'Ancient Rain' by Koss presented on vinyl for the very first time

Exquisite Japanese label Mule Musiq have pressed up the 2008 Koss album 'Ancient Rain' for its first-ever vinyl release. The stunning music was composed by wildly talented Japanese artist Kuniyuki Takahashi and was originally issued by Mule as a CD-only release.

Nine out of the original ten tracks appear on the new double-pack vinyl edition, with only 'Ocean Waves' missing from the initial line-up. The ambient-leaning tracks were recorded almost exclusively using a stripped-back instrument set-up consisting of a Korg Wavedrum, and Roland System-1, and Jupiter-8 synths, embellished with just a few carefully-placed flourishes of delicate pianos and dream-inducing harp plucks. Kuniyuki is an undisputed master of sound design, and this collection represents an exploration of spacious ambient textures combined with a subtle sprinkling of house, minimal and what Kuniyuki himself refers to as the 'new oriental sound' – fusing traditional Asian musical traditions into the contemporary realm. Indeed, the album was an attempt to blend ancient melodic traditions with modernist electronic frequencies while retaining a distinctly human touch. “It's an endless continuing journey,” says Kuniyuki of the work.

The organic ebb and flow of the irresistible layers weave an enchanting spell throughout the collection. From the captivating waves of opener 'Dream' to the sunset caress of 'Ancient Rain', the ethereal layers of 'Memory 'Mapping' to the cinematic gravity of 'Odyssey', this is a deeply immersive and highly compelling collection from the master of sonics.

Koss 'Ancient Rain' is out now on Mule Musiq. You can buy it here