February's Record of the Month is extraordinary... so much so in fact, we should just call off the search... you will not hear a finer compilation this year. Light In The Attic’s Japanese Archival Series continues with Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990.

Beautifully delivered, it is an unprecedented overview of the country’s vital minimal, ambient, avant-garde, and New Age music – what can collectively be described as kankyō ongaku, or environmental music. The collection features internationally acclaimed artists such as Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Joe Hisaishi, as well as other pioneers like Hiroshi Yoshimura, Yoshio Ojima and Satoshi Ashikawa, who deserve a place alongside the indisputable giants of these genres.

• First-ever fully licensed collection of this music outside of Japan
• Extensive liner notes and artist bios, including an essay by Spencer Doran
• Triple with deluxe Stoughton “tip-on” jackets, slipcase & poster
• Vinyl pressed at RTI
• Double CD housed in a custom 7” x 7” hardbound book
• Cover photo by Osamu Murai features buildings designed by Fumihiko Maki

Product Shots by Jean-ClaudeVorgeack

Graceful, powerful and incredibly stirring music. Light in the Attic have again proven themselves to be some of the best curators around with a beautiful presentation in every way. We honestly can not recommend this amazing album highly enough, it's quite perfect.