YMOが支えた初期作やrei harakamiとのyanokamiとしての活動などを通じて断続的に電子音へアプローチしてきた矢野顕子だが、5年半ぶりのスタジオ盤はそうしたテクノ・ポップ路線の集大成的な作品に。多彩なトラックメイカーを迎え、セルフ・カヴァーも交えながらエレクトロニックなポップスを展開している。sasakure.UKらしい流麗なシンセが舞う“電話線”や、YMOのライヴ版に近い80sなサウンドを砂原良徳が構築した“在広東少年”、マーク・リーボウと電化ジャズばりのセッションを繰り広げる“愛の耐久テスト”……と、スタイルは実にさまざま。だがいずれの楽曲でも、彼女の摩訶不思議なソングライティングと電子音とが織り成すファンタスティックなトリップ感を味わうことができる。
[English Translation]
Akiko Yano "Tobashite ikuyo"
Yano has been known to be in an on-and-off relationship with electronic bleeps ranging from her early works that were given support by YMO or her projects as "yanokami", the side-project with rei harakami, the late legendary techno/electronic musician whom Yano personally identifies as 'world heritage'. Her first studio recorded album in 5 and a half years, however, proves to be a complete corpus of those synthpop streams, welcoming a varied network of skilled track makers and including covers of her own compositions, fully incorporating her wide range abilities to shape the album into an electronic and pop piece of art. "Denwasen (meaning Phone Line)" by Japanesechiptune /rock artist, sasakure.UK, flows brilliantly with liquidized synth, "Kang Tong Boy" reprised by Yoshinori Sunahara (, former member of techno band Denki Groove) has been given life back from the eighties and sounds close to the live version by YMO, where "Ai no Taikyu Test (meaning The Duration Test of Love)" unfurls an electrified jazz jam with Marc Ribot, -obviously, there seems to be no constraints to the styles chosen. Still, whatever track you pick, Yano's magical mysterious fluffy songwriting and the perfect combination with electronics is bound to take you on a 'fantastic trippy trip'.
