Toronto’s Jo Passed, the project of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jo Hirabayashi, has returned with the announcement of his long-awaited sophomore album Away, out January 23, 2026 via Youth Riot Records. Alongside the news comes its first single, “Ico,” a groovy and contemplative track dedicated to Hirabayashi’s beloved 15-year-old Siberian long-haired cat. The single arrives with a playful self-directed video, marrying heartfelt storytelling with whimsical visual flair.
Where his acclaimed 2018 Sub Pop debut Their Prime was lauded as “a brilliant and unexpected ride” (DIY Magazine), Away builds on Hirabayashi’s knack for the unexpected, weaving existential themes, ego death, and mental health recovery into lush, shape-shifting soundscapes. Think Elliott Smith if he had found himself jamming with Brian Eno in the ‘70s—both delicate and sonically expansive.
“Ico” itself acts as the record’s light in the darkness. Chronicling the rhythms of his cat’s calm daily life, Hirabayashi finds grounding in simplicity, while also reflecting on cognitive behavioral therapy and Kierkegaard’s The Lily of the Field and the Bird of the Air. What could have been a pandemic-era track instead blossoms into something timeless—an ode to presence, stillness, and unconditional love. Tragically, the real Ico has been diagnosed with lung cancer and kidney failure, making this release feel especially poignant.
The video, pieced together guerrilla-style in March 2024, features expressive choreography by Shion Skye Carter, striking costume design by Sarah Baxter, sharp camerawork by Aya Garcia, and a memorable finishing touch from Téa Mei. It reflects the song’s balance of intimacy and play, as much a love letter to art as to life itself.
The making of Away was anything but easy. Between burnout, anxiety, and years of rewriting and scrapping material, Hirabayashi at one point took a full year away from even listening to the record. Yet through this long process, he rediscovered himself creatively. Featuring contributions from Mei (vocals), Mac Lawrie and Justin Devries (drums), Meredith Bates (strings), and Andromeda Monk (woodwinds/sax), the record emerges textured like an impasto painting—layered, scraped back, then glazed with something honest and luminous.
“I turned a tough time into creativity and found my way back to myself,” Hirabayashi reflects. “Two years later, I’ve got an album I love. Taking that time was worth it, and I hope this record inspires others to be kind to themselves and patient with their own pace.”
Jo Passed will take Away on the road this fall with U.S. and Canadian tour dates, including Toronto’s The Dance Cave on November 8th and Brooklyn’s Alphaville on November 13th. Tickets are on sale now.
Listen / Watch:
Pre-order Away Watch “Ico” Video Listen to “Ico”