOMENTARY: Memories of the Beginning (SCHOLE, 2016)
Akira Kosemura’s sixth album “MOMENTARY: Memories of the Beginning” consists of various genres and styles, from piano solo, piano trio, piano solo Pop Ballad to Instrumental Electronica, and Electronica and Organic House tracks feature vocals.
The title song “Momentary” is the iconic style piano solo piece of Kosemura. The song has a sentimental, elegant and precious mood. I love it.
“Precious” and “Imaginary” are beautiful and sentimental Classical piano trio songs that already appeared in the live EP “TRIO”.
“Promise with You” features Shaylee, “Somebody” features Devendra Banhart and “A Map” are a vocal with a piano accompaniment Pop Ballad songs.
One Day (SCHOLE, 2016)
“One Day” is a piano solo album of Akira Kosemura, released in 2016. This album is consist of 10 tracks. All tracks are recordings of flowing and floating improvisational piano playings, is similar to and is following to “Polaroid Piano” (2009). This album was recorded in his parents’ home and the piano he played in the childhood, in “one day”.
A warm piano sound includes pedal noise, key touch noises and hummer noises, noise of microphone, and reflection of the studio. The sound is pure and simple, there aren’t environment noise, samples and effects.
The compositions are vague and obscure but gentle and flexible. And they suggest innocence, no‐mindedness and nostalgie. The piano playings were made up by delicate, gentle, relaxing touches and few tones.
It’s a calm, delicate, gentle and eternal also ordinary piano solo music for the peaceful and usual everyday life of the everyday people.
In the Dark Woods (2017, Schole)
“In the Dark Woods” is a piano solo and piano based solo album by Akira Kosemura released in 2017. This album has various styles played by various instruments, but the tastes and moods of songs are unified. The compositions and sounds are fragmental and stateless taste neither Classical nor Jazz.
“DNA” is a piano backing loop based track, piano phrases, piano reflections and synthesizer pad chords get on it. The song might be edited by a DAW.
“Between the Trees” is an arpeggio-based beautiful and apathetic piano solo piece.
“Sphere” is a synthesizer arpeggio with a fragmental electric piano improvisation song.
“Kaleidoscope of Happiness”, “Inside River #1 & #2” and “Innocence” are simple, minimal and short piano pieces.
“Shadow” is a sentimental, grandiose and dynamic piano solo song. I think one of the best compositions by Kosemura.
“Dedicated To Laura Palmer” is consist of a floating synthesizer pads with electric piano fragmental touches.
“Spark” is synthesizer pads and an electronic percussion track like Ambient.
“The Cycle Of Nature” is a piano arpeggio loop layers based fantastic song, with fragmental piano touches and a bright synthesizer chord follow.
“Stillness” is a very silent, delicate and elegant piano song, good for your reflection. This song is a reflection of Kosemura.
“In the Dark Woods” is a serious and significant string quintet song. And, “Letter From A Distance” is the piano solo version of “In the Dark Woods”.
A very good solo album of Akira Kosemura. You can enjoy various styles of him. And I had some musical inspirations in composition and style by this album.
Diary 2016-2019 (2019, Schole)
“Diary 2016-2019” is a Post-classical piano based album by Akira Kosemura, and it’s a selection of production from 2016 to 2019, such as EPs and soundtracks (There’s the review of “In Moonlight” below.). The style is various. This album includes piano solo, piano trio, Classical ensemble with clarinet or oboe, Electronica. The compositions have Classical, orthodox or Pop tendencies and some of them there are a Japanese oriental mood.
“I’m (Not) Here” is a warm and gentle but sentimental song.
“But You’re Mad” is an Irish or European style drumming song.
“A Song From the Past” is a Jazz Funk style Electronica features an electric piano.
“Joy” is a refreshing piano solo song same as the title.
On the contrary, “You” is a slow and relaxing piano solo song.
“Out of Solitary Mind” is a simple and minimal song for reflection.
“Late Night Tales” is a simple, rhythmical and warm piano piece. The best song of this album, I think.
A compilation of various styles and compositions of Kosemura’s music.
88 Keys (Schole, 2021)
“88 Keys” is Akira Kosemura’s orthodox, simple and pure piano solo album released in 2021. He recorded this album in his private, during the period of the state of emergency by the pandemic of COVID-19. So in the songs there’s full of private, relaxing and individual mood.
This album is the medium taste between the Classical compositional approach of “How My Heart Sings”, and the improvisational approach of “Polaroid Piano” and “One Day”.
The first track, “Lueur” is simple, beautiful and apathetic song but there’s cheerfulness, is match for the album opening. The theme like a Classical ballade, but the song progressed improvisational.
The second track, “Asymptote” has melancholic and impressive there and composition. It’s also an arpeggio based improvisational song.
The twelfth track, “Another Place” is a relaxing but bit of sorrowful song. Also I feel his slight will for tomorrow.
A gentle and peaceful also melancholic music for reflection to myself, and rest in a room. And I felt will and hope for tomorrow and the end of the pandemic, of Kosemura by this album.
88 Keys II (Schole, 2023)
A piano solo album by Akira Kosemura released in 2023. It consist of seventeen pure, simple, poetic and neutral mood short piano pieces. There’s a gentle and ordinary atmosphere on entire album.
“On My Way Home” is a plain, gentle and nostalgic simple short piano piece.
“Rorschach” is an arpeggio based ambiguous and ennui improvisational piano piece that resembles the music of Hideyuki Hashimoto
“Untouched Rainforest pt.4” is an impressive melancholic composition.
“View I Remember From My Childhood” is a Folk and Japanese traditional taste tender and beautiful song.
“Hope 22” is the piano solo version of “Hope” appeared on a live EP “DUO” (2012).
Kosemura seriously faced with a piano. He only concentrated ton compose and play a piano. There’s nothing to say a lot about this album.
SEASONS (DECCA/Universal Music, 2023)
“SEASONS” is the major debut album of Akira Kosemura was released by the British traditional Classical label DECCA. A twelve-tracked album is consist of piano solo pieces that depicts changing moods of seasons. Country to the former album “88 Keys II”, this album has orthodox and Classical taste, the piano plays are stable and solid.
“Niji No Kanata” and “Faraway” are Japanese traditional taste sentimental songs.
“Vega” is a sorrowful also bright wonderful composition.
“Gentle Voice” is a song of repetition of the upward theme melody by changing of rhythms. The piano tone is vague.
“Left Behind” is a minimal but sophisticated apathetic and reflective piano solo piece.
“Passage of Life” is a composition of repetition of motif. The song progresses from minor to major, from light touches to strong touches, from sorrow to joy, or from darkness to light.
“Towards the Dawn” is an arpeggio based melancholic track.
You can’t hear his iconic sweet, precious also melancholic style till then in this album. But there’s the new Classical, sophisticated and polished, neutral and relaxing style matches much more people.
EPs & Sigles
Our Own Picture (Schole, 2017)
A three tracked piano solo EP released in 2017.
The first track, “Romance” is unique sentimental and fragile composition of Kosemura. But this song is simple, neutral and feel easy to listen.
The second track, “Out of the Solitary Mind” is simple and calm song of few notes, is good for reflection and relaxation.
The third track, “Joy” is Kosemura’s iconic sentimental and beautiful composition, but it’s also cheerful and joyful, high-tempo and high tone. Plus, this song has a dynamic structure and the piano play is emotional, so it’s danceable. My favourite song of this EP.
Shuttergirl (Schole, 2018)
A two tracked EP. “Shuttergirl” is the main theme for the movie “Kanazawa Shutter Girl”. The song is triple time refreshing waltz like song. The theme part is impressive, clear or solid also beautiful, and the entire mood is cheerful and pretty. A very good precious and gentle song. “Mimosa” is 40 seconds very short piano piece like a piano study.
Yearbook (Schole, 2018)
“Yearbook” is three tracked EP.
The title track “Yearbook” is light, bright and refreshing short piano piece, rare for Kosemura. “Shadow” is an arpeggio backing based high-tempo, mechanic and sentimental song. “Amour” is an orthodox and simple, beautiful also sentimental but warm song.
In Moonlight (Schole, 2019)
“In Moonlight” is a two song suit. Simple, minimal and clear compositions as for Kosemura, and solid piano tones and plays that is easy to understand and clear, and a very good work.
“Trace” is minimal and apathetic song is based on repetitions of arpeggio phrases, also there’s the iconic taste of Kosemura.
Romance (Schole / 1631 Recordings, 2019)
“Romance” is a piano solo EP consists of three songs. The songs are left-hand arpeggio based elegant and beautiful, usual but common, simple piano pieces is easy to listen.
Resources and Links
Akira Kosemura – Music Composer Official Site
UNIVERSAL MUSIC JAPAN – Akira Kosemura
Wikipedia (JP) – Akira Kosemura
