On Sky Fish Fly, Jonny Kasai’s kazaizen project sharpens its exploratory instincts into something remarkably fluid and intentional. Though the album moves through psychedelic rock, alternative soul, and experimental pop, it never feels like a patchwork of ideas; instead, it unfolds as a continuous, dreamlike sequence where textures and grooves act as connective tissue. At just 35 minutes, it achieves a rare balance—concise yet expansive, unhurried yet constantly in motion.
Much of the album’s strength lies in its approach to arrangement. Tracks like “Nanoo Nanoo” and “Make It Love” hinge on cyclical grooves that subtly evolve, layering warm analogue synths, echo-drenched guitars, and soulful vocal fragments into hypnotic patterns. Meanwhile, “What Is” and “What’s the Meaning – Self” recontextualise nostalgic forms—70s soul and city-pop—through a hazy, collage-like lens, allowing familiar elements to dissolve into something more abstract and emotionally ambiguous.
What elevates Sky Fish Fly is its sense of cohesion amid experimentation. Even as it ventures into shoegaze textures on “State of Mind” or progressive synth-jazz on “Somewhere Somethings Waiting,” the album maintains a clear aesthetic identity rooted in atmosphere and transformation. Kasai’s fragment-based creative process is evident, but rather than feeling unfinished, the music feels alive—constantly shifting, searching, and ultimately rewarding repeated listens with new details.
