“Prayer”, “Dawn”, “Hunting”, and “Love” — music that is at once beautiful and electrifying. Akira Ishikawa races across the vast African landscape with jazz and rock as twin engines.

This album is a masterpiece in which the three core pillars of Akira Ishikawa’s musical vision—jazz, rock, and African music—are fused in a sublime and thrilling balance. One arresting track follows another: the solemn and majestic “Prayer”, evoking the eternal land; the clear yet subtly psychedelic “Dawn”; the serene and beautiful “Love”; and the highly dynamic, explosive “Jumbo”.

The brilliance of Hirmasa Suzuki’s arrangements deserves special mention—simple yet profoundly deep, they give vivid clarity to the album’s overall concept and imagery. Among Ishikawa’s serious, non–instrumental-cover works, this album stands shoulder to shoulder with Electrum, Bakishinba, and Uganda, and should be regarded as one of his definitive achievements.

Text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS / DEEP JAZZ REALITY)

Made-in-Japan quality recognized worldwide. Crafted using uncolored virgin vinyl, with no carbon or other coloring agents that could affect sound quality. Made exclusively from high-purity straight PVC, this luxurious pressing delivers a rich, expansive soundstage and exceptionally refined sonic imaging. A Pure Vinyl specification that allows you to fully appreciate every detail of the music.