{"title":"Artist: Mariah","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"mariah-utakata-no-hibi-2lp-vinyl-record","title":"Utakata No Hibi [Import]","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eKEY FEATURES\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimited Edition - LITA 20th Anniversary Exclusive \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOnly 300 copies pressed on Red \u0026amp; Gold Swirl Double Vinyl\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA legendary yet long-lost crown jewel from the early \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e80s Japanese Electronic\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJazz Rock\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e scene\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew powerful master, much appreciated by the artist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2×12″ in UV-glossy laminated \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003egatefold sleeve with OBI\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCut at \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e45rpm\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003efor optimal sound quality\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes A1 Poster 60×60cm and lyric sheet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVinyl comes in \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eJapanese Katta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e inner sleeves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eRELEASE DESCRIPTION\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMARIAH\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eused to be a Japanese outfit in the field of art pop, a long way back in the very late 70s and early 80s with 6 albums up their score from 1979 to 1983. The album at hand is the sixth and for the time being last album in this row, released as a double vinyl back in 1983. Prices for original copies, that are at least in very good condition, are hard to find and go up to 250 Euro\/USD. The brand new reissue on \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEverland Music\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, unlike the original and the first vinyl reissue from 2015, comes housed in a thick and artfully designed gatefold sleeve with OBI, which finally does justice to the progressive spirit of the music you can find here.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe musical basement is a fusion of dreamy synthesizer pop and haunting new wave music, that could be found all around the globe back in 1983. In the vein of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTEARS FOR FEARS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e or more adventurous \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDAVID BOWIE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e stuff, with a touch of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKRAFTWERK\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eor even \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBRIAN ENO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e here and there, but all this gets spiced up with an atmosphere of Japanese traditionalism, with a few bits and pieces from the old music from this Far East island, which sounds so magic us Westerners. The progressive, wacky art pop of this project was led by the popular Japanese composer and musician Yasuaki Shimizu, a relentlessly exploratory saxophonist who even dared to rework \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohann Sebastian Bach\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e’s cello suites for saxophone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs brilliant as this man is, the music on “Utakata No Hibi” turns out to be. And the master himself approved and much appreciated the brand-new remastering of this album by assisting a highly professional team of sound engineers who dusted off the ancient tape reels. For certain the record sounds and feels the 80s through and through, electronic to the very rhythmical bone of each song sugar-coated with catchy melodies that resemble Japanese classic and \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnka music\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, which is a kind of folksy pop music. The listener gets directly drawn into a feverish dream of steaming Far Eastern cities and their darkest and most depraved corners where you find everything cheap in sleazy bars and unlighted backyards and alleys. The next moment he strolls through a beautiful Japanese park surrounded by a sea of blossoms. This change in mood and style you will experience in the sparsely instrumented tune \"\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShisen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e“, which indeed comes closest to classic Japanese folk tunes without any too catchy and pop-oriented melodies. But we certainly find these harmonies all over the album. Some tunes even feel like ancient \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBEACH BOYS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e compositions and Brian Wilson creations played by a then-contemporary electronic pop act and sung in Japanese.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn amazingly colorful album with songs that are based on solid substance rather than cheap pop structures. This is music for the bold listeners and music lovers and this awesome reissue should quickly find its way into the record collections of 80s synth and art-pop aficionadoes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYasuaki Shimizu\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e did what he wanted with MARIAH, pushing the borders of popular music further than anybody would have thought. Listen to a track like “Shonen” with a repetitive rhythm pattern that hypnotizes you and somehow silky melody lines by saxophone and synth piano upon which a female voice sings in a very spiritual way. Praising pop or whatever this can be called, is sheer magic put in music. I wonder if this would have made it into the charts back then, but you never know.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eTRACKLIST\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eそこから…= Sokokara\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e視線 = Shisen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e花が咲いたら = Hana Ga Saitara\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e不自由な鼠 = Fujiyu Na Nezumi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e空に舞うまぼろし = Sora Ni Mau Maboroshi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e心臓の扉 = Shinzo No Tobira\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e少年 = Shonen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eLISTEN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAvailable on Desktop \u0026amp; Mobile\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Mariah","offers":[{"title":"2LP \/ Red Gold Swirl","offer_id":42467087057087,"sku":"EverlandPsych009-RDGD-SWL","price":62.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"2LP \/ Black","offer_id":41679423373503,"sku":"EverlandPsych009-BK","price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0620\/6947\/3471\/products\/large_550_tmp_2F1597441674869-ejwy6znkam-0d77a7e46008ece0ee59bee7c718975e_2FEPS009_Mariah_LP_front_1000.jpg?v=1654137126"}],"url":"https:\/\/helixsounds.com\/collections\/artist-mariah.oembed","provider":"Helix Sounds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}