After a strong showing on the indie scene in Japan, singer/songwriter Hata Motohiro took on a major-label format with Contrast, his full-length debut.

The album shows off a side of Japanese music not often heard: the heartfelt folk-influenced singer/songwriter.

Eschewing the dominating pop sensibilities of contemporary Japanese music and the rock riffs (for the most part) that are par for the course with much Western-influenced music, Motohiro strips the sound down to its most important elements -- lyrics, delivery, and melody.

On all three counts, he delivers strongly.

The lyrical delivery is alternatively strong and vulnerable, both pleasing and pleading.

His sound is rough around the edges ("Aka Ga Shizumu"), but in an intentional manner.

The compositions are impeccably crafted, taking full advantage of the slight scratchiness in Motohiro's voice and the guitar as accompaniment rather than a gimmick.

This music isn't hyper-engineered as so much of Japan's pop scene is.

It's more realistic, more emotional, more contemporary.

There's a lot to like here, even for those who don't understand the language.

A song like "Synchro" doesn't need full language understanding to have an excellent sound.