Osamu Shoji “Night Flight”

Osamu Shoji
Night Flight
Philips (Japan) 1979
PH-8537 (LP) w/obi, insert.
sleeve : VG+(SPSE/TOC: 6cm crack and tape on top, wear on corner.)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly surface noises, still good condition.)

This album was released in 1979 by Osamu Shoji, one of Japan's leading synthesiser artists alongside Isao Tomita, who since the 60s has arranged numerous songs and composed music for TV programmes, and in the 70s produced Japan's first domestic synthesiser works. Inspired by Saint-Exupéry's novel Night Flight, it was produced and, as the title suggests, contains wonderful synthesiser music with a sense of flight throughout, making full use of the Roland System 700, Arp 2600 and a large number of other synthesisers. This is a must-listen along with "Jataka", released in 1978 and "Shambala". It also employs the 'Space Sizer 360' recording technique, which localises the sound image in the front, back, left and right. Although it may be difficult to realize, the stereo localisation is tremendously good and three-dimensional.