Ichiko Aoba

Clashing styles have always been Motel Mozaïque’s favorite and here we have an artist that brings together different worlds in order to give life to something truly unique.

Inspired by Disney and Studio Ghibli, Ichiko Aoba creates a world of fantasy where the heart beats warmly. The songwriter’s music delicately combines Japanese lyrics with a variety of song traditions, including bossa nova rhythms, lullaby paces and Tin Pan Halley harmonies. Often minimal and performed only with classic guitar and her soft voice, Aoba’s songs seem to be soundtracks from fairytales.

In her 2020 album “Windswept Adan” the Japanese artist explored a new sound adding a chamber arrangement, featuring also field recordings and vocal drones. 

“Ichiko Aoba’s greatest strength is her ability to create pockets of intimacy. The Japanese singer-songwriter’s breathy vocals and placid guitar playing, often the only sounds you’d hear on her records, create a hypnotizing shroud that makes you feel like she’s performing for you alone.” ALBUM REVIEW BY “PITCHFORK”

“The Japanese composer Ichiko Aoba’s seventh record, the first to be released outside her country, offers a timely hidden door to another, quieter world. Drawing on her experience as a soundtracker of theatre productions and video games such as The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Windswept Adan finds Aoba moving beyond the simple voice-and-guitar arrangements of her previous releases to create” ALBUM REVIEW BY “THE GUARDIAN”