studied the natural world and able to replicate the aesthetic somehow

January 26, 2018 10:00 PM

Their work would gain a small, dedicated following during the ‘80s and ‘90s but little else. Set against a backdrop of unprecedented economic growth in Japan, the music that emerged from the country during this period would benefit from this burgeoning wealth while also rallying against some of its consequences.

On the resurgence of Japanese ambient composers from the '80s. Many listens inside.

Some selections:

1982
Hiroshi Yoshimura, Music For Nine Postcards (available in a new (back-ordered) US release)

1983
Hiroshi Yoshimura, Pier and Loft
Midori Takada, Through the Looking Glass (recently reissued stateside, see the previously)

1984
Satsuki Shibano, Erik Satie (France 1866-1925) †

1986
Hiroshi Yoshimura, Green


"relax, fam": a Twitter thread with dozens of selections like these (not all but mostly older Japanese ambient).

Previously: Watering a Flower, Through the Looking Glass

posted by grobstein (11 comments total)

Oh, delightful
posted by not_the_water at 10:47 PM on January 26, 2018 [1 favorite]

I tried to get Music For Nine Postcards for my mom for Christmas (she's still a CD person), but they sold out the whole run. Hopefully more are on the way!
posted by grobstein at 11:33 PM on January 26, 2018

Tetsuo Inoue, Ambiant Otaku
posted by fairmettle at 2:28 AM on January 27, 2018 [4 favorites]

Ha, excellent post! I found myself listening to this stuff more and more the past year.

Some favourites of mine besides those mentioned in this post:

Satoshi Ashikawa - Still Way (Wave Notation 2)
Hiroshi Yoshimura (吉村弘) - Wet Land
Yutaka Hirose ‎- Soundscape 2: Nova (1986)
Motohiko Hamase (濱瀬元彦) - Reminiscence
Shiho Yabuki (矢吹紫帆) - The Body is a Message of the Universe
posted by Kosmob0t at 2:30 AM on January 27, 2018 [2 favorites]

He's from a later era, but here's a live performance by Takashi Tsuda.
posted by J.K. Seazer at 3:02 AM on January 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh fantastic. Did not even know about this sub-genre. I have my music for the week.
posted by zardoz at 3:18 AM on January 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

This is great. Thanks!
posted by Artful Codger at 7:24 AM on January 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

resurgent indeed -- I had no idea things were so rich in Japan thirty years ago. All I ever really heard of an ambient nature was Riuchi Sakamoto's soundtrack to Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence
posted by philip-random at 9:42 AM on January 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

I love this!
posted by rodlymight at 9:53 AM on January 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Thanks for these. I had never heard of Midori Takada before Through the Looking Glass was rereleased last year, but I found it every bit as good as acclaimed.
posted by chimpsonfilm at 5:38 AM on January 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Hearing about a 1982 Japanese ambient album and ten second later having it streaming is like living in the future, every time. Maybe some day we'll get future for books, too.

Thanks for all the pointers.
posted by away for regrooving at 1:48 AM on January 29, 2018 [1 favorite]