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.

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.

paging: Karl Malone

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ymostream/permalink/4466977030014084/

Haruomi Hosono interview from the endless talking, the episode of the s
′′ I started smoking the so-called glass (the meaning of marijuana, cannabis) during the session. Happy also I didn't do much at any time, but I just happen to like that kind of thing at that time ′′
There is a picture of a hijab party on the jacket of Masato Minami's album that hosono-San participated in the time and session. I was originally interested in spiritual, and I was experiencing a musician's unique drug. Happy birthday, but even during the ting pan array activity, I don't say I don't do drugs at all, so the concept of the utopia of the yellow magic band name ′′ off ′′ that I participated in by professor and xìng hóng is actually the other side It's a real original world, not a scavenger, made by hosono-San, who knew it. The ending hosono-San's hurrah ′′ this next is more better!" is staggering." I'm going to connect to hosono-San and ymo who try anything because I like pleasure."

wait...WHAT?!?!

what's crazy is that i refreshed about 12 seconds after you posted it, so it really was like a pager :D

of course, this is my job

I guess that means I have to get blazed and listen to all his records again. ha ha ha, as if I haven't been doing that anyway

was at The Exclusive Company in Milwaukee and they had 4 of his records - his 3 latest and The Aegean Sea. not gonna pay that much for covers, but still, kind of surreal to see them

We Want Sounds reissuing three Makoto Kubota albums on vinyl. Listening to Dixie Fever rn on their bandcamp and it's lush.

Hosono on NTS right now picking fave records.

first of all, it's his 74th birthday today. I for one have been listening to Hosono records all day, how about you??

secondly, I just discovered this has a video and that indeed Hosono did have a ponytail in the mid-90s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU6mWac-h4w

Happy Birthday, HH!

I posted this elsewhere and it may not be accessible from certain places, so apologies in advance, but it's a really interesting BBC Radio documentary about Kankyō Ongaku - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xdwh

Oh nice! I’m gonna give that a shot via VPN

allow me to brag for a moment and show this off. not to get all Steve Hoffman-y but this pressing is totally amazing, lotta stuff I never noticed on my MP3 copy

https://i.imgur.com/XkEOqsT.jpg

is this the one album of his that doesn't really stick to a particular sound? every track seems to invoke a different locale. honestly I think this might be his very best record. it's so melodically rich and weird. it combines his tropical, ambient, and technopop periods into one. it's one of those rare albums that really is an intersection of everything that makes an artist great at once. like for all the music he made between 82-85 this is like 4 years of ideas in one record. and it has "Pleocene".

Jealous! OSS is one of his best and yeah, it has 'Pleocene', easily my favourite HH song, even if he sounds a little like Kermit the frog :)

Every time he covers a song it comes off like he’s mocking it, in part because of that voice. Like idk if “Caravan” is supposed to be funny but it makes me laugh

I associate Hosono's voice with Levon Helm - I guess they and Kermit The Frog are all contemporaries, lotta mutual influencing happening.

caravan is a cover of like a 40s tin pan alley thing innit? i like it

it's a duke ellington song from the mid 1930s and must be one of thee most covered pieces of music of all time. it became an exotica classic which is possibly what drew hosono to it.

His Funiculì, Funiculà is really beautiful tho'

I really like the drum programming on the F.O.E. stuff

so I've been deep into the Light in the Attic reissues of Omni Sight Seeing and Medicine Compilation lately. I've kind of dismissed these in the past as "later period Hosono" which regardless had some very good parts, now I think they are both in my Top 5. hell, OSS might be #1, I think it's the only album he has that captures nearly everything he's good at

omni sight seeing has "pleiocene" which is pretty much the best song ever