Mimi Izumi Kobayashi

A glowing anthology of ambient soul, seaside fusion, and soft-lit sophistication — the sound of a woman painting jazz-funk dreams in pastel.

Few artists from Japan’s late-70s and early-80s pop-jazz movement managed to balance grace, groove, and atmosphere quite like Izumi “Mimi” Kobayashi. Choice Cuts 1978–1983 is more than a compilation — it's a carefully curated moodboard of refined emotion, capturing Mimi’s gift for writing and arranging music that feels as light as sea air but anchored in deep musical intelligence.