Daniel Kowalski releases instrumental album Simples

Musician Daniel Kowalski has released his new instrumental album, “Simples (シンプルズ)”, a ten-track project inspired by his travels in Japan. The work blends piano, synthesizers, and electronic programming with field recordings captured in Oshino Hakkai, a site of eight springs fed by Mount Fuji's meltwater.

The album explores genres including minimalism, ambient, and electronic music. Kowalski incorporates natural sounds, such as water and environmental silences, directly into the compositions. The project features collaborations with Mamoru Ogata on shakuhachi, Sérgio Rabello on cello, and PH Souza on drums.

Specific tracks draw from Japanese concepts and locations. The single “Luz e Sombra do Sol Entre as Folhas (木漏れ日)” references “komorebi”, the sunlight filtering through leaves. Additionally, the track “Uma Mesa Entre as Estrelas (星々の食卓)” was recorded in a single take at the Simples restaurant in Shizuoka, owned by chef Yasuhiko Inoue.