Silent Flight (『サイレント・フライト』) by SANO Tomomi (サノトモミ). I never thought I'd write this, but this album is soft rock done right.

The songs were all written by keyboardist/recorder/mixer HAYASHI Yuzo, with lyrics by executive producer KANAI Midori, so OK, this isn't exactly a heart-wrenchingly personal document. But I don't think you'll care, because (a) the songs are great anyway, worldly and cosmopolitan but unapologetically sentimental where it counts, and (b) everything else sounds so lush and beautiful.

The instrumentation is pure 70s: chucka-chucka-wah-wah guitars, weedy discofied Latin percussion, funky flutes, fake handclaps, synthesiser solos... meanwhile, Sano's voice is incredible, dark and smoky but not self-consciously aiming at a "sexy" thing. Thank God she hooked up with Kanai and Hayashi instead of some trip-hop band.

Favorite track: the soaring, almost Yuming-like "Last Summer" ("Look back on those fragrant, fresh afternoons/ Being held in those sunburnt arms/ The neverending summer light").