I bought a copy of the remastered red vinyl of this album in 2021. I'm not sure where I ordered the record from but I suspect it would have cost over £20. I was content with this until Amazon started selling the "Deluxe Edition" which included an LP, three CDs and a book for £25 a few weeks later. So now I own both versions.
The title track that begins this album is a pulsating mix of analogue synths and the superlative rhythm section of Steve Jansen and Mick Karn. As David Sylvian begins to croon in his distinctive lilt it's hard to imagine a song that sounds any more eighties. Which is a stupid statement as this album was recorded and released in 1979.
The second track "Fall In Love With Me" is less conventional and is probably a more accurate reflection of the 'true' sound of Japan. As Karn's fretless bass twists and slurs along you can't help but wonder at his genius.
"Despair" is a suitably maudlin number that sees David singing in French alongside an analogue beatbox. The last track on side one is "In Vogue" which has a distinctive electric piano motif and some great bass but little else to recommend it.
Side two opens with "Halloween" which features more of the drums, fretless bass and sax combination that has gone before. As the album progresses the amount of synthesiser recedes and the tracks become less interesting as a result. The cover of "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a suitably dreamy glide but Barbieri's synth work is pushed to the back of the mix. By the time "Alien" and the final track "The Other Side of Love" come around the synths have been replaced by an orchestra and things just peter out.
I've seen this album described as "synth based" but in reality the synths are just a garnish; a little sprinkling of fairy dust to augment the traditional rock band. Still, there is something about the totality of this album and its palette of sound that is very impressive. 3/5
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