Harue Momoyama
HIkiyomikusa
Invitation (Japan) 1979
VIH-6056 (LP) w/insert.
sleeve : EX(light collapse on one corner.)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noise.)
A landmark 1979 debut by shamisen player and singer Harue Momoyama, an artist who emerged from the world of Japanese classical performing arts such as kouta and hauta, yet broke free from the rigid iemoto system to pursue a far more independent and adventurous path. Produced by the great Toyo Nakamura. Of the A-side selections, only A6 was composed by Taishi Kashima, with all other pieces written by Momoyama herself. The first side offers a beautifully distilled world of kouta rooted in the Miyazono-bushi tradition, with sparse, uncluttered shamisen accompaniment and Momoyama’s crystal-clear, fragile singing voice creating an atmosphere of extraordinary delicacy. The shamisen and shinobue instrumental on A6 is also superb. The real showstopper, however, is “Kokuu no Uta,” occupying the entire B-side and co-composed with Ryuichi Sakamoto. Created around the same period as Sakamoto’s participation in Yellow Magic Orchestra and just after the release of his first solo album, this piece is a truly otherworldly achievement—an astonishing fusion of shamisen and galactic synthesizer textures generated by Sakamoto’s use of the Arp Odyssey, Prophet-5, and other electronics. For 1979, the concept was remarkably forward-thinking, and the result reaches a dimension all its own. Recorded using the Biophonic Mixing technology developed by Victor Musical Industries’ Music Technical Research Institute. A seriously outstanding record, and very highly recommended.
A6: 泥洹
B1: 虚空の舟唄 (the middle parts)
B1: 虚空の舟唄 (the last parts)