Haruomi Hosono

I'd highly recommend Hosono's Monad Box, a collection of three of his instrumental and ambient records from the early 80s. My favourite of the discs included is Coincidental Music, which is short pieces made for advertising and promotional films. Sort of electronic Satie. Rather more delicate and strange than Sakamoto's work of the period.

Hosono's best solo song album is S-F-X, a Fairlight-heavy opus from 1984. There's a clip of one track here. And here are some pictures of Hosono, who's now a bit fatter, plays in Sketch Show, and runs the Daisyworld label.

Unfortunately, getting any of this in the US is near impossible. the only other thing i've managed to track down (through dusty groove) was this bizarre early 80's record that he was apparently only partially involved with, which was a strange "top of the pops" sort of medley of about 15 60's-70's pop/disco standards and a few mediocre jazz-fusion originals.

'More delicate and strange' than early 80's Sakamoto is quite a teaser. Sakamoto's B-2 Unit and Esperanto are already fairly strange (if not delicate) records, but those were the odd ones out.

I agree with Momus--Miharu Koshi is one of the greatest, most underrated Japanese artists of the '80s. She evolved from an insiginifant pop idol in the late '70s to a completely original synth-pop artist. Since the late '80s she's become a bit too idiosyncratic for my tastes ('Chanson Solaire' from '95 is probably her best from that era), but her albums are still beautifuI and I have the highest respect for her. She's due for a new album soon. I think 'Boy Soprano' from '85 is her best album--a perfect combination of her early synth-pop work and later chanson stuff. Unfortunately, her stuff is very hard to find, even in Japan. Her albums pop up on ebay, but they're always quite expensive. 'Boy Soprano' is probably the easiest to find.

One of my favorite Hosono-related bands is Chakra. They put out only three albums in the early '80s, and Hosono produced their second. They're all utterly essential exotic pop albums. Makoto Yano (Akiko Yano's first husband) produced their first album. The singer, Mishio Ogawa, put out four solo albums too, and they're also essential (especially her s/t). The last three were just reissued a few weeks ago actually, and I had never heard them beforehand. So I'm excited about those...they're very good.

Now that I'm talking about Japanese synth-pop, I'll make a few more recommendations. I recently discovered Taeko Onuki (or Ohnuki) and am completely in love. She started in the mid '70s, making more fusion-oriented pop albums, and then she teamed up with Ryuichi Sakamoto in the late '70s and started churning out one amazing pop album after the next. 'Adventure' (1981) is probably my favorite, but I have a lot that I've yet to hear!

Moon Riders are another of my favorites. They've been around since the '70s as well and, in my opinion, reached their peak in the early '80s with 'Mania Maniera' and 'Tokyo wa...'. They've spanned a lot of different style, but never put out a bad album.

Perhaps my favorite is Masami Tsuchiya's 'Rice Music' album (1982) and his follwing Ippu-Do album 'Night Mirage' (1983). Members of the band Japan assist on those two albums, as well as the fretless great Percy Jones. Bowie-esque vocals, experimental, angular guitar work (plus Bill Nelson doing his e-bow thing), completely out of control bass playing, steel drums, layers of synths, etc. Basically it's a hilariously awesome rhythm section with great songs too. I couldn't recommend these two albums more. It's too bad that 'Night Mirage' was never released on CD and 'Rice Music' is impossible to find on CD.....

Oh, and P-Model is another synth-pop great.

http://park10.wakwak.com/~techno/

http://www.artcontext.com/music/artskool/jem

That second one appears to be currently down for some reason....

I love Wha-ha-ha

Also, apparently Mishio was in Killing Time, so I need to check her out.

Yes, I've been looking for Killing Time for a long time. Please let me know if you get a hold of their stuff.

http://www.sonymusicshop.jp/smdr/sms/img/goods/L/KICS-1139.jpg

Patrick; Dleone's correct about the ReR connection, I grew up as a Recommended Records fanboy, buying anything they'd put out... Though I didn't finally hear Wha-Ha-Ha until researching backwards from the first Haniwa All-Stars record, which blew my mind in the early 90's. My interest in Senba's early Haniwa records & Wha-Ha-Ha is precisely because they're so eccentric & hard to figure out. I don't imagine they're particularly representative of early 80's JPop.

the yesasia site is listing this album in hosono searches, the title is killing me... have you heard it?

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=FHCF-2344

The easiest way for me to get this stuff to you is through Soulseek. My name on their is Magazine, so message me if you use that program. The only other way I can think of is YSI, which will take a little while (though it's not too much trouble really).

B'angelo has some requests too. Whatever you guys request, I'll get it to you some time this weekend (or now if you have slsk).

Cochin Moon, way closer to mid-70's Cluster than I would have ever expected (though I do prefer Cluster). A surprise, even given Dominque's Tangerine Dream reference -- definitely in the 70's trance/synth records pantheon.

Bon Voyage & Tropical Dandy much more tin-pan-alley than electronic, but Paraiso is off-kilter, lays the way out for the first YMO. Omni Sight Seeing, thumbs up if you like late YMO. I like Hosono's solo mainstream pop records much more than Sakamoto's, no contest.

Miharu Koshi's Boy Soprano, wow.

And the Mishio Ogawa & Chakra stuff is eye-opening after a lifetime of Haniwa fandom. Chakra's much more straightforward / less quirky, but I'm very happy just to be able to place Haniwa in context with, well, _anything_.

Boy Soprano, the Mishio Ogawa debut, & Cochin Moon are the three I ordered online after hearing the mp3's.

Am I correct that this has Sakamoto on it?

I dunno though... even though his pop is weirder than Sakamoto's, Sakamoto's pure experimental albums (B-2 Unit & Esperanto) are 1000% more bizarre and advanced than Hosono's, those albums are timeless.

http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1004088657/code-j/section-videos/

(this should probably go on the noise board's wha-ha-ha thread but too late)

Kiyohiko Senba and his Haniwa All Stars

BTW, what exactly did Andy Partridge do on B-2 Unit?

I dunno Matthew, you heard Esperanto?

You mean that electric guitar in the right-channel that's barely audible and sounds as if it's unplugged? If so, that's...odd.

I dunno Matthew, you heard Esperanto?

Most of it — I just re-listened again this morning (have about 6 tracks downloaded). Assuming they aren't remixes, I'd say it's good but no B-2 Unit — lots mallet-y textures and ambience. But if you think I'm missing something, maybe I should re-download to verify that I'm listening to the right tracks.

ha, I first heard it with "members of the Vas Deferens Organization" too. My member was Eric

news you can use: japanese CDs are too damned expensive

I am beginning to miss the days when people were relatively certain they were talking about the same record. A few days ago at a dinner party someone put on something interesting, and when I asked what it was he said it was the new Boards of Canada. He didn't believe me when I told him that it wasn't, he just brought over to his iPod to show me the tags.

I put on Omni Sight Seeing last night, that is definitely my favorite Hosono pop album, every song...

And I first read that as "tripping on acid with members of Van Der Graaf Generator.

I am beginning to miss the days when people were relatively certain they were talking about the same record.

No kidding — but I think Dom's "news you can use" is the culprit in this instance. And actually, that's one of the 2 tracks I don't have. Still, p2p's are great for finding rarities...

Is there a good Hosono comp, btw?

I had both Matt and Eric in the room, with running commentary and interpretive facial expressions. THAT is a proper introduction to Cochin Moon, let me tell you.

i get it. i'm happy for the people who can hear the difference. for the rest of us, fuck man

love OSS but $50, yeah no way

My CD copy sounds fine

It’s just like...don’t they want people to listen to and buy these Hosono records? Why are they doing this?

All I’m trying to do is give other people money to listen to their music, I don’t understand why they make that so difficult

CD copies are about that expensive too

and tbf Medicine Comp is a double

but yeah LTiA's pricing structure irritates me, a lot of new LPs are $20-22 but the stuff I want will randomly be way more. Cochin Moon was $22 but Paraiso was $45, idk why since the quality on both are similar. the YMO reissues (the 2x45 RPM ones with the pixelated covers) are $90 a pop. maybe this has something to do with the remastering...Paraiso does sound different from my MP3 copy in some noticeable ways, while CM sounds amazing to begin with

I believe LiTA is handling US distribution but these are produced and manufactured in Japan. A new single LP in Japan is priced at ¥3,700 or approximately ~$35 USD. So $50 for a new Japanese import LP, considering shipping, export costs, handling, etc. is not particularly exploitative.

$60 for Medecine Comp on 2 x vinyl will translate to around $100 to get it to the UK. :(

Probably much cheaper to buy direct from Japan.

xp

that makes sense, but it makes me wonder how did managed to keep costs under $25 for Cochin Moon, the recent Yoshimura Green reissue, and other similar Japanese reissues

it's fine, i'm just bummed because i'm a big fan of all this stuff, i want to hear it and support the effort, and i can't even though i'm a grown assed half-man with a job

Japanese prices -

OMNI SIGHT SEEING
LP | ¥4,070 (US$38.6)

MEDICINE COMPILATION
2LP | ¥5,500 (US$52.17)

that makes sense, but it makes me wonder how did managed to keep costs under $25 for Cochin Moon, the recent Yoshimura Green reissue, and other similar Japanese reissues

Those were in-house productions by LiTA, presumably for the ex-Japan / North America market. For instance, you can see the pricier / earlier Cochin Moon reissue for the Japan market here:
https://www.discogs.com/Haruomi-Hosono-Tadanori-Yokoo-Cochin-Moon/release/8467190

The new ones being discussed are being produced in Japan by a subsidiary of Sony music - LiTA is not involved in the production / manufacturing, they are just providing distribution / promo.

Licensing and rights control is quite convoluted in Japan. It works both ways as well, for instance LiTA's blockbuster Japanese Environmental Music compilation is not available in Japan and only a handful of digital tracks for download were available with the vinyl reissue.

One of the reasons I heard that Japanese territory reissues are expensive (even in Japan) are that in the case of major label releases, instead of licensing the recordings, the major itself presses the records on behalf of the reissuer, and then 'sells' them to the reissue label. Maybe to retain some kind of quality control and ensure that the right quantity is being pressed.

The reissue label has to pay whatever the major wants in order to do the reissue = high prices for all..

thanks for that info, MFB!

yeah it makes more sense now. being a fan of Japanese music can get crazy expensive if you're not just pirating stuff.

yeah...i guess i have to keep in mind it could be way, way worse. the terrible setback i've been dealt is that i'll have to continue listening to all this cool shit for free and never send money to the people who helped make it. but whatever, i help spread the YMO-family word whenever i can, and i purchase everything i can that's not intended for wealthy people

whereas in the olden times, i'd probably have to rob a liquor store just to hear any of this stuff in the first place

fuck can someone convince me not to pull the trigger on this

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1079306315?format=Vinyl&text=Haruomi-Hosono-Coincidental-Music&utm_campaign=sell_email_new&utm_source=relationship&utm_medium=pm&ev=wh_new

Absolutely not! :)

The version of the Galactic Railroad theme on that is exquisite.

And Bio Philosophy which is a stunning version of the first track from that Muji BGM tape

oh damn no way? light em up already, frogbs!

okay fine that price does seem pretty great for an NM copy, I mean fuck it we save that much every week in gas thanks to the pandemic is how I see it

ahhhh god damn it

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1180310337?format=Vinyl&text=Haruomi-Hosono-Philharmony

maybe a good indication that the LTiA copies are coming down in price, never seen one under 85

oh wow someone grabbed it

Remembered the other day that I travelled to Japan at the height of the Kubik craze and nabbed a YMO set, so technically I have a Haroumi Hosono action figure.

Hana ni Mizu (Watering a Flower) tape reissue -

https://lightintheattic.net/releases/7302-hana-ni-mizu-watering-a-flower?mc_cid=6d1cd6c03d&mc_eid=982f43dfd8

first time I've ever wanted a goddamn cassette tape

iirc their Kankyo Ongaku set has the full version of the first track, imo the better of the two...might spring for that instead

Kankyo Ongaku has Original BGM, but nothing from the tape.

i bought it for my good friend, so at least i know i'll be able to reliably listen to it every once in a while

oh! I guess I did not, in fact, rc

Dang, missed it. It's available now on streaming.

Interesting the LITA page says there's a translation of the book on the web, accessible via a QR code that comes with the tape. Hope to see that sometime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nehPFjX87l4

niiiice

awesome. is that Akiko Yano on piano? she must've been like 20. I wonder how many cigarettes got smoked through those sessions?

yes, that is akiko. thanks for this... digging through hosono's career is endlessly rewarding.

Is indeed Akiko, I think she might have been as young as 17/18

I remember reading that it's traditional in Japan for girls to learn piano at a very young age to entertain the family at gatherings and that's why were so many female technopop artists there in the 80's

Watching those clips made me realise how I don't really care for Shigeru Suzuki, at least not what he was doing back then. His playing style and voice are really weak, I know HH's singing voice is a bit limited and Kermit The Frog but I've always enjoyed listening to him.

yeah I kinda love his voice. it makes me laugh a lot.

I've dropped his cover of "Funiculi Funicula" into several playlists and let me tell you it gets a very odd reaction from people every time

and while I'm on the subject of Philharmony can I just say I find it weird that "Sports Men" is so universally celebrated while "Living-Dining-Kitchen" remains sort of an obscurity. I think it might be one of the best technopop songs ever written.

'Living-Dining-Kitchen' slaps, it's true.

interesting tidbit from the Coincidental Music sleeve - "Sayokoskatti" and "Memphis, Milano" (two of my favorite Hosono tracks) were both recorded at LDK studios in 1982, which I think means they were both part of the sessions for Philharmony. now I wanna make an alternate version of that album...

Found those translated notes for Watering a Flower.. neat

http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/HaruomiHosono_lyrics/hananimizu_english.pdf

many thanks! my tape arrived last week and i've been enjoying walking about listening to it immensely. it seems very fitting reading these notes that i have been 'moving around' lots while listening.

have really loved reading these interviews & notes in the reissues, it's the first time I've been able to get a sense of what he's like as a person

amusingly the new issue of Sakamoto's Left Handed Dream mentions that their differences had to do mostly with the use of electronics and synthesizers, I guess Sakamoto felt that HH's electronic stuff was too inhuman & weird and would not date well. which is amusing now because arguably Hosono's sound has held up incredibly well with a host of imitators, while albums like Left Handed Dream are the ones that sound stuck in their time

new years eve w/ harry:

https://www.nts.live/shows/nye-with-nts/episodes/haruomi-hosono-31st-december-2020

Yay! Thanks everso

how is it that Light in the Attic haven't repressed the Swing Slow album

indeed. my top Hosono want.

that and the Love, Peace and Trance album both seem like they'd be pretty popular reissues in the current climate, I'd have to imagine LitA or Great Tracks or Turntable Lab or someone is at least trying