Kagayaki makes you nostalgic for a life you've never lived. A life in a tightly knit neighborhood in rural Japan, lush green fields, and a mumbling grandma who somberly sings you her lullabies from days past. It's as if it was a dream; samples of flowing rivers, buzzing cicadas, and playful childhood chatter, combined with a rich and maximalist soundscape, pull the listener, not into a new world, but a small community filled with warmth and kindness. Masakatsu Takagi's 2014 masterpiece celebrates life, community, and the nature that encapsulates it.

While soundscapes may be incredibly diverse, ranging from striking piano solos (I Am Water) to ambient hot spring splashing with background vocals (Yamafuro), it's evident that Takagi had clear intention when making his album. Often juxtaposing recordings of chanting children with a grandma's peaceful lullaby, Kagayaki unspools an entire lifetime in just an hour and 15 minutes. With the myriad of samples, both ethnological and natural, he pulls at your heartstrings the same way Studio Ghibli films do; exhibiting what it means to be human, reminding you of the good old days of childhood, and giving you a glimpse at what's to come.

Each of the 23 tracks gives us a very personal look into Takagi's hometown, one bursting with intrigue and charm. The many clips of his town-folk laughing and telling stories fill one with so much warmth and familiarity, like peering into old childhood home videos. Utagaki #3 creates this effect the best. A tender piano solo accompanied by children cheering and laughing brings you back to when recess was the most essential part of your day. With his music, Masakatsu Takagi paints a picture of his village, with every voice being a character within it.

Its scope isn't solely limited to the lives of individuals, though, as Takagi often uses the environment around him to bring life into his music. Nature takes a leading role in recordings like Urute -Haru No Uchi- where chirping birds and light wind are placed in the foreground while a piano tune plays quietly in the background. Simple choices like these are what make Kagayaki such an enjoyable listen. Takagi also uses the setting to reflect the passage of time. The record's centerpiece, Nurse them Make a fire Feed yourself Express your mirth, suggests a transition between night and day, with later tracks conveying a more somber mood. As the album plays on, recordings of singing birds turn into chirping cicadas, the rushing rivers reduce to steady streams, and chanting children grow into mumbling grandmothers and grandfathers. Pained vocals and a softer ambience denote the passage of time and the aging of one's being.

Masakatsu Takagi's Kagayaki is a work of art that deserves to be cherished. The harmonious mix of traditional and modern instruments, the captivating and soothing piano sections, the flawlessly placed nature recordings. Filled to the brim with nothing but pure, unadulterated passion, Kagayaki is made to be a life-affirming record. It gives you a warm hug from behind and lets you know that, at the end of the day, things will be alright after all.