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.

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

cursed or blessed image??

https://i.imgur.com/PGGrN6v.png

Harry be making some house music

hosono house music 2
https://i.imgur.com/c492iJJ.png

Honestly though, he's a total Zelig, look at all the different pics of him from Apryl Fool/Happy End though to now, dude has had more phases than Bowie.

if you need a reason to smile today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEWL3N56OQ4

Wicked! Thank you frogbs

He's got the twang down to a tee <3

<3 excellent

It's killing me that there is a 500-page book about HH and co out there and I cannot, and most likely will not ever read it.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E9%96%80%E9%96%93-%E9%9B%84%E4%BB%8B/dp/416391207X/ref=rtpb_7?pd_rd_w=MhsLf&pf_rd_p=c221ae92-96f8-424c-884c-196b2fc439b0&pf_rd_r=DNW6WF4FSQV8VYADV5FD&pd_rd_r=6fa90e55-7fba-4bd8-8556-3da5be9f2b05&pd_rd_wg=m9p1X&pd_rd_i=416391207X&psc=1

There also seems to be some series of books coming out about YMO that deals with them year by year I could be wrong mind.

Jesus... That book! Google translating that made me even sadder there's no translation:

The definitive critique of musician Haruomi Hosono!
What did he produce with "Happy End," "Tin Pan Array," and "YMO"?

"I can't talk anymore."
Haruomi Hosono

Hosono otm.

i see the Monads are getting a reissue - https://www.phonicarecords.com/product/view/172659

expensive!

S-F-X too

https://www.phonicarecords.com/product/view/172659

Hosono records are never cheap (besides Cochin Moon) but even still those prices are insane. $80 before shipping?? christ. wonder if someone else is gonna offer them for cheaper.

yeah., i am very disappointed in the whole reissue series. i mean, i'll stream it, but i am someone who was eager to fork over $20-25/each for like a bajillion different hosono records. guess i'll just give hosono like 5 streaming cents instead

hard to blame them too much for the high prices of the other stuff, vinyl is always expensive in Japan and really LitA's prices are about what you'd pay there + like $7-10 to import. but these are like $20-30 beyond even that, which just feels exploitative, given some of these (particularly Mercuric Dance) fetch $150-200 on the secondary market. would be really nice if they'd license them to some American company to actually press it themselves. if LitA offers them at $40-50 I'll probably grab them with my Bidenbucks, just because I've wanted them for so damn long

definitely gonna start saying bidenbux

goddamn freemium games

looks like the 2019 US show will be coming to vinyl as well

https://www.hmv.co.jp/en/news/article/2104071044/

fun album!

The Monad reissues were pulled from the Phonica page. Apparently they're Japan RSD exclusives and can't be sold until 7/17. Good news though is LitA apparently will try to sell a few copies:

https://lightintheattic.net/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&term=hosono

I'm sure they'll be expensive, but maybe not as bad as previously thought

just found out today that Hosono apparently composed some music for a Japanese kids TV show in 2006. apparently Miharu Koshi and Akiko Yano are on the soundtrack too. can't find it but I did come across two tracks on YouTube, they're surprisingly great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiAX37XQPwI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB3QK_2qn_M

(I think the second one is AY with Hosono arranging)

The first is Mei Kurokawa and is in the Japanese Pops Of Haruomi Hosono box set.

nice!! thanks for finding that!! I have become obsessed with it today.