Takemitsu might not normally be associated with song, but the Japanese composer wrote many; this disc offers a representative cross-section. Although they span the greater part (1954‑95) of Takemitsu’s composing career, they are notable for his consistency of approach and the ease with which he moved between the nominally incompatible genres of “art song” and “pop song”. Some two-thirds of those featured here derive from films, and Dominique Visse has chosen to sing the majority in English (those with lyrics in French, German and Spanish are sung in the native tongue). His pure, unaffected delivery and sparing use of vibrato amply convey their essential intimacy, with Francois Couturier’s playing a model of understated accompaniment.

Those interested in sampling the present selection should head for the effortlessly catchy “Small Sky” (1962) or the teasingly Debussian harmonies of “The Snow” (1963); while the plaintive “Unseen Child” (1963) and anti-war sentiments of “All that the Man left behind when he died” (1965) are a reminder that Takemitsu never had to resort to overt emotion to be affecting. Equally touching are the final two songs, “All Alone” and “Yesterday’s Spot”, written in 1995 for the monthly magazine The Gold and not heard in public until after the composer’s death. Visse’s enunciation and the clarity of recorded sound largely compensate for the absence of texts, though there are informative notes on each of the songs. Recommended, then, for the distinctive light it sheds on a largely overlooked aspect of Takemitsu’s output.