Kenji Ayabe is the lead singer of the band U&DESIGN, who have been kicking around for a bit, and now he’s setting off on his own. He’s releasing his first solo album on December 17, and he’s shared the song “The 1st Corner” from his forthcoming full-length. It’s a breezy number, accented by slightly clanging percussion elements and a general Kings Of Convenience vibe. The juicy part is the backing coos that breeze by at various point, wordless passages that convey a melancholy attitude. And also helping add character to “The 1st Corner” are snippets of children speaking, and in the spaces between Ayabe mumbles a few words to no one in particular. Listen above.
