Ai Ga Nakucha Ne

Description

Wewantsounds continues its Akiko Yano reissue series with the cult album *Ai Ga Nakucha Ne*, recorded in 1982 and co-produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album was recorded in London with the band Japan and in Tokyo with Yellow Magic Orchestra, and was mixed by Steve Nye and Shinichi Tanaka. *Ai Ga Nakucha Ne* ("It Must Be Love" in Japanese) is Akiko Yano's sixth studio album. It follows *Tadaima*, released in 1981, and continues to explore the electro-pop vein of its predecessor, in the wake of Yellow Magic Orchestra's tours, of which Akiko was a part between 1979 and 1980. For this new album, she tries a new approach, bringing together her English friends Mick Karn, Steve Jansen, and David Sylvian from the band Japan at Air Studios in London, under the guidance of sound engineer Steve Nye. In two weeks, the musicians recorded a handful of fascinating tracks, brimming with synthetic pop, sung in Japanese and English. The eleven tracks on the album were mainly composed by Akiko and are a superb collection of potential hits showcasing the singer's distinctive voice, accompanied by the musicians of Japan. Among the album's many highlights are the precisely crafted pop of "Aisuru Hito Yo" and the avant-groove of "Another Wedding Song," as well as the superb "Good Night," sung by Akiko and David Sylvian, which closes the album. *Ai Ga Nakucha Ne*, released for the first time outside of Japan, has been remastered from the original tapes by Mitsuo Koike and features a new introduction written by Mac DeMarco.