Metaphorical Music is Nujabes' first solo album released in 2003. It offers a combination of hip hop and instrumental jazz, and features artists like Shing02, Substantial, Five Deez and Cise Starr (of CYNE). Despite the fact that the album has contributing vocals from several artists, it is roughly classified as a breakbeat album. Uyama Hiroto contributed to several notable tracks on the album, including Letter from Yokosuka and Next View, and would appear on subsequent albums Modal Soul and Spiritual State. Metaphorical Music received universal acclaim from fans of Nujabes and critics.