Susumu Hirasawa is a genius. Now that doesn't mean he is accessible to the masses, but none the less, he is truly a unique voice in the world of music. Originally a member of the influential electro rock group, P-MODEL, Hirasawa continued into a solo career with the focus of breaking musical molds and constantly redefining how music is presented. Wether through his political activism, his solar powered music studio, interactive concerts or philosophical themes, Hirasawa's music demonstrates the potential dichotomies of man & machine while simultaneously utilizing both to present his art. Some of you may be familiar with Hirasawa due to his contributions to the anime world, composing soundtracks to several films and series, particularly those of the legendary Satoshi Kon. It was Kon's series "Paranormal Agent" that initially made me familiar with Hirasawa and I've been grateful ever since. The two albums featured in this post are Hirasawa's first two solo efforts and while not as strong as the bulk of his catalog, they do highlight the initial framework that Hirasawa has built since. If these albums don't meet you fancy, I still urge you to check out the rest of his albums as I post them. Hirasawa is one of my favorite Japanese singers and there is no one else with a sound comparable to his. Enjoy! 時空の水 (1989)
1. ハルディン・ホテル 2. 魂のふる里 3. コヨーテ 4. ソーラ・レイ 5. 仕事場はタブー 6. デューン 7. フローズン・ビーチ 8. 時空の水 9. スケルトン・コースト公園 10. 金星
