Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) is a renowned electronic music group from Japan that emerged in the late 1970s. They played a significant role in popularizing synth-pop and establishing electronic music as an influential genre. The band members, Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto, combined their diverse musical backgrounds to create a unique and innovative sound that pushed the boundaries of traditional pop music. One of YMO's most notable albums is "Solid State Survivor," released in 1979. It features the iconic track "Behind the Mask," which showcases the band's ability to combine catchy melodies with electronic elements seamlessly. The album marked a turning point in the evolution of YMO's sound and solidified their position as pioneers of electronic music.
I love this song that the three of them left under the name, “HASYMO.” The gentle gaze seems to give a sense of maturity. I hope I will see this state of mind someday.
Most of the lyrics are in Japanese, and unlike the previous records surreal, sometimes dystopian themes, straightforward love songs comprise most of Naughty Boys. Produced by YMO Engineered by Mitsuo Koike assisted by Akitsugu Doi Mixed by YMO with Mitsuo Koike Mastered by Teppei Kasai at CBS Sony Shinanomachi Studio.
The album marked a turning point in the evolution of YMO's sound and solidified their position as pioneers of electronic music. Another remarkable release by YMO is their live album "Public Pressure," recorded during their 1980 tour. This album captures the group's energy and mastery of both studio and live performances.
Cornelius tells us how Yellow Magic Orchestra & Yoko Ono influenced his new LP 'Dream in Dream'
Japanese artist Keigo Oyamada is back with Dream in Dream, his first Cornelius album in six years. Of a piece with his other work, Dream in Dream is lush pop that is easy to enjoy but its deceptively simple exterior gives way to many layers that become apparent on closer listens. It’s out today and you can stream it below.
We asked Oyamada to tell us more about the album for our Influences series. While most pick 10 items, he only chose two artists but then went very deep on each. “I believe this album has been influenced by all the music I have heard, but the most profound influence comes from performing and recording,” Oyamada says. “For me, this was thru my experience with the three members of Yellow Magic Orchestra and Yoko Ono.” He tells us about working with Ono, YMO’s Haruomi Hosono, and the late Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi, and how it relates to not just this record but everything he’s done.
Read that below.
Cornelius – Influences Behind ‘Dream in Dream’
YMO (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono)
YOKO ONO
I believe this album has been influenced by all the music I have heard, but the most profound influence comes from performing and recording. For me, this was thru my experience with the three members of Yellow Magic Orchestra and Yoko Ono.
In the late 1970’s, YMO was so popular in Japan that they became a social phenomenon. Their music was played all over town and they were on TV along with other mainstream programs such as comedy shows. As an elementary school student at the time, it was a natural fit for my ears.
The first record I heard was a mini-album called, Multiplies which was dubbed onto a cassette tape by an older cousin. There were some comical short skits in between the songs which I was interested in at first, but gradually became interested in the music as well. I remember this image from a cassette tape TV commercial that was shown often at the time.
It was a very good time when such surreal, mysterious, and experimental images were shown on public media such as TV. It left a big impression on me as an elementary student.
I think YMO was a kind of fruition for Japanese culture that was widely exported to foreign countries along with the Invader game and Walkman. After many years in the early 2000s, I was invited to be a guest on Mr. Hosono’s radio show at the time the album, Point was released. I once had sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot) with Mr. Hosono at my cousin Joi’s house. I was young then and too nervous to speak and was surprised. At the time, Mr. Hosono spoke highly of Point and on the way home asked me to help in producing Yukihiro Takahashi’s next project which led to the “Sketch Show” unit with Mr. Y. Takahashi and Mr. Hosono. This song is on their first album, which was written when they were my age now.
This is a song that was often performed by METAFIVE and YMO, which I later joined. I love the track, including the lyrics. The arrangement done by Towa Tei (DEEE-LIGHT / METAFIVE) is wonderful. I also enjoyed performing with METAFIVE (a band that Mr. Y. Takahashi and Mr. Towa Tei formed).
The band (YMO) broke up in the end of 1981 and in 1993, after releasing one album, had a concert with The Orb at Tokyo Dome. It had been a long while since the three had performed together whereas in the early 2000’s they had gradually performed more.
The two of them (Mr. Y. Takahashi and Mr. Hosono) came back together as Sketch Show and Mr. Ryuichi Sakamoto (aka Mr. R. Sakamoto) joined and called their unit HUMAN AUDIO SPONGE. I think the minimalist sound of glitch and electronica naturally brought the three of them together.
At the time, I was asked to join in Mr. R. Sakamoto’s album. Mr. R. Sakamoto came to my studio from New York, and we recorded together for about three days. We improvised listening to Mr. R. Sakamoto’s tracks and sketches and Mr. R. Sakamoto assembled the material we played together.
This became the album called CHASM and I was also asked to play in his band. The members of his band included an Austrian guitar ambientist, Christian Fennesz and my childhood idol, Steve Jansen (formerly of JAPAN). The most memorable songs from that period were minimalistic and hypnotic with a clear social message of War & Peace.
I also performed together with the YMO members on a TV news program.
The three of them resumed their activities rather frequently as YMO till around 2013. I also joined as a guitarist and performed in festivals and toured the U.S. One of the most memorable performances from that time was “1000 Knives”:
The track title is from Mr. R. Sakamoto’s first album and we performed it often in YMO and this is for a national TV program that Mr. R. Sakamoto had teaching music called, “scola”. This is the drum and bass session of Mr. Hosono and Mr. Y. Takahashi’s funky performance. I also think Mr. R. Sakamoto’s beautiful harmony is wonderful.
Around the same time, apart from YMO, with the recommendation from Sean Lennon and Yuka Honda, I joined Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band, and took part in two albums and a tour. Yoko is intelligent, lovely, bold, honest and has the most tasteful sense of beauty. She had so much energy in her small body and I couldn’t tell where it came from. She’s the strongest life form I have ever met. This is the most impressive song from that period.
This is a song with Yoko and my tenori-on which Sean and Yuka developed and created. Yoko improvised and sang these verses in no time and showed everyone her vision for the song. For me, it was the most unforgettable experience I had ever felt in a recording session.
It was also impressive to play with Lady Gaga. Her performance was amazing, and she was so sweet and completely professional.
In 2013, Mr. Y. Takahashi invited me to join a band called METAFIVE. The members of the band were, Yukihiro Takahashi, Towa Tei (formerly of Deee-Lite) and my good friend Yoshinori Sunahara along with Leo Imai who’s a bit younger, and Tomohiko Gondo who plays euphonium and electronics. It was the six of us.
I was happy to be playing under another band name for the first time in many years. I was awakened to the pleasure of being a guitarist, which was something I couldn’t do in my own band. The most impressive song from then was:
I think Mr. Y. Takahashi was 64 yrs old at the time. Sharp, funky with wonderful physical performance. METAFIVE was scheduled to release an album in 2020, however, Mr. Y. Takahashi’s illness was discovered during the recording process along with the pandemic and various misfortunes including the commotion related to the Tokyo Olympics. The band released two albums but ended activities.
I wrote this song for METAFIVE’s second album and Mr. Y. Takahashi liked it very much. I was able to naturally turn my feelings I had from the pandemic into a song.
I felt a feeling from this song and took a singer-songwriter direction for Dream In Dream. I decided to include my solo version of this song in the album.
Two members of YMO passed, one after the other this year. As a child, I never dreamt that I would have such a big connection with these three people in my life. I really miss not being able to talk or perform with them anymore, but I think I will continue to learn many things from the music they left behind.
The last song on Dream In Dream is called “All Things Must Pass,” which is the same title as George Harrison’s song that Mr. Y. Takahashi was fond of. In my song, I’m singing about the Buddhist concept of “all things are impermanent,” which means that all things change, are born and disappear. But I don’t see it as emptiness. I think it will put me at ease a little if I can see it in a macroscopic way.
Mr. Hosono is in good health. I think he is the most distinguished person who has made the music scene in Japan. In a career that began in the late 1960’s, he has created tremendous amounts of works in various genres, all of them have a wonderful brilliance. I think he can work his magic and I hope he continues to be well and do what he loves.
I love this song that the three of them left under the name, “HASYMO.” The gentle gaze seems to give a sense of maturity. I hope I will see this state of mind someday.
Cornelius has live dates coming up in Japan:
This is a song that was often performed by METAFIVE and YMO, which I later joined. I love the track, including the lyrics. The arrangement done by Towa Tei (DEEE-LIGHT / METAFIVE) is wonderful. I also enjoyed performing with METAFIVE (a band that Mr. Y. Takahashi and Mr. Towa Tei formed).
Songs like "Rydeen" and "Technopolis" highlight the band's ability to create infectious rhythms and memorable electronic hooks. YMO's influence also extends to their use of technology in their performances. They were one of the first bands to extensively use synthesizers, drum machines, and computers in their music-making process and live shows. This incorporation of technology reflected not only their musical vision but also the advancements in electronic instruments and production techniques. The impact of Yellow Magic Orchestra on the global music scene cannot be overstated. They paved the way for countless electronic artists and played a significant role in shaping the sound and direction of modern pop and dance music. Their fusion of Western and Japanese musical sensibilities, combined with their innovative use of technology, continues to inspire and influence musicians today. From their humble beginnings in the late 1970s to their enduring legacy, Yellow Magic Orchestra remains an essential reference point in the history of electronic music..
Reviews for "Wayfarer Turns 40: Celebrating Yellow Magic Orchestra's Iconic Album"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Yellow Magic Orchestra Wayfarer". I found the album to be repetitive and lacking in creativity. The beats were monotonous and the melodies didn't capture my attention. Overall, it felt like the same song playing on repeat throughout the entire album. I expected more from a group like Yellow Magic Orchestra, but unfortunately, this album just didn't do it for me.
2. Emily - 3/5 stars - I was really looking forward to listening to "Yellow Magic Orchestra Wayfarer" as I had heard great things about the band. However, I found the album to be underwhelming. While the production quality was good, the songs lacked depth and didn't leave a lasting impression. The album lacked variety, and each track felt similar to the one before it. There were a few standout moments, but overall, I was left wanting more. It's not a bad album, but it just didn't live up to my expectations.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was introduced to Yellow Magic Orchestra through their other works, which I absolutely loved. However, "Yellow Magic Orchestra Wayfarer" fell short for me. The album lacked the innovation and unique sound that I admired in their previous releases. It felt like a watered-down version of their earlier work. I was hoping for more experimentation and creativity, but instead, I found myself bored and unenthused. This album just didn't resonate with me like their other music did.
4. Mark - 2/5 stars - "Yellow Magic Orchestra Wayfarer" was highly anticipated for me, but it left me feeling underwhelmed. The album seems to blend into the background without any standout tracks or moments that grab my attention. The songs lack a sense of direction and memorable melodies. While the production is solid, it fails to compensate for the lack of substance in the tracks. It's a forgettable album from Yellow Magic Orchestra, and I was left wanting more innovation and excitement.