Pacific Breeze 2＜Pink Vinyl＞

アメリカのレーベルLight In The Atticによる日本のシティ・ポップにフォーカスをあてた『Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976-1986』。
2019年にリリースされた人気コンピレーションアルバムの第2弾となる『Pacific Breeze 2: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1972-1986』のリリースが決定。

今作も前作同様にアートワークは永井博によるイラストが飾っている。

Almost exactly a year after Light in the Attic released Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976-1986, the label followed up with a finer sequel covering a longer timespan and more ground. This volume ventures farther beyond the three styles noted in the title. Take Eiichi Ohtakis lolling Yubikiri (1972), akin to Traffic with a Southern soul slant (and what sounds like a nod to the Zombies Time of the Season), or Yuji Toriyamas Bay/Sky Provincetown 1977 (1985), a shimmering amalgam of new age and smooth jazz. Even the two selections inspired by the same series of Seishi Yokomizo detective novels are quite distinct, vaulting from the CTI-style slick disco of Mystery Kindaichi Bands Kindaichi Kosuke No Theme (1977) to the sophisticated funk of Yu Imais Kindaichi Kosuke Nishi E Iku (1978), a midpoint between Noel Pointers Phantazia and Average White Bands Stop the Rain. A pair of highlights are from Nippon Columbias Better Days subsidiary, whose visionary catalog was anthologized in 2016 with the Japan-only compilation More Better Days. Eri Ohno, a singer who once had enough ambition to give a Phyllis Hyman song a shot, is behind Skyfire (1981), a dancefloor jazz-funk bolt as energizing as anything by Judy Roberts or Flora Purim. Equally notable is Kyoko Furuyas sparse and live-sounding Harumifutoh (1982), more on the jagged art-rock end. Given that vaporwave artists have rifled through Japans commercial electronic pop for their synthetic 80s nostalgia trips, its a funny coincidence that the cuts ripest for the picking here, Momoko Kikuchis Blind Curve (1984) and Tetsuji Hayashis Hidari Mune No Seiza (1986), were issued on a label called VAP, short for Video Audio Project. A marzipan-sweet tune from the soft-rocking Sadistics (featuring Yukihiro Takahashi) and jazz-pop interzone nuggets by Kimiko Kasai and Junko Ohashi & Minoya Central Station (not to be confused with Larry Graham & Graham Central Station) add to the sets whimsical charm. ~ Andy Kellman