Earthling
Rhythm
King Records (Japan) 1981
K28A-154 (LP) Promotional copy. White label. w/obi, insert.
sleeve : EX(SRW, one light wrinkle.)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noise.)
The 2nd album from Japanese three-piece new wave outfit Earthling—comprised of John, Yoko Fujiwara, and Jin Haijima—originally released in 1982. Recorded live at The Underground and Peppermint Lounge in New York, the set draws heavily from material featured on their previous year’s Dance. Across the entire album, the band delivers a driving, minimal wave/rock sound steeped in the spirit of Düsseldorf-style krautrock—Neu! being the most obvious touchstone—while the effective use of synthesizers also brings a certain pop sensibility not far removed from The Cars. It is a remarkable record, and one cannot help but feel that a group pursuing this kind of sound in Japan at the dawn of the 1980s was genuinely ahead of its time. B3 in particular carries a subtle dancefloor edge, while strongly recalling the atmosphere of Harmonia’s De Luxe and Moebius & Plank’s Rastakraut Pasta. A cornerstone of Japanese new wave, and highly recommended to anyone with a taste for the Düsseldorf sound. Even the artwork has a distinctly German feel to it.
A1: You are the One
A4: You Go On Natural
B3: Shosinge