Needle Time

  Akiko Yano - Tadaima  [WWSLP16 2018 FRA 24-Bit 88.2kHz FLAC] The Japanese Girl who found fame following her debut album with American rock band Little Feat in 1976 as a teenager, returned with her popular synthpop album Tadaimo (meaning 'I am home') in 1981. This time recorded with her husband Ryuichi Sakamoto, the two other members of Yellow Magic Orchestra plus YMO programming genius Hideki Matsutake. Most of the tracks are in Japanese, however served up with some great tunes, Yano delivered an important and enjoyably catchy work of Japanese synthpop. She was to melt Japanese hearts with the hit title track single, backed with the English language, I Sing . The album also features some experimental work, for instance the very dark  Iranaimon and the expansive nine minute  Taiyo No Onara which is listed as a nine track cabaret medley on the original Japanese release. The final track,  Rose Garden  is a particular favourite on my turntable. ...

  Akiko Yano - Japanese Girl [WWSLP17 FRA 2019 24-Bit FLAC] Originally released in 1976 on Philips Records in Japan only. In March 1976, 21 year old Japanese pianist Akiko Yano jumped on a plane to Los Angeles and entered a Hollywood recording studio to record an album with backing musicians made up of Lowell George and his band Little Feat. Those funk-rock-groove sessions resulted in side one of this remarkable album.  The future Mrs Sakamoto returned to Japan and completed the album with Japanese musicians, mostly rounded up by Haroumi Hosono from the band, The Moonriders. The resultant Japanese side relied on more traditional Japanese music but also hovers around the folk and jazz genres. Very different to the more American sound of side one. Propelled to acclaimed success at home in Japan, Yano was to become part of the YMO live band - you know, the one with bunches jumping around behind a rack of keyboards ...and eventually went on to release over thirty solo albums, col...