Polski opis

Wytwórnia :	Sony Music Japan / Toshiba EMI
Gatunek :	Electronic, Synth-Pop, J-Pop
Rok Wydania :	1978-2003
Jakość :	MP3 192 kbps Full Stereo
Okładki :	Nie
Ripper :	Corona

Opis:
Grupę utworzyli w 1978 roku Haruomi Hosono (bas, klawisze), Yukihiro Takahashi (perkusja i wokal) oraz Ryuichi Sakamoto (klawisze). Początkowo miał to być tylko eksperyment - próba stworzenia pojedynczego albumu z muzyką łączącą nowoczesne brzmienia elektroniczne z klimatami Orientu. Jednak popularność płyty zachęciła muzyków do długotrwałej wspólnej działalności.

W Japonii YMO zyskali sobie status supergwiazd, co jednak nie bardzo przełożyło się na popularność w Europie (chociaż debiutancki album został wydany w nieco zmienionej wersji w USA). Do dziś zespół pozostaje niedoceniony, mimo iż wykonywał całkiem oryginalną odmianę elektronicznego popu, nie pozbawioną poczucia humoru i mimo że zasługuje na miano prekursorów swojego gatunku (gdy zaczynali, synthpop dopiero się kształtował, a o New Romantic nikomu się nie śniło).

Grupa działała do 1984 roku, reaktywując się na krótko w latach 90. Ryuichi Sakamoto - najbardziej chyba znany z Magików poza Japonią - współpracował ponadto z takimi sławami jak David Sylvian czy Thomas Dolby, a także pisał muzykę filmową ("Ostatni cesarz").

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 English description

Label :	Sony Music Japan / Toshiba EMI
Genre :	Electronic, Synth-Pop, J-Pop
Year :	1978-2003
Quality :	MP3 192 kbps Full Stereo
Covers :	No
Ripper :	Corona

Description:
Yellow Magic Orchestra is a Japanese electropop band, formed in 1978. Ranked No.2 in HMV Japan's Top 100 Japanese Artists. The principal members are Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards). The band was originally conceived as a one-off studio project by Hosono, the other two members being recruited session musicians - the idea was to produce an album fusing orientalist exotica (cf their cover version of Martin Denny's Firecracker) with modern electronics. However the first album (with its cutting-edge production) was very popular, and the studio project grew into a fully fledged touring band and career for its three members.

Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in '77 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band. Hosono invited both to work on his exotica flavoured album "Paraiso", followed by electronic material for the anthology collection "Pacific". Following the release of the debut "Yellow Magic Orchestra" a live date at the Roppongi Pit Inn was seen by executives of A&M Records of the USA who were in the process of setting up a partnership deal with Alfa Records. This led to the Y.M.O. being offered an international deal, at which point (early 1979) the three members decided the group would be given priority over their solo careers.

In August 1979, a Y.M.O. performance at LA's Greek Theatre was broadcast in Japan at which point their record sales at home really took off. An advertising deal with Fuji Tapes ensured even broader media coverage and the group sparked off a boom in the popularity of electronic pop music (called "Technopop" in Japan) that had an impact similar to that of The Beatles and Merseybeat in 60's Britain. A testament to the influence of Y.M.O. on fashion is how many middle aged Japanese businessmen still have the "Techno cut" haircut, modelled after the group. Making abundant use of new synthesizers, samplers, digital and computer recording technology as it became available, their popularity and influence extended beyond Japan. Generally the band are highly regarded as pioneers of electronic music, and continue to be remixed and sampled by modern artists.

The band had stopped working as a group in 1984, after the release of their motion picture "Propaganda", the three members returning to their solo careers. The group were careful to avoid saying they had "split up", preferring to use the Japanese phrase meaning "spreading out", and in fact the trio continued to play on each other's recordings and made guest appearances at live shows. Takahashi, in particular, would play Y.M.O. material in his concerts and as "lead singer" was arguably best placed to do so. They released a one-off reunion album, Technodon, in 1993. The early 2000s saw Hosono & Takahashi reunited in a project called Sketch Show. On a number of occasions Ryuichi Sakamoto has joined in on Sketch Show performances and recording sessions. He later proposed they rename the group Human Audio Sponge when he participates.

The band have reunited in 2007 for an advertising campaign for Kirin and charted No.1 on various Japanese digital download charts (including iTunes Store chart) with the song "Rydeen 79/07", released on Sakamoto's new label commmons. Recently performing live as Human Audio Sponge; Hosono, Sakamoto and Takahashi will do a live performance together as Yellow Magic Orchestra for the Live Earth Kyoto event on 7th July 2007 which will raise money and awareness of a 'climate in crisis'.