Hiro Ama

“A space of calm and solace amid a threatening world” - Clash

“Hiro Ama’s approach to electronic music is gentle, warm and friendly, taking in different influences and weaving them into something intimate.” - Resident Advisor

“Affecting and heartrending” - The Vinyl Factory

Music for Peace and Harmony, the highly anticipated debut album from Japanese composer-producer Hiro Ama, is out today via PRAH Recordings. Known for blending electro-acoustic textures with an experimental edge, Hiro’s first full-length album is a meditation on peace, featuring collaborations with British singer-songwriter Keeley Forsyth and flautist Gail Tasker.

Seeking solace amidst a chaotic world, Hiro turned to the Waraku, a rare Japanese synthesiser from the 1980s whose name translates to “peace and harmony.” This synthesiser is at the heart of the album, providing a deep, resonant base for soaring, improvisational flute melodies and haunting vocals. Wistful and whimsical, frolicking with a romantic energy that at times turns to deep melancholy, the project seamlessly fuses classical romanticism, spiritual jazz, and electronic music. Each song feels like a guided journey, ushering in a new era for Hiro Ama.

On the album, Hiro says: “The core idea of this concept album revolves around inspiration drawn from a musical instrument called Waraku, a Japanese obscure synth that features a blend of traditional instruments such as the Japanese harp, flutes, and drums. The name "Waraku" translates literally to ‘peace and harmony’, and I wanted to make an album that embodies the themes of peace and harmony. I needed peace and harmony in my life as a lot of things are fragile and chaotic at the moment in this world, and I wanted to make music to soothe my mind and heart.”

Hiro Ama opens the album with a delicate exploration of calm on ‘Music for Peace and Harmony’, where the Waraku’s shimmering tones and sweeping flute lines create a sense of stillness that feels both organic and otherworldly. On the second track, ‘Roundabout’, Hiro navigates the tension between routine and the desire to break free, using subtle shifts in melody to mirror the complexity of life’s decisions. Next, ‘Bon Dance’ is inspired by Japan’s Bon Odori festival. Its rhythmic pulse, mixed with the sounds of traditional Japanese music evoke warm memories of summer evenings shared with friends. On ‘Metal Wires’, Keeley Forsyth’s vocals take centre, where her expressive delivery combined with Hiro’s restrained instrumentation creates a rich tension. 

The following tracks ‘Find Me in the Nearest Forest’ and ‘Forest Bathing’ take a quieter, more reflective approach. The former is a peaceful retreat from the urban chaos Hiro has known, while the latter is a hypnotic ode to the Japanese practice of Shinrinyoku, or "forest bathing" featuring improvisational flute melodies that stray from traditional scales. Keeley’s voice returns on ‘Billowing’, where the track’s off-kilter rhythms alongside the cathartic energy of Keeley’s vocals act as a strong emotional release. ‘Things We Talked About’ offers a meditation on the shifting nature of memory, as Hiro reflects on how our recollections constantly evolve. 

‘View From a Window’ takes a nod from Debussy’s mood-driven compositions, blending unresolved harmonies and haunting flute lines.  The album closes on an optimistic note with ‘Everything Is Going to Make Sense in the End’, intertwining playful melodies with the enigmatic sounds of the Waraku.

Music for Peace and Harmony is a stunningly cohesive debut, an immersive meditation that guides the listener through Hiro’s pursuit of peace and harmony, marking him as a compelling new voice in experimental music.

The release of this album follows Hiro’s previous singles, ‘Billowing’, ‘Forest Bathing’, ‘Roundabout’, ‘Everything Is Going To Make Sense In The End’, ‘Music for Peace and Harmony’ and ‘Sunday’. He has previously released two EPs on PRAH Recordings, ‘Animal Emotions’ and ‘Uncertainty’, which garnered critical acclaim from Electronic Sound, Resident Advisor, The Vinyl Factory as well as BBC Radio 6 Music.

More on Hiro Ama

What do we turn to when we’re in need of peace? Some might head to the forest or the sea. Some might reach for standard remedies: yoga, meditation, a long bath, a cup of tea. And others might buy an obscure 1980s Japanese synthesiser with a name that literally translates to “peace and harmony”, and use it to make a debut album. 

That’s exactly what Hiro Ama did. “A lot of things are fragile and chaotic at the moment in this world, and I wanted to make music to soothe my mind and heart,” says the musician and Teleman drummer. He turned to the Waraku, a Japanese synth from the 1980s that he stumbled across while browsing for weird instruments on the internet about ten years ago. He liked the recognisable sounds of the Waraku: traditional instruments such as the koto (Japanese harp), flutes, and drums. The idea to use it to make some songs — maybe even an EP — had been brewing for a while. But when he eventually had time to experiment with the instrument in the summer of 2023, the songs flowed quickly and naturally, and he found himself with more than enough material for a debut album: Music for Peace and Harmony.  

Hiro’s previous records — 2020 debut EP Uncertainty, 2022 follow-up Animal Emotions, and last year’s AO — were spaces for him to try out different ideas, with plenty of room for spontaneity. But Music for Peace and Harmony is a far more consistent creature. “I had a clearer vision of how I wanted the album to sound,” he says. “Having a solid concept and limiting instruments really helped me to write the songs.” For instance, he only used drum sounds from the Wakaru — no live drum kit — a rule that gelled the songs together. “The bass drum on the Waraku has such a long decay and I had no choice but to write slower tunes in order to make that sound work as the kick drum,” he explains, “and that's why the majority of the songs are slow and mellow.”

As well as producing and mixing the album, Hiro also played almost all of the instruments. Most of the sounds on Music for Peace and Harmony come from the Waraku — all of the drums, the koto, and some of the synths, some quite stretched and heavily edited — as well as some piano, Jupiter 8, and DX7. “I was also initially using a preset Shakuhachi (Japanese flute) on the Waraku for melodies,” he says. “But PRAH’s Stephen Bass introduced flautist Gail Tasker, whose playing gave an extra layer of depth and emotion to the songs.” 

That sense of human depth and emotion is heightened by actress and musician Keeley Forsyth, who sings on two of the album’s tracks, Metal Wires and Billowing. Her distinctive voice contains the mournful intensity of Scott Walker or Anohni, a perfect foil to Hiro’s spacious, open instrumentation. “I had the chorus line in my head for a while, and when I heard Hiro’s track it was the right moment for it to be realised and recorded,” she says of Metal Wires. On Billowing, meanwhile, Forsyth “imagined being in a field — as a worker — using hands and senses to bring the narrative to life. I don’t usually work with melodies that feel this good, so it was an opportunity for me to expand my palate.”

Previous records by Hiro have featured sounds from his garden, or a heartbeat functioning as a kick drum. This time, listen closely and you’ll hear him humming some of the drum parts. “I had some drum and percussion ideas in my head, so I hummed them and left it as a placeholder, but the humming became the part of the songs and I left them in the final recordings,” he explains. Using these more organic sounds “adds some nice textures and creates certain moods,” he continues. “I feel that modern music and recordings sometimes sound too pristine and sanitised. If you listen to old jazz records, or any records before the digital recording era, you can hear a lot of background noise, like people chatting, and I like those kinds of spontaneous sounds.” 

Jazz influenced Hiro in more traditional ways, too. “Jazz certainly underlies my songwriting and its influence on me is growing more and more,” he says. “I learned a lot about how to harmonise, the use of extension chords and the use of different scales outside of major and minor.” He was also influenced by French composers such as Debussy, who influenced the album’s title track as well as View From A Window. 

Hiro also found inspiration in Kankyō Ongaku, a form of Japanese ambient industrial music whose name translates to “environmental music”. But nature itself had more of an impact on the songs. Life in busy cities like Tokyo and London doesn’t leave much room for tranquillity, and the sounds of birds and trees are “reminders of beauty and simplicity that exist beyond the city landscape”. On Find Me In The Nearest Forest, he uses extended chords and a quartal harmony to evoke that serenity and peaceful atmosphere. Forest Bathing, meanwhile, is named after a Japanese concept known as “Shinrinyoku”: the practice of immersing yourself in nature, bathing in the atmosphere of the forest. “The impact the natural world has on our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being is simply amazing. It’s so easy to become disconnected from the natural world and this song is a reminder of the importance of taking moments of quiet contemplation amidst the trees.”

Quiet contemplation, space, simplicity: these qualities guide Music for Peace and Harmony. “As Debussy said, ‘Music is the space between the notes’, and on this album I tried not to fill too many instruments,” says Hiro. I could easily add bass to fatten the sound, or add percussion to fill the gaps, but I didn't and it was a conscious choice. I wanted the music to have space and breathing points.” 

That idea of space links back to the album’s opening title track and its idea that music can be a sanctuary — something reflected all the way through to the clouds-parting contentment of album closer Everything Is Going To Make Sense In The End. “The journey to find one’s own inner peace and harmony does matter,” says Hiro. “It's in these moments of tranquillity and connection that true fulfilment is found. These ten songs embody the essence of peace and harmony, and this song was the perfect way to close the album.”

Japan-born, London-based composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Hiro Ama (Teleman) announces his debut solo album ‘Music for Peace and Harmony’, set for release on 4 October via PRAH Recordings.

Seeking solace amidst today’s chaotic world, Hiro turned to an obscure 1980s Japanese synthesiser called the Waraku – literally translated to “peace and harmony” – to craft an album that blends electro-acoustic textures and warm melodies, while drawing on classical romanticism, spiritual jazz and electronic music. The album features collaborations from British singer Keeley Forsyth and flautist Gail Tasker.

“A lot of things are fragile and chaotic at the moment in this world, and I wanted to make music to soothe my mind and heart. Modern music sometimes sounds too pristine and sanitised. I like those spontaneous sounds. ’ says Hiro.

Hiro Ama’s meticulous approach is evident in every aspect of the album, from playing almost all the instruments to producing and mixing. Incorporating sounds of the Waraku’s koto (Japanese harp), drums, and synths alongside the Jupiter 8, DX7, and piano, Hiro explores organic and electronic sounds. Notably, instead of traditional drums, Hiro can be heard humming the drum parts to create a texture reminiscent of old jazz records. Keeley Forsyth’s haunting vocals on the tracks ‘Metal Wires’ and ‘Billowing’ bring a particular intensity that complements the album’s spacious instrumentation. Hiro was inspired by Debussy’s famous adage, “music is the space between the notes”, and throughout, the album is underscored by an ethos of spaciousness and simplicity.

Thematically, ‘Music for Peace and Harmony’ also explores the healing power of nature. Tracks like ‘Find Me In The Nearest Forest’ and ‘Forest Bathing’ are rooted in Hiro’s love of the natural world and inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrinyoku (forest bathing).

Hiro Ama's debut album unfolds with gentle melodies where classical and jazz influences meet modern electronic production. ‘Music for Peace and Harmony’ is an essential record to discover life’s moments of peace and beauty.