********************************************************************* ********************************************************************* HARUOMI HOSONO compiled by Nicholas D. Kent email: ndkent@earthlink.net Japanese Synthesizer Music Website http://idfx.com/artskool/jem/ Last updated 9/1/96 (*) means I don't own this album Derek Higgins added some descriptions, they are identified by (DH:) Ralf Kraus added some descriptions, they are identified by (RK:) Jonas Wårstad helped verify info. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Apryl Fool featuring Haruomi Hosono The Apryl Fool (*) cd: COCA-10819 This is some sort of re-issued late 60s album featuring Hosono which has just come out. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hosono House 25 May 1973, King Record Co.cd: KICS-2117 lp: K25A-181 This is non-electronic R&B with vocals. Hosono's first (?) solo album is of only historic interest to electronic fans. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (*) In the 70s Hosono was in the band HAPPY END and recorded about 6 albums. The albums are out on CD. I understand there are sort of exotica/R&B. The last of their albums was produced by Van Dyke Parks. In hear the band was historic for doing rock sung in Japanese. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tropical Dandy (*) 197? Panam/Crown CRCP-30001, CRCP-136 This and the following are in the exotica vein. Produced by Hosono & Tin Pan Alley. The song Honeymoon from Medicine Compilation appears in it's original version on this album. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seian Yoko (*) Crown cd: CRCP-30002 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bon Voyage Co. (*) 1976? CD: CR-CROWN ZL42 cd: CRCP-137 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hosono Haruomi Best 12 (*)1984 Crown 035-CDC-2010 Best of early works. DH: This cd contains a song titled Yellow Magic Carnival, possibly Hosono's first mention of this concept. Hosono Haruomi Best 15 (*) cd: CRCP-28064 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki, Tatsuro Yamashita Pacific 1978 CD: CBS/SONY CSCL 1304 Exotica material. Sakamoto plays on most cuts, sometimes synth. Hosono on 3 cuts, which he wrote. Hosono is not the producer. Contains the two doing a wild early synth version of YMO's Cosmic Surfin which is really something. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Haruomi Hosono, Takahiko Ishikawa, Masataka Matsutohya The Aegean Sea 1979 CD: CBS/SONY CSCL 1306 Hosono on 2 cuts, which he wrote. He did not produce. Exotica material. No Sakamoto, some synth. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sound Image Series Vol. 1 Island Music 1983 CD: CBS/SONY CSCL 1301 Compilation album. Music by Haruomi Hosono, Tatsuro Yamashita, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Shigeru Suzuki, Masataka Matsutohya,Takahiko Ishikawa. The 3 Hosono tracks are compiled from Pacific and Agean Sea plus 2 tracks from Summer Nerves by Sakamoto including a reggae one. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sound Image Series Vol. 2 Off Shore (*) CBS/Sony CSCL-1303 Compilation includes material from Pacific and The Aegean Sea. This disc also has the early version of Cosmic Surfin'. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HARRY HOSONO AND THE YELLOW MAGIC BAND Paraiso 25 April 1978 Alfa CD: 32XA-226, ALCA-9068, ALCA-359 Yukihiro Takahashi and Sakamoto and HH play together on one track. The band name was a takeoff on a Captain Beefheart song title. This is the proto-YMO album, but the style is Exotica and more like a regular band album than a synth album. There is synth though. [recorded Dec 77-Jan 78] 1. Tokio Rush 2. Shimendoka 3. Japanese Rhumba 4. Asatoya Yunta 5. Fujiyama Mama 6. Femme Fatale 7. Shambhala Signal 8. Worry Beads 9. Paraiso ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOSONO & YOKOO Cochin Moon 1978 King Record Co. cd: KICS 2144 Way ahead of its time with trance-like synths and exotic world colors. The album is co-credited to famous pop (graphic) artist Tadanori Yokoo, who did the cover, but seemingly neither wrote nor played on it. I was able to get Yokoo to autograph my LP cover during a 1991 NYC speaking engagement. He laughed with slight embarrassment that anyone in the US would have a copy. Ryuichi Sakamoto plays synths also and his playing style is evident. Hideki Matsutake, who would later do the sequencer work for YMO and front the synth-based band, Logic System, programs the sequencer here. A brilliant album. This is the first album that sounds like the Hosono we are used to. 1. Hotel Malabar Ground Floor (Triangle Circuit on the sea-forest) 2. Hotel Malabar Upper Floor (Moving Triangle) 3. Hotel Malabar Roof Garden (Revel attack) 4. Hepattis 5. Hum ghar sajan 6. Madam Consul 7. General of Madras ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Philharmony 1982 Alfa/Yen lp:YLR-28001, cd: ALCA-9069, ALCA-360 First-rate electronic album of alternating quirky songs and ambient-type instrumentals. Landmark early use of sampling. An intersting companion to YMO's album Technodelic. Takahashi, Tachibana, Ueno guest. A track from these sessions Yunemiru Yakusoko appears on the Yen Memorial Album. [recorded March 82] 1. Picnic 2. Funiculi Funicura (Denza-Kiyono-Aoki) 3. Luminescent-Hotaru 4. Platonic 5. In Limbo 6. Living-Dining-Kitchen 7. Birthday Party 8. Sports Men/Philharmony 9. Air-Condition ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sangoku-shi" Main Theme / "Sangoku-shi" Love Theme (Hosono and Tamao Koike) (*) 1982 YEN 7" YLR-701 currently available on YEN Singles Alfa cd (x2): ALCA-208/209 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BEST OF VIDEO GAME MUSIC 1983? YEN lp: LR-20003, Alfa CD: 32XA-66, Pick Up (Holland) lp: LPU-0005 A full length album of early-ish arcade game music and sound effects. The first full album of this kind of music, now a whole genre in Japan. Hosono arranges and produces (does not compose). Be warned this sounds like video games, not much like HH. There is a Volume II that I don't think Hosono worked on. Tracks 11 to 17 seem to be from Vol. 2? They do not seem to have less HH involvement and don't seem to be on the LP. 1. Xevious 2. Bosconian 3. Pac-Man 4. Phozon 5. Mappy 6. Libble Rabble 7. Pole Position 8. New Rally-X 9. Dig Dug 10. Galaga 11. Fanfare from Pole Position II 12. Groba 13. Dig Dug II 14. Dragon Buster 15. Metro Cross (Part II) 16. Gaplus 17. The Tower of Druaga SUPER XEVIOUS / Galpus / Tower of Druaga (*) YEN 12" YLR-12002, Pick Up (Holland) 12": TPU-0009 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Best Selections (*) Alfa ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HARUOMI HOSONO PRESENTS The Making of Non-Standard Music/The Making of Monad Music 1984 Non-Standard and Monad EP:16NS-1001 One side of techno pop for his label, Non-Standard. The reverse side for Monad, his ambient label. Both were sub-labels of Techiku. I hear this came with a manga book. I guess mine was stolen. 1. Non-Standard Mixture 2. Medium Composition; #1 3. Medium Composition; #2 4. 3.6.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FRIENDS OF EARTH was Hosono's post YMO band. It first it refered to his keyboards (predominantly Kurzweil K250), later actual musicians officially joined in. The music is a blend of drum-machine oriented technopop with funk / hip hop. Since most are EPs (Maxi Singles), they have since been combined on CDs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HARUOMI HOSNO WITH FRIENDS OF EARTH S-F-X 1984 Non-Standard lp:22NS-2-cd: TECN-18036, TECN-15342 A mix of techno-pop and experimental tracks with lots of Close Encounters samples. The current CD of this adds the tracks from The Making of Non Standard Music.(marked by "*") Guests: Kubota and Sandii, Koshi, Nishimura. Now available at a budget price. [recorded Oct-Dec 1984] CD Contents: 1. Non-Standard Mixture* 2. Body Snatchers (special mix) -not certain how or if it differs from the lp 3. Androgena 4. SFX 5. Strange Love 6. Alternative 3 7. Dark Side of the Star 8. Medium Composition; #1* 9. Medium Composition; #2* 10. 3.6.9 * *not on lp, but from the "Making of Non-Standard" EP above. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friend or FOE? Oct. 1985 Non-Standard EP: 18NS-1006 Techno-pop tracks with 2 new versions of the songs on "S-F-X" and 2 new tracks. It had a joke "ADULT ONLY XXX" label on it. I'm not sure why. With Nonaka on side B. OTT means "Over the Top" as we learn. 1. World Famous Techno Pop 2. Return of the Body Snatchers (Exterminated mix) 3. Strange Love (Fonk version) 4. OTT Manifest (OTT mix) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- F.O.E.#1 Decline of O.T.T. 1985 Non-Standard EP:15NS-1010 4 frantic tracks including the super goofy "Dance Hall".F.O.E. are Nonaka, Hosono, Nishimura. Guests: Sandii, Miharu Koshi, Makato Kubata cameo. 1. Dance Hall 2. Agricult 3. Lunar Gloom 4. Decline of the City The World of F.O.E. (*) cd: TECN-18231 combines the above 2 EPs on one CD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- F.O.E.#1 Sex, Energy and Star 1986 Non-Standard CD: 30CH-174 Full length album. This is the one with guests James Brown, Maceo Parker and Anton Fier and tons of Kurzewil K250. Plenty of drums and sequences. Since the real James Brown appears (on Sex Machine), nobody insults him with anything too strange. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- F.O.E. The Return of F.O.E. (*) TECN-25227 Seems to be a remix album ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nokto de la Galaksia Fervojo (Soundtrack) 1985 Non-Standard lp: 25NS-5, cd: TECN-15341 Score to the animated fable "Night on the Galactic Railroad". The dialog was in Esparanto. Simple and elegant piano and synth melodies with a memorable theme a little like Satie. Fantastic *LP* packaging and printing. Now available at a budget price.(normal CD package) * 1. La Ceftitolo * 2. Temo el la Mondo de la Fantazia Kvara Dimensio * 3. Fantazio Kaj Realo * 4. En Tago Serena * 5. La Kanto de la Rondiro de la Steloj * 6. Fantazio de Giovanni * 7. La Stelfesto de Centauro * 8. La Masto de 'Tenkirin' * 9. La Gojo * 10. La Norda Kruco * 11. La Pliocena Marbordo * 12. La Historio en Fantazio * 13. La HArpo de la Paradizo * 14. La Travida Malgojo de Giovanni * 15. La Pleja Felico * 16. Temo de la Adiauo * 17. Kuro * 18. 45 Minutoj * 19. Rekviem * 20. Temo Finala ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Best of Non Standard (*) 1985 Non Standard Includes Pizzicato V's What's New Pizzicato? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MONAD Albums: These 4 ambient-like albums came out around the same time in 1986 and form a sort of set. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coincidental Music 1985 Monad cd: 30CH-143, TECN-18037, TECN-15337 A sampler of un-released music for movies, TV, commercials and installation 1982-85. This is a good album to hear Hosono's vastly different styles of compositions, though the content is so varried it makes incoherent listening as a whole without programming your CD player. Now available at a budget price. mixed 22 June 1985 1. Lichtenstein's 0.31 (recorded 11 Oct 1984) 2. Pietro Germi (re-recording version) 5.30 (recorded 7 July 1983) 3. Normandia 2.36 (recorded 11 July 1984) 4. The Man of China 1.50 (recorded 24 April 1985) 5. Sayokoskatti 4.45 (recorded 8 May 1982) 6. Mazinger "H" 3.14 (recorded 10 March 1984) 7. The Plan 0.31 (recorded 20 June 1985) 8. Nokto de la Galaksia Fervojo (re-recording version) 1.31 (recorded 22 Dec 1984) 9. George Don 1.01 (recorded 7 May 1984) 10. Bio Philosophy 4.40 (recorded 8 May 1984) 11. Memphis, Milano (re-recording version)10.27 (recorded 10 Aug 1982) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mercuric Dance 1985 Monad cd: 30CH-144, TECN-18038, TECN-15338 All synth with a bit of percussion, though rather monochromatic. Recorded 1983-4. For a modern dance ensemble. A video version is also out. Now available at a budget price. 1. Sunnyside of the Water 2. Mercuric Dance 3. Formation of the Venus 4. Down to the Earth 5. Fossil of Flame - Fifty Bell-Trees 6. Prepared Quartz 7. Sea of tau 8. Windy Land 9. To the Air ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paradise View (Soundtrack) 1985 Monad cd: 30CH-145, TECN-18039, TECN-15339 An album of very interesting, sampled and re-assembled Okinawan music with an emphasis on gamelan-like sounds. I got a chuckle when a Village Voice film critic commented on the wonderful, "authentic" Okinawan score (authentic Hosono and his K250 that is). In the film, Hosono plays a supporting role as a sensitive, but out of his element Japanese grade school teacher. The big in-joke is that one of the teenage girls in the story has a YMO shrine in her room, and especially pines for Hosono, yet has no interest in her school teacher. The first Okinawan language feature. Now available at a budget price. (recorded/mixed Dec 84) 1. The Image of a Paradise 2. The Image of a View 3. Mabui Dance 4. Yuta's Pray 5. Atti 6. Wheels on Fire 7. The Truck on the Sea 8. Roochoo Jazz 9. The Paradise View ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Endless Talking 1986 Monad cd: 30CH-159, TECN-18040, TECN-15340 If you can't stand repetition, than "Endless" is the operating word here. This was for an Italian art installation. 13 bright, quirky and repetetive synth pieces. Recorded 25 April 1985. Now available at a budget price. 1. Mercuryfall 2. The Animal's Opinion 3. Insects Insists Insecurity 4. The Long Story of a Humankind 5. The First One in Heaven 6. Sequential Opera Circuit 7. Trembling #1 8. The Endless Talking 9. Scratched 10. Szymanowsky Bird 11. Digitally Sampled Etnography 12. La Pliocena/Birdoj 13. Trembling #2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Best Instrumental Music Of Haruomi Hosono 1988 Continental 25CH4 * Down To The Earth * La Pliocena Marbordo * Dark Side Of The Star * Fossil Of Flame * The Truck On The Sea * Mazinger "H" * Temo De La Adiauo * Mabui Dance * Normandia * 3.6.9 * The Man Of China * To The Air A compilation of tracks from the Monad series. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Tale of Genji (Soundtrack) Genji Monogatari (Murasaki Shikibu ?) 1993 Epic/Sony cd: ESCB 1346 A fascinating, traditional-sounding Japanese score with a large amount of synth work. A very rich and dream-like score for an animated film. recorded in 1987 Very nice CD cover art. U.S. video released 1995. 1. Tsukiyomi 3.03 2. Rajyoumon 4.10 3. Fujitsubo 3.03 4. Asatsuyu 3.04 5. Wakamurasaki 3.43 6. Miyasundokoro 2.59 7. Ukihashi 3.57 8. Kechigan 3.02 9. Samidare 6.46 10. Hikari 3.06 11. Kodama 5.16 12. Mai 5.45 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Omni Sight Seeing 30 Sep 1989 Epic/Sony 28-8P 5258 Songs and instrumentals with a world and even off-world flavor. It includes nods to Duke Ellington and Wilhelm Reich. This is the kind of techno pop he does best. My copy came in a Digi-pack with a nice 26 page b&w booklet. [recorded 1988-89] 1. Esashi 1.50 2. Andadura 6.23 3. Orgone Box 6.05 4. Ohenro-San 2.44 5. Caravan 4.16 6. Retort 3.33 7. Laugh-Gas 11.26 8. Korendor 5.25 9. Pleocene 6.12 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HIS Nippon no Hito Folk 1991 Eastworld cd:TOCT-6195 -pop/folk trio including Hosono. Light fun music, not much synth work. Hosono produced. Funny pictures of the trio in school uniforms on ice skates. Warning- not cutting edge or exotic. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Haruomi Hosono in the '90s The Michael Brook Remix 1992 cd single: Alfa ALCA-270 I guess Hosono's catchy material plus the remix by Brian Eno alumni Michael Brook help to make this one of the best remix outings. Out of print. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medicine Compilation from the Quiet Lodge 21 March 1993 Sony ESCB-1302 Tristar (USA) cd: WK 57398 It concludes with a compostion by Laraaji and includes a collaboration with soundtrack composer Yasuaki Shimizu, and singer/composer Akiko Yano. Nice ambient with pop touches. [recorded/mixed 1991-92] 1. Laughter Meditation 8.05 2. Honey Moon 5.04 3. Deira 3.23 4. Quiet Lodge Edit 5.26 5. Medicine Mix 6.32 6. Sand Storm Edit 3.39 7. Mabui Dance #2 9.46 8. Aiwoiwaiou 6.23 9. Armenian Orientation 10.36 10. Ambient Meditation 4.04 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Mental Sports Mixes 1993 Tristar (USA) cd: WK 57784, Sony ESCB-1407 3 Omni Sight Seeing remixes by Graham Massey, 3 by the somehow Hosono-affiliated Tokyo group Something Wonderful. and one mix each by Tim Simenon/Bomb the Bass and the Orb. These remixes lock into a groove much better than the originals and sequence into an album quite nicely. There is a U.S. promo 12" of one of the Gram Massey mixes. Same as the album. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOVE, PEACE AND TRANCE Hasu Kriya 1994 Epic/Sony cd single: ESCB 1544 The 3 songs here in the same mix come as bonus tracks on the album below. In other words, unless you collect singles or want the booklet and different cover, you are better off with the album below. I think the project name sums it up. These songs are the most pop-like pieces on the album below. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOVE, PEACE & TRANCE LOVE, PEACE & TRANCE 1995 Epic/Sony cd : ESCB 1546 They are Mimori Yusa, who I think, records solo albums, Miyako Koda, from the band Dip in the Pool and Mishio Ogawa is from the band Killing Time. *Tracks 3-5 were mixed by Kim Cascone of Heavenly Music Corporation. Kay (Something Wonderful) Nakayama does additional production on several tracks. The album seems to have been inspired by Shinichi Nakazawa, who I am not familiar with. First rate production and material. Cover art by Yokoo. If you want something hyper look elsewhere (NDE). Very relaxing but not boring. A great listen. 1. Yeelen (HH)* 2. Dreamtime Lovers (HH)* 3. Solaris (dip in the pool)* 4. Mammal Mama (HH) 5. Kokoro Da (Killing Time) 6. Dawn (d.i.p.) 7. Whispers in the Dark (Thomas Newman) 8. Hasu Kriya -single mix(Moro Fukuzawa) 9. Hush - A Mandala Ni Pàli (Moro Fukuzawa) 10. Aina (HH) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- N.D.E. 26 April 1995, Sun and Moon PHCR-913, U.S. release on Verve. Stands for Near Death Experience. With G. Hotoda, B. Laswell, Y. Terada. Heavy dose of Bill Laswell on this one. Solid catchy beats with lots of tabla and Arabic instruments. Good and hyper. Well engineered. If you care to damage the cd insert, you can peel off the top sticker revealing the album credits hidden on the backing paper. Hosono said he sent some tapes to Bill Laswell in New York, and he added to and mixed them. 1. Spinning Spirits 6.01 2. Navigations 9.28 3. Teaching of the Sphinx 6.28 4. Strange Attractor 9.48 5. Heliotherapy 4.21 6. Higher Flyer 6.01 7. Edge of the End 8.37 8. Aero 6.25 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIVINATION Akasha 1995 Sub Harmonic (USA) SD7011-2 Hosono plays ambient material on one track (Navigations in a 15 minute mix) with and one without rhythm on this double CD Bill Laswell project. Loose but textural ambient colloborations with several artists. The same sessions as N.D.E. DIVINATION Distill 1996 Submeta (USA) double cd: SM 9803-2 Contains the track Ether Vibes (7:51) which was written by HH and Miharu Koshi and produced by HH. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Good Sport Aug.10.1995 Clock CD: CLD-001 This seems to be a limited release for the Universiade 1995, Fukuoka (a sporting event). It did not go on sale in retail stores. Soundtrack-like it opens with clockwork sequencing with analog drums. Later some trad. Japanese music on synths and some impressionistic tracks. Miharu Koshi contributes a melody. I think HH's company Medium, dropped a couple copies in the main branch of Tower Records Shibuya after the event, that's where I got mine. -very lucky. There seems to be an item called Audio Sports also, which is said to be remixes. * good sport * fanfare [Miharu Koshi] * sacred runner * fin de siecle * nosralgia * troy (the videoman) * torch music * newage children * bamboo wave * a collage of life [HH, the lasat part by MK] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naga Oct 25, 1995 FOA FRCA-1001 A superb album of instrumentals in the styles of many Asian countries. Includes a new version of one of the Paradise View tunes. Ambient, but also rich in melody and texture. Recorded 1991-95. 1. Hindustan 2. Naga 3. Taj-mahal 4. Himalaya 5. Sherpa (by Miharu Koshi) 6. Jado 7. Seasons 8. Dancing-High 9. Chaitya 10. Angkor Vat -adaptation of "Mabui Dance" 11. Serpent Cloud ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Haruomi Hosono + Bill Laswell Interpieces Organizations (*) 1996 TEICHIKU TECN-30336 * unfinished screams (HH+BL) * interpieces (HH+BL) * coiled (HH+BL) * jeephead shaman (remix of "unfinished screams" by something wonderful) * wakare michi (remix of "interpieces" by terre thaemlitz) * y.s.tangled in tokyo (remix of "coiled" by yoshihiro sawasaki) * bush (HH) (info from MORIMOTO,yosuke) Terre Thaemlitz's written piece on Hosono is in this archive ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hosono Produced: Hosono has produced a number of artists. His YMO-era Sheena and the Rokketts albums are supposedly quite good, but my 2 got lost or stolen before I listened to them. He also worked with Sandii & the Sunsetz. He was slated to produce actor John Lone's album, but I don't know if it was made. He did produce an album for Shoukichi Kina, Bloodline. He even did a song, "Pink Mozart" for idol Seiko Matsuda. As far as I know all of Miharu Koshi's albums are produced by HH. She in turn contributes to most of Hosono's albums. He produced or executive produced all artists on the Non-Standard label including Pizzacato Five's first 2 singles, Urban Dance, Interior, Mikado, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- alternative artists École compiled by Haruomi Hosono from the Quiet Lodge 1995 Epic/Sony cd: ESCB 1557 12 new bands selected by HH. They all work in an ambient with a beat style. It is nicely programmed so as to sound like an album instead just a compilation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jean-Joel Barbier Erik Satie Album 1984 Victor lp: JMI-280006 Hosono "compiled" this edition from a 1970s French piano album. Part of the great Music Interior series. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ****************************************************************************