Masahiro Takahashi - In Another
Telephone Explosion Records
Released on March 20th, 2026
I’ve been a fan of Masahiro Takahashi for several years now. I was first turned onto his music after listening to his LP Flowering Tree, Distant Moon. I even purchased a copy for myself, which I now have contained on an old iPod Nano.
His most recent release, In Another is a ten track long piece that will be a refreshing return for fans of their previous work. The album’s opening track “I’m your mirror”, is a dream-like take on ballroom jazz, including a variety of instruments that gives the song a sultry and mysterious vibe.
Takahashi’s experimental nature goes full force in this album. Compared to his previous releases, this Toronto-based artist completely deviates from his underlying processes, now focusing on creating harmonic foundations first. The album also finds inspiration from the 1990 film Dreams by Akira Kurosawa, and the parables told by Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi.
This work was created by an ensemble of ten guest artists from varying corners of Toronto’s music community. Serving as co-producer and engineer is labelmate Jopseh Shabason. These music guests bring a smorgasbord of instruments to the album, from the flugelhorn and vibraphone to a lap steel guitar and cello.
If you’re a fan of instrumental tracks with whispy, soul-filled and sparse vocal deliveries, look no further than this release. This is an album built for both easy listening and interpretation. It feels like taking a time capsule back to the past with modern music equipment. A timeless set of tracks which are guaranteed to weigh on your heart as the album progresses.
One of my favourite tracks is “Sky, Ocean and Creature”, one of the few tracks with lyrics. The song feels like a lullaby told from a damp cave - it’s caring and sentimental while showing off Takahashi’s depth and ability to create complex compositions. By the time the final track, “Cat only knows”, comes around, you find yourself wishing that the album would have lasted a little longer. It really is such an experience that it’s sad to listen to it end.
Another track “Humans”, gives off slight funky vibes, providing a more 80s synth-styled experience than the other songs on the album. Some of the underlying instruments also give the song a bit of a loosey-goosey tone, which is something that I can always get behind.
Beautiful and occasionally unsettling, “In Another” is an album fit for any fans of the ambient, the jazzy, and the experimental. This album is also accessible for those who are looking for background tunes while doing chores or hosting a function. This is because the tracks are just so easy to listen to, which provides a comforting feeling when you have it playing over your speakers.
This album was also released on vinyl for all you collectors out there, with this beautiful blue gradient lining that really accentuates the peaceful vibes that the record gives off.
