Akira Ito
Yasuragi No Michi
King Records (Japan) 1981
K28A-189 (LP) Original pressing. 2 x insert.
sleeve : EX(some slightly wear on edge and corner.)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noise.)
This 1981 album by Shizuo Ito, the keyboard player of Far East Family Band — Japan’s first progressive rock band who made their debut under the production of Klaus Schulze — showcases his solo work following his departure from the group. Ito went on to release numerous new age electronic works, and this release marks the third installment in King Records' psychological music series, following Peaceful Mind and Resonance of Sacred Sound. Compared to the previous titles, this album leans more heavily into Buddhist and Shinto-inspired spirituality, bearing a stylistic resemblance to his acclaimed 1979 album Bodhisattva and Infinity. Schulze’s influence can still be felt, particularly in the standout tracks featuring prominent programmed rhythms via drum machines. While Ito stands alongside Kitaro — also a former member of Far East Family Band — as a key figure in the genre, his sound here leans more toward the oriental new age style of Osamu Kitajima’s works.