Somewhere Between: Mutant Pop Electronic Minimalism & Shadow Sounds Of Japan 1980-1988 vinyl

Now that's what we call an album title 2021. As the name implies, we're skirting the edges of 1980s Japanese pop, opting to explore the strange, sci-fi hued, traditionally rooted noises that weren't necessarily dominant in the Far East country at that time, but certainly found favour with more explorative listeners. And it's not hard to hear why.

Tracks like 'Days Man' by Yoshio Ojima could work well in a slo-mo house or electronica set today. While preceding effort 'Hikari No Ito Kin No Ito' from Mishio Ogawa is like a strangely innocent hybrid of lullaby and pop song. Elsewhere, the twinkling synths and wet snare hits of Naomi Asai's 'Yakan Hikou' further accentuate the surrealism running through so much of what is here. One for the trophy cabinet, collectors take note (and form a queue).

Manu Archeo