The Beatniks - Existentialism

Finally found employment about a month ago and have been busy trying to settle into things. I have a long list of requests and posts to get to and I hope all my visitors have been well!  I have a good amount of files already uploaded, now its just putting the posts together. Life has been strange the last three years since I started this blog and hopefully more stability will be in my future... 

Many thanks to Fen, Corwyn, JJ and others for continuing the spirt of the blog world and reminding me to stop being lazy and post more haha! 

The album featured today is a fantastic debut collaboration from two true synth geniuses. Keiichi Suzuki of Moon Riders fame and the "voice and rhythm" of YMO, Yukihiro Takahashi, formed this side project as a tribute to the 50's/60's counter cultural movement known as the beatniks. This underground movement was a powerful force during the time and was seeped in French New Wave motifs. These aspect are featured throughout the album, with the included use of French lyrics. However, the album is unmistakably a product of the minds of the early Japanese new wave movement, with the then modern sounds and the "beatnik" concept pieced together beautifully.

Keeping up even further with the French theme, the album's name "Existentialism" is also derived from the 19th/20th century philosophical movement of the same namesake. In high school I was extremely intrigued by the works of Sartre and Camus, but if any of you have actually sat down and tried to absorb anything from "Being and Nothingness", you know how fruitless that can be haha!

The Beatniks still sporadically release albums, with their last effort seen in 2011. Fortunately I was able to come upon this 3 or 4 years ago on a now defunct blog. Many thanks to the original poster and I truly hope you all enjoy it!




Existentialism (1981)

1. Le Sang Du Poete
2. No Way Out
3. Ark Diamant
4. Now And Then … 
5. Loopy
6. Une Femme N'est Pas Un Homme
7. Mirroris
8. Le Robinet
9. L'Etoile de Mer
10. Inevitable

Akiko Yano: WELCOME BACK & Akiko Yano x Hiromi Uehara: Get Together

Two of Ms. Yano's more Jazzier projects. Fans of Hiromi Uehara's finger work will definitely be please with her riffings on their live collaboration album. Both are fantastic listens, I hope you enjoy!




WELCOME BACK (1989)

1. “It's For You”
2. しんぱいなうんどうかい（Field Day）
3. みのりのあきですよ（Autumn Song）
4. 悩む人（A Worried Girl）
5. ほんとだね。（It Will Take A Long Time）
6. How Beautiful
7. かぜのひきかた（How To Catch Cold）
8. "Hard Times, Come Again No More"
9. Watching You
10. "Little Girl, Giant Heart"







Akiko Yano x Hiromi Uehara Get Together - LIVE IN TOKYO (2011)

1. CHILDREN IN THE SUMMER
2. あんたがたアフロ
3. CAPE COD CHIPS -LIVE IN TOKYO-
4. LEAN ON ME
5. 学べよ
6. 月と太陽
7. りんご祭り: DON'T SIT UNDER THE APPLE TREE～リンゴの唄
8. ラーメンたべたい

Susumu Hirasawa: 時空の水 &サイエンスの幽霊

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







サイエンスの幽霊 (1990)

1. 世界タービン
2. ロケット
3. フィッシュ・ソング
4. カウボーイとインディアン
5. QUIT
6. アモール・バッファー
7. 夢みる機械
8. テクノの娘
9. FGG

Ha Soo Bin Studio Album Discography

Here's another blast from the past that I hope some of you will enjoy! 

Ha Soo Bin started her short career in her late teens during the early 90's, producing some great tunes. With her child-like voice and innocent demeanor, she quickly gained many admirers but after releasing her second album she left the music business to pursue other interests. She dabbled in acting, released books of poetry and explored other assorted avenues of art before breaking a 16 year hiatus to release her most recent album in 2010.

While I prefer the music her counterpart of sorts, Kang Suji, Ha Soo Bin certainly has a unique aura to her music that I really enjoy. Her coy composure comes through in her voice and you truly feel her "innocence" so to speak. She sort of reminds me of a "shy" Eri Nitta (if that makes any sense lol). 

Her music is typical fair for the time, but the two mesh together very well and each of her albums has a great assortment of pop arrangements. "노노노노노" was the first song I heard of hers a few years ago and I think it perfectly demonstrates who she is as an artist during her early career.

I really hope you check these out if you're looking for a nostalgic trip to a time when music artist were "more subdued" haha. They're great listens and I hope everyone enjoys!  Thanks to the now defunct Kpopspy for these albums! 






Lisa in Love (1992)

1. 더이상 내게 아픔을 남기지 마
2. 노노노노노
3. 너는 나의 사랑의 이름
4. 햇살과 같은 그대의 미소
5. I'm Falling in Love
6. 잊혀져 가는 건
7. 아름다운 너
8. 사랑의 왈츠















The Heart of... (1993)


1. 그대 나를 떠나가나요
2. 그대 눈에 젖은 나
3. 날 잊어야해
4. 마지막 소녀기 (별. 소녀)
5. 나
6. 처음 사랑이야기
7. 날 대신하기에 충분한 그대
8. 그대 나를 떠나가나요(Remix)

The Persistence Of Memory (2010)

1. Island (내 그리운 나라)

2. Memories

3. A Lovely Day

4. 아이리스 정원

5. 노르웨이 숲

6. 파리엔 비가 와요

7. La Stella

8. 카사블랑카

9. Lake Louise

10. 고백

11. 사랑한 후에

12. 여름 방학

13. The Winner

14. Sky Walker (Dedicated To My Fans)

15. Happy Birthday

16. Oia

Hiroko Yakushimaru: PRIMAVERA

I'm pretty positive this isn't anywhere else online and I was super excited to come across it on ebay! Most of her catalog is really expensive and when I found this for $3 I had to get it! 

PRIMAVERA is Hiroko Yakushimaru's second to last full length and it would be about 7 years until she released her final studio album 恋文. The album has a great early 90's feel mixed with upbeat pop tracks and Hiroko's signature powerful ballads. While there isn't particularly a stand out track in my opinion compared to her earlier works, it's a fantastic listen and Hiroko's voice still remains one of the most unique in the history of J-pop. 

Two of my favorite tracks ふたりの宇宙 and DESTINY were composed by the one and only Ryuichi Sakamoto. 星の王子さま was composed by Akiko Yano and any fan can assuredly hear her signature sound. I highly recommend everyone check this out! Enjoy!

PRIMAVERA (1991)

1. PRIMAVERA
2. 心の片隅で
3. 留守番電話のHAPPY BIRTHDAY
4. 冬の青空
5. もう泣かないで
6. ふたりの宇宙
7. 星の王子さま (MATTINA MIX)
8. 私の町は今、朝
9. DESTINY
10. 風に乗って (PRIMAVERA MIX)