Akira Kosemura

88 Keys Ⅱ

$33.00

This album is a sequel to his previous piano solo album “88 Keys” released two years ago. After his previous release, he continuously composed music with his own piano, and he scoop up those new music pieces little by little and compiled into this new piano solo album.

Last album “88 Keys” was played in Spotify for more than 45 million times in two years, and loved by many listeners globally during COVID times.
This new album keeps the same worldview and intimate concept, and compiled with a slowed-down, calm, nostalgic, and peaceful seventeen piano works.

In the midst of collaboration works, such as music scores for “Fragments of Last Will”, “A Mother’s Touch”, “One Day You Will Reach The Sea”, also featured in John Legend’s song “The Other Ones”, this album was produced to show his little pleasure in unadorned, innocent, and minimalized music.

Music composed, arranged & performed by Akira Kosemura
Produced by Akira Kosemura
Recorded by Akira Kosemura
Mixed by Shunroku Hitani
Mastered by Zino Mikorey
Art direction, artwork & design: Shin Kikuchi

© 2023 SCHOLE INC., under exclusive license to 1631 Recordings AB
℗ A Schole Records release; ℗ SCHOLE INC., under exclusive license to 1631 Recordings AB

Akira Kosemura (he/him) is a composer and pianist hailing from Tokyo, Japan. He is a prolific artist, constantly releasing solo albums and composing music for films, TV drama, games, stage, and commercial music.
Akira founded his own label Schole Records early on after his solo album It's on Everything released in 2007 while he was still in school. In 2017 and 2018 Akira's music was ranked in Spotify's "Most Played Japanese Artists/Songs Top 10", and his works have been highly acclaimed on media around the world, including US music media Pitchfork, Australian newspaper THE AGE, French public broadcast FIP, and Canadian public broadcast Ici Musique.
Akira's major score works include Fragments of The Last Will by Takahisa Zeze, the Cannes 2020 featured film True Mothers (Asa Ga Kuru) directed by Naomi Kawase, Hollywood produced drama series Love Is__, the Nintendo Switch game Jack Jeanne produced by Sui Ishida, the TBS drama series Chugakusei Nikki, the contemporary ballet piece MANON, and the Japan Pavilion in Milano EXPO. His music pieces were also featured in the Amazon original movie Jonas Brothers' CHASING HAPPINESS, the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion awarded director Audrey Diwan's debut film Mais vous etes fous (Losing It), and the Toho movie Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare.
In recent years, he has worked on projects in different media such as SK-II STUDIO's documentary The Center Lane (featuring Rikako Ikee), directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, the runway music for a collection from apparel brand TAKAHIROMIYASHITA The Soloist., as well as music for LA MER BLUE HEART, LAND ROVER, and L'OCCITANE. Akira has also co-produced a song with American musician Devendra Banhart.
In addition to his versatility and diverse portfolio, Akira has been working on a world scale. In 2022 he signed a contract with prestigious Decca Records, and the EP Pause (almost equal to) Play was released worldwide. Akira's music was also sampled in John Legend's song "The Other Ones feat. Rhapsody" included in his new album Legend Act I & II. And Akira's first major album SEASONS was released on Decca Records (UMG) on June 30, 2023.

“It feels impossible to get tired of, circumscribed and boundless at once.”
by Pitchfork

“Fantastic stuff.”
by Gilles Peterson

“Peaceful, evocative music”
by Fact Magazine