The origins of city pop, depicting a Parisian night dream through sound
A soundtrack to a night in 1978, where French exotica, bossa nova, and synth pop intersect.
Yukihiro Takahashi's solo debut, "Saravah!", was released in 1978, just before the formation of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). As the title, derived from the name of a French label, suggests, the album incorporates a variety of musical styles, such as French exotica, bossa nova, and synth pop, evoking the Parisian nightlife of the time. With arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto and featuring artists such as Haruomi Hosono and Tatsuro Yamashita, the album is also considered a pioneer of city pop. Tracks such as "Elastic Dummy" and "Back Street Midnight Queen" in particular incorporated elements of disco funk and smooth jazz, laying the foundation for the musical style that would later become YMO. The album exudes an urban, sophisticated atmosphere, breathing new life into the Japanese music scene at the time.
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A:
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1)
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Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)
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2)
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Saravah!
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3)
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C'Est Si Bon
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4)
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La Rosa
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5)
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Mood Indigo
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B:
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1)
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Elastic Dummy
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2)
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Sunset
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3)
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Back Street Midnight Queen
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4)
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Present
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Keyboards - Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本龍一)
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Arranged By [Brass, Strings & Keyboards] - 坂本龍一
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Co-producer - 坂本龍一
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Electric Bass - Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣)
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Arranged By [Rhythm] - 高橋ユキヒロ
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Drums - 高橋ユキヒロ
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Producer - 高橋ユキヒロ
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Vocals - 高橋ユキヒロ
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Percussion - 浜口茂外也
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Chorus - 山下達郎
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Electric Guitar - 高中正義
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Electric Guitar - 大村憲治
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Electric Guitar - 加藤和彦
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Chorus - 吉田美奈子
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Electric Guitar - 鈴木茂
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Percussion - 斎藤ノブ
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Directed By - Shigeyuki Kawashima
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Electric Guitar - 松木恒彦
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Recorded By - Seiichi Chiba
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Remix - Seiichi Chiba
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Percussion - 林立夫
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Chorus - ラジ
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Percussion - 今井裕
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Electric Guitar - 和田アキラ
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Photography By - Masayoshi Sukita
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Design - Noa Planning Corp.
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Chorus - Buzz
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Management - Hiroshi Tanaka (2)
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Handclaps - 秋川リサ & Friends
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Directed By - Kenji Andoh