Aware of musical traditions and eager to incorporate the latest technology in his productions, Haruomi Hosono is one of the most versatile and influential figures in Japanese popular culture.

The co-founder and leader of Yellow Magic Orchestra was active in the music scene since the late 1960s and created soundtracks for video games, ballet, and film. He also came up with minimalistic background music for the retail company Muji’s first shop in Tokyo and did production work for many other artists.

44-minute mix with Hosono appearing in various collaborations and as a solo artist – spearheading musical developments between 1975 and 1995.

Featured cover art: Haruomi Hosono ‎– Philharmony

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Ambient Japan (1981-2004)

Free of artificial ornamentation, well balanced, and designed with love for detail, some Eighties' Japanese ambient music resembles the concept of the countries' traditional gardens. 51 minutes of music striving to enhance environments – with works by Haruomi Hosono, Inoyama Land, Masahiro Sugaya, Yasuaki Shimizu and others.

Playlist ‘A Dandy From Heaven’

Haruomi Hosono – Sunnyside Of The Water

most music of the ballet Mercuric Dance (commissioned by Japanese toy maker Bandai) evolves almost as slowly as the planets are moving (1984, Monad Records)

Haruomi Hosono – The Truck On The Sea

from the soundtrack for Go Takamine’s first theatrical feature Paradise View, set in Okinawa in the early 1970s (1985, Monad Records)

Yellow Magic Orchestra – Camouflage

YMO was the first band to use Roland’s programmable drum machine TR-808 – on the album BGM (1981, Alfa)

Haruomi Hosono – Yumemiru Yakusoku

bonus track from the one-sided 7” flexidisc that came with the first pressing of Philharmony, an album Hosono compared to improvisatory painting (1982, Yen Records)

Haruomi Hosono – Kinu Kaidou

conjuring the image of an easygoing world flaneur, Kinu Kaidou appears on the first album of Hosono’s Tropical Trilogy (1975, Panam)

Haruomi Hosono & Tadanori Yokoo – Hum Ghar Sajan

from the album Cochin Moon, conceived as soundtrack for a non-existent Bollywood film, and inspired by a trip to India (1978, King Records / RE: Light In The Attic)

Haruomi Hosono with Friends Of Earth – Strange Love

feel good techno-pop (1984, Non-Standard)

Haruomi Hosono – Pleocene (Instrumental)

electronic pop from the late Eighties, heralding a new decade (1989, Daisyworld Discs)

Yellow Magic Orchestra – O.K.

having reunited for one album, the band proclaims that ‘Slipping Into Madness Is Good for the Sake of Comparison’ (1993, Eastworld)

Love, Peace & Trance – Yeelen

ambient-electro supergroup, consisting of Mimori Yusa (Love), Miyako Koda (Peace) and Mishio Ogawa (Trance), produced by Haruomi Hosono (&) (1995, Epic)