About

A TAV Essential Listening Album.

A TAV Curator’s Pick.

“Metaphorical Music is Nujabes' first solo album released in 2003. It offers a combination of hip hop and instrumental jazz, and features artists like Shing02, Substantial, Five Deez and Cise Starr (of CYNE). Despite the fact that the album has contributing vocals from several artists, it is roughly classified as a breakbeat album.Uyama Hiroto contributed to several notable tracks on the album, including Letter from Yokosuka and Next View, and would appear on subsequent albums Modal Soul and Spiritual State. Metaphorical Music received universal acclaim from fans of Nujabes and critics.” – Wiki

“Metaphorical Music is what I’d like to call the perfect upper. From start to finish the record is an unwinding euphoria trip. There’s just something awe-inducing about Nujabes’s approach to making beats. The traditionalistic boom bap infused with colorful, wavering, watery jazz is what makes me always come back for more. It’s a simple format, yet so damn effective. His sound is mellow, it’s melancholic, and it’s all too beautiful. The way the piano melody effortlessly flows through tracks with a simple yet enthralling boom bap beat hanging in the background in songs like “Blessing It” and “Kumomi”. The way the fast-paced and manic drumming passages on “Horn in the Middle” break into that iconic trumpet refrain. The way said trumpet refrain is followed by a small piano refrain. It’s all too engaging and hypnotic. The guitar loop on “Lady Brown” and the low key synth pattern on “Highs 2 Lows”. There’s just something innately down to Earth about these tracks. They feel as natural and blissful as a wave caressing your feet, or a summer breeze gracing your cheeks.” – Sputnik Music

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