Hooked on this one. World Standard is the project of Sohichiro Suzuki, who seems to still be releasing music as of 2013. Surprise surprise, a few of his releases feature Hosono production. Allo! is full of of the dry genre-referencing that I strongly associate with Japanese 80s pop, especially leaning into cinematic song structures, doo-wop, chanson, and bossa nova. It’s off-putting for some, though I think this is an unusually well-executed instance of it. It’s also an excellent entry point into World Standard’s considerable, and startlingly varied, catalogue. Cleverly built pop songs with swingy vocal layering, shivery synth blips, and several really effective moments of songs “opening up” in very moving ways. For fans of Asami Kado and Miharu Koshi. Thank you Ian for the World Standard tip!
World Standard's 'Country Gazette' of 1997 was my introduction to Hosono, wonderful sample-based country post-rock and an example of many of the themes presented by the artists featured on Listen to This carrying well beyond the 80s. Interestingly I later discovered Rechenzentrum's opening track on their excellent Peel Sessions LP wholesale ripped off the final track on Country Gazette – 'Cowboys Don't Cry', a proto-vaporwave pitched down version of the Hank Williams/Mickey Newbury song.
Thanks for this and keep up the outstanding work!
Great stuff… thanks!
excellent album, almost sounds like an instrumental version of the high llamas