Saravah!

Description

Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the reissue of Saravah!, the first solo album by Yukihiro Takahashi. It is one of the most remarkable Japanese albums of the 70s, released in 1978 at a key moment when, after his time with Sadistic Mika Band, Takahashi had just joined the Yellow Magic Orchestra. A sophisticated mix of disco funk, synthpop, ambient, exotica, and bossa nova, the album has the classy feel of a nighttime ride through 1970s Paris and forms the missing link between the late 70s city pop scene and the synthetic era of YMO, which was about to revolutionize the music scene. During the months leading up to the recording of the first YMO album that would revolutionize music, Yukihiro Takahashi entered the studio with his two colleagues, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono, to record Saravah! with the cream of the Japanese scene. Takahashi drew his inspiration in France from the work of French artist and producer Pierre Barouh, who had introduced bossa nova to France in 1966 with "Samba Saravah" and later launched Saravah Records. Saravah! begins with two French and Italian classics ("Volare" and "C'est Si Bon") rearranged in an exotica style with subtle synthesizer touches, while "Saravah!", a nod to Pierre Barouh, has the feel of a smooth bossa nova with superb string arrangements arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album becomes more rhythmic with "La Rosa", featuring mid-tempo funk accents underscored by Takahashi's beat and supported by Haruomi Hosono's very effective bass, Sakamoto's Hammond organ, and Shigeru Suzuki's fluid guitar. Side one ends with an incredible synth version of the Ellington classic "Mood Indigo", heralding the coming midi revolution before things get funky on side two, starting with the superb disco instrumental "Elastic Dummy" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, again with string and brass arrangements completed by solos from Sakamoto and guitarist Tsunehide Matsuki. The album then moves to the synthetic ambient of "Sunset" before returning to nightclubbing mode with "Back Street Midnight Queen". Like "Elastic Dummy", the track is now a cult track for city pop DJs. Saravah! ends on a perfect note with the magnificent track "Present", a perfectly crafted pop song that Takahashi wanted to do in a city pop style, featuring a superb melody and high-quality arrangements. The ideal soundtrack for a morning stroll through the streets of Paris, illustrated by the photos of Masayoshi Sukita featured on the album cover. A sophisticated and fun album, Saravah! offers a unique glimpse into the versatile character of the YMO musicians under the leadership of Yukihiro Takahashi at the key moment when the three musicians were about to move to a sound dominated by synthesizers, a moment superbly captured by Saravah!.