WEWANTSOUNDS - Forced Exposure

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 11/26/2021

Wewantsounds reissue Omar Khorshid's highly sought-after instrumental album Giant + Guitar originally released in 1974 in Lebanon and recorded at Polysound Studio by famed Lebanese engineer Nabil Moumtaz. The album features Khorshid's unique electric guitar sound mixed with Arabic melodies over superb psych arrangements. Omar Khorshid's life, if short (he died age 36 in a road accident), was extraordinary. Blessed with a great talent for music, the Egyptian musician and actor became one of the best guitarists of the Arab World accompanying the greatest stars of the '60s and '70s, including Oum Kalthoum, Abdel Halim Hafez and Farid El Atrache. To avoid the political troubles of the time in Egypt, and to fulfil his artistic ambitions, Khorshid moved to Beirut in Lebanon in 1973 and started recording a string of superb albums experimenting with oriental music. He recorded for several labels including Voice of Lebanon, one of the key Lebanese labels of the time. He released his first album Giant + Guitar for the label in 1974 and it was an instantly popular in the Arab world. The front cover sees Khorshid on his motorcycle in the busy street of Hamra, one of the most vibrant Beirut neighborhoods where he was playing most nights in residence. (The album was also released internationally as Rhythms from the Orient with a different artwork focusing on belly dance). The sound is both bold and accessible, displaying Khorshid's unique guitar sound, accompanied by a small band mixing traditional and modern fuzzed-up arrangements. The mesmerizing opening track, "Rakset El Fadaa", composed by Lebanese musician Nour Al Mallah, is a perfect example of Khorshid's artistry. Starting with a long, hypnotic guitar intro, it then speeds up with the backing of a groovy organ, Oriental percussion and the psych sound of an early synthesizer to great effect. The album continues on the same mode blending traditional oriental music with inventive arrangements as showcased by the Mohamed Abdel Wahab standard "Leilet Hob" popularized by Oum Kalthoum, which sees Khorshid and his musicians shifting pace several times over eight minutes. One of the peaks of the album in terms of sonic experiments is undoubtedly Korshid's own composition, "Taqassim Sanat Alfein", with Khorshid's superb guitar in full bloom accompanied by a few touches of synth. Wewantsounds' series of Arabic music reissues are curated by Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. Newly remastered; includes original Voice of Lebanon artwork and a two-page insert featuring liner notes by DJ Ernesto Chahoud.

$17.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 11/19/2021

Wewantsounds continues their Ryuichi Sakamoto reissue series with the release of the 1985 album Esperanto, composed for a performance by New York avant-garde choreographer Molissa Fenley. Produced and performed by Sakamoto with contribution by Arto Lindsay and Japanese percussionist Yas-Kaz, Esperanto is a fascinating instrumental work mixing electronica, ambient and synth pop. Released in Japan in 1985 on Midi Inc.s' School label, the album has never been released outside of Japan until now. Esperanto originally came out in 1985 and was Ryuichi Sakamoto's sixth solo album. Coming after his stint with the influential Yellow Magic Orchestra, and also the worldwide success of Sakamoto's 1984 soundtrack for the film Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (in which he starred alongside David Bowie), Esperanto was a return to Sakamoto's leftfield roots. Composed as the soundtrack to a performance by New York choreographer Molissa Fenley (a show commissioned by Japanese producer Shozo Tsurumoto), the album was masterminded by Sakamoto with the help of the cutting-edge electronic technology of the time (the only external contributions are by Arto Lindsay on guitar and Japanese composer Yas-Kaz on percussion). Indeed, the album is a fascinating soundscape experimenting with the new sampler technology -- which, according to Ryuichi Sakamoto from a conversation with journalist Andy Beta mentioned in the liner notes, needed a computer that was huge at the time. Esperanto is composed of eight tracks displaying a varied mix of influences. "A Wongga Dance Song" is pulsating with rhythms while "A Rain Song" adopts a minimalist mode with its distinctive repetitive pattern. "Dolphins" and "A Carved Stone" are captivating ambient pieces showcasing Sakamoto's talent for setting beautiful abstract melodic ornaments over atmospheric tones. One of the highlights of the album is "Adelic Penguins", a fascinating proto techno piece with a funky twist stretching over six minutes which echoes the electro funk of 1981's album Hidari Ude No Yume (WWSCD 033CD/WWSLP 033LP/WWSLP 034LP). "Ulu Watu", a collage-like piece featuring bird motives and a tropical soundscape closes the album with an experimental note. It's interesting to note that, a year later, the tracks from Esperanto would be turned into an experimental video project by New York visual artists Kit Fitzgerald and Nam June Paik collaborator Paul Garrin. A unique album in Ryuichi Sakamoto's rich discography, Esperanto is a groundbreaking work worth rediscovering in its full glory. Original artwork; includes two-page insert with a new introduction by journalist Andy Beta. Audio remastered in Tokyo by Seigen Ono.

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 11/19/2021

LP version. Wewantsounds continues their Ryuichi Sakamoto reissue series with the release of the 1985 album Esperanto, composed for a performance by New York avant-garde choreographer Molissa Fenley. Produced and performed by Sakamoto with contribution by Arto Lindsay and Japanese percussionist Yas-Kaz, Esperanto is a fascinating instrumental work mixing electronica, ambient and synth pop. Released in Japan in 1985 on Midi Inc.s' School label, the album has never been released outside of Japan until now. Esperanto originally came out in 1985 and was Ryuichi Sakamoto's sixth solo album. Coming after his stint with the influential Yellow Magic Orchestra, and also the worldwide success of Sakamoto's 1984 soundtrack for the film Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (in which he starred alongside David Bowie), Esperanto was a return to Sakamoto's leftfield roots. Composed as the soundtrack to a performance by New York choreographer Molissa Fenley (a show commissioned by Japanese producer Shozo Tsurumoto), the album was masterminded by Sakamoto with the help of the cutting-edge electronic technology of the time (the only external contributions are by Arto Lindsay on guitar and Japanese composer Yas-Kaz on percussion). Indeed, the album is a fascinating soundscape experimenting with the new sampler technology -- which, according to Ryuichi Sakamoto from a conversation with journalist Andy Beta mentioned in the liner notes, needed a computer that was huge at the time. Esperanto is composed of eight tracks displaying a varied mix of influences. "A Wongga Dance Song" is pulsating with rhythms while "A Rain Song" adopts a minimalist mode with its distinctive repetitive pattern. "Dolphins" and "A Carved Stone" are captivating ambient pieces showcasing Sakamoto's talent for setting beautiful abstract melodic ornaments over atmospheric tones. One of the highlights of the album is "Adelic Penguins", a fascinating proto techno piece with a funky twist stretching over six minutes which echoes the electro funk of 1981's album Hidari Ude No Yume (WWSCD 033CD/WWSLP 033LP/WWSLP 034LP). "Ulu Watu", a collage-like piece featuring bird motives and a tropical soundscape closes the album with an experimental note. It's interesting to note that, a year later, the tracks from Esperanto would be turned into an experimental video project by New York visual artists Kit Fitzgerald and Nam June Paik collaborator Paul Garrin. A unique album in Ryuichi Sakamoto's rich discography, Esperanto is a groundbreaking work worth rediscovering in its full glory. Original artwork; includes two-page insert with a new introduction by journalist Andy Beta. Audio remastered in Tokyo by Seigen Ono.

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 10/22/2021

Wewantsounds close the Makoto Kubota reissue series with the release of Dixie Fever recorded in Hawaii in 1976 and co-produced by Haruomi Hosono. Like its predecessors, Dixie Fever continues to explore American and Island music through a Japanese prism with a skillful mix of blues, swamp funk and America adding an exotic edge to the whole. A year after the release of their highly-acclaimed album Hawaii Champroo in 1975, Makoto Kubota and The Sunset Gang reunited at Sounds of Hawaii studios with co-producer Haruomi Hosono to record a new album, Dixie Fever. They used pretty much the same ingredients that had made the success of Champroo -- an effortless mix of Japanese folk and American roots music with some tropical influences. The same mix that Haruomi Hosono was applying to his own albums, especially Tropical Dandy which was experimenting with the same ideas -- in fact the front cover of both Tropical Dandy and Dixie Fever are illustrated by Yasuo Yagi. As per Hawaii Champroo and Sunset Gang, Dixie Fever includes a mix of original compositions and covers. On the album, you spot The Lovin' Spoonful's "Wild About My Lovin'" and a funked-up version of UK singer songwriter Ralph McTell's song "When I Was A Cowboy". They feature the Gang's usual musicians (Keni Inoue on guitar, Yosuke Fujita on slide guitar and Takashi Onzo on bass and keyboards) complemented by a handful of guests including Tin Pan Alley drummer Tatsuo Hayashi, Motoya Hamaguchi on percussion and New Orleans pianist and Dr. John friend, Ronnie Barron. Together they play a superb brew made of blues, soul, Hawaiian music and southern swamp rhythms. One of the highlights of the album is undoubtedly "Hoshikuzu (Stardust)" which has become a cult classic over the years on the international city pop scene and whose sunshine mid-tempo vibe is the perfect reflection of the group's musicianship. The first time the album is released outside of Japan. Features original artwork with OBI and insert plus remastered audio by Makoto Kubota himself.

$32.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Obi strip. Wewantsounds present a first-time reissue of the cult LP by master Japanese drummer George Otsuka and his quintet, recorded live on July, 19th 1975 at the Nemu Jazz Inn. The album was released by cutting-edge Japanese label Bellwood in 1975. The album Loving You George is comprised of four superb performances fueled by Otsuka powerful drumming and Fumio Karashima's fender Rhodes. Otsuka is one of the giants of the Nippon jazz scene. The drummer, who sadly passed away in 2020, enjoyed a 50-year career recording with the best musicians and labels in Japan. Otsuka joined Sadao Watanabe's Cosy Quartet in the late fifties before switching to Hidehiko Matsumoto's quartet where he gained exposure as one of Japan's premier drummers. In the mid-60s, he formed his own trio with Hideo Ichikawa (piano) and Masaoki Terakawa (bass) recording several highly-acclaimed albums and also playing with international stars such as Hampton Hawes and Roy Haynes. The '70s were a productive decade and Otsuka embraced the latest development in jazz including fusion and modal jazz enthusiastically. The musician signed with Koki Miura's groundbreaking Bellwood Records (responsible for producing Haruomi Hosono and the emergent wave of folk rock artists led by Happy End) and recorded a live album at Nemu Jazz Inn in the Nemu resort, south of Nagoya. The evening was a special one. On top of The George Otsuka quintet (featuring Mitsuaki Furuno, Norio Ohno, Shozo Sasaki, and Fumio Karashima), were the supergroup of Norman Connors, Eddie Henderson, and Gary Bartz who were also recording a live album, Dance Of Magic, that has since become legendary. On the night, Otsuka and his sidemen recorded four tracks including "Little Island" a Karashima original and "Something Everywhere" a faithful rendition of Steve Kuhn Brazilian-flavored original which had just appeared on his ECM album Trance. The second side begins with a breathtaking version of the Coltrane standard "Miles Mode" finishing with a great drum solo by Otsuka followed by a superb version of the Minnie Riperton classic, "Loving You" played in a mid-tempo funky mode with a great Rhodes solo. Loving You George is a vivid testimony that Otsuka and his musicians were at the top of their game. Remastered audio from the master tapes by King Records in Japan.

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 10/15/2021

Wewantsounds present the first vinyl reissue of legendary Arabic diva Warda's Khalik Hena, recorded with full Egyptian orchestra and originally released on the label Soutelphan in 1973. A cult classic sampled by Jay Z and J Dilla, the album recorded in public mixes traditional Arabic music with a tinge of '70s grooves. Here, Warda delivers a hypnotic performance backed by her full-size orchestra featuring those unparalleled Arabic strings that made recordings by Oum Khalthoum, Farid El Atrache, and Abdel Halim Hafez so famous. Khalik Hena is one of her all-time classics, written by legendary composer Baligh Hamdi. Warda is one of the undisputed divas of the Arab world. Born in the Paris suburb from an Algerian father and a Lebanese mother, she was discovered at 11 by Ahmed Hachlaf, Pathe Marconi's heads of A&R specializing in Arabic music. having honed her singing skills at her father's cabaret in the Latin Quarter, the Tam-Tam (for Tunisia-Algeria-Morocco) she quickly found recognition in the Arabic music circles. The family relocated to Beirut in the late '50s after the police found arms in her father's cabaret destined to the political group fighting for Algeria's independence and was swiftly discovered there by an Egyptian film producer who brought her to Cairo to record and play in his films. From there, her career took a meteoric rise and she became a star working with Egyptian such stars as Abdel Halim Hafez and composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab. However, in the early '60s a traditional marriage in Algeria stopped her career for a decade to be a housewife until Algerian President Boumediene asked her to perform for the tenth anniversary of the Nation's independence in 1972. This was an epiphany and after a divorce she was back to Egypt for a triumphant comeback. Khalik Hena recorded in public in 1973 dates back to these glory days. Teaming up with her new husband, legendary composer Baligh Hamdi, she recorded a string of classic albums -- hypnotic tour-de-forces stretching over two sides in an almost trance-like mode, enhancing Warda's powerful vocal and ability to mesmerize audiences. Blending traditional and modern instrumentations (electric guitar, organ), the music is both complex and groovy, Khalik Hena is one of her best LPs, sought after by Arabic diggers and collectors alike. Remastered audio; original artwork and two-page insert with new introduction by Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe who curates Wewantsounds' Arabic series of reissues.

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 10/15/2021

Wewantsounds announce an ambitious Makoto Kubota reissue program with his three albums recorded with The Sunset Gang between 1973 and 1977. The albums feature Haruomi Hosono (who also co-produced Hawaii Champroo) and also includes Minako Yoshida, Taeko Ohnuki and Tatsuo Hayachi to name a few. Makoto Kubota has been one of Japan's true musical innovators and following his involvement with Les Rallizes Dénudés in the early '70s, he developed a unique sound bringing American, Hawaiian and Okinawan music influences to his own Japanese folk music mix. Recorded in Honolulu in 1975. Recorded in 1975 at the famed Sounds of Hawaii studio in Honolulu, Hawaii Champroo was co-produced by Haruomi Hosono and marks the start of Kubota's keen interest in Hawaiian and Okinawan music (Champroo is derived from Chanpurū, the traditional Okinawan stir-fry dish). A companion album to Hosono's own Tropical Dandy and Bon Voyage Co. albums (on which Kubota plays), the album was at the forefront of a tropical musical movement started in Japan in the mid-70s. The core Sunset Gang consists of Kubota on Guitar, Takashi Onzo on bass, Yosuke Fujita on guitars and mandolin, Keni Inoue on lead guitar and Hiroki Komazawa on pedal steel guitar. They are joined on the album by Hosono on drums and Teriyuki Kokubu on piano. Having travelled to the United States in the early '70s, Makoto Kubota had fallen in love with American music and had brought back many influences from his sojourn on the East and West coast. these are evident from the tracks covered by the band on Hawaii Champroo, including Jesse Fuller's "San Francisco Blues", The Rooftop Singers' "Walk Right In" (an old Gus Cannon ragtime) or The Texas Playboys' classic "Steel Guitar Rag". Hawaii Champroo also features originals such as the funky "Shanghai Gaeri" and a nod to the Hula Hawaiian dance "Moonlight Hula". One of the highlights of the album is the classic "Haisai Ozisan", the Okinawan 1972 cult classic by Shoukichi Kina which has become a standard in Japan. All in all, Hawaii Champroo is a timeless classic and one of the key Japanese albums from the '70s. This is the first time the albums are released outside of Japan. Newly remastered by Makoto Kubota. Comes with original artwork, OBI and the original Japanese inserts.

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 10/15/2021

Wewantsounds continue its Makoto Kubota retrospective with the reissue of Sunset Gang recorded in 1973 for Showboat. The album, co-produced by Kinji Yoshino (Haruomi Hosono, Akiko Yano, Sachiko Kanenobu) and featuring Hosono, Minako Yoshida and Taeko Ohnuki, was released as Kubota had just recorded his classic first solo album, Machibouke. It marks the start of the group's unique sound mixing Japanese music with R&B, blues and New Orleans influences, a sound that would have a lasting impression on the Japanese music scene. Makoto Kubota's trip to the US' East and West Coast at the dawn of the '70s had been ear-opening. After a few years playing with Les Rallizes Dénudés, he had travelled there to soak up the music and the cultural revolution that was happening all around the country. Upon his return and after recording his solo album Machibouke for the Express label, he set to record a second album with likeminded musician to emulate the sound he had witnessed during his US trip. Kubota gathered fellow musicians in the studio with producer Kinji Yoshino, alongside a few guests including Haruomi Hosono, Tatsuo Hayashi and Takashi Matsumoto from Happy End/Tin Pan Alley galaxy to record nine tracks inspired by R&B, soul, blues, and tropical influences. From the bluesy "Kawa Wo Kudatte" and "Sunset Sunset" to the Southern groove of "Louisiana Mama" and the Grateful Dead-like feel of "Bang Bang Bang/Yukake Blues", the album is a superb mix of laidback music and an homage to American roots music. The album marks the start of a musical odyssey Kubota and his musicians would develop further in subsequent albums by the Gang. This is the first time the album is released outside of Japan, remastered by Makoto Kubota himself and featuring original artwork with OBI and four-page insert.

$29.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 10/8/2021

LP version. Gatefold sleeve; includes 24-page booklet. Wewantsounds reissue Akiko Yano's cult classic Ai Ga Nakucha Ne, recorded in 1982 and co-produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Ai Ga Nakucha Ne ("there must be love" in Japanese) is Akiko Yano's sixth studio album and follows Tadaima in 1981. It continues exploring the electro-pop sound of its predecessor, hot on the heels of her touring with Yellow Magic Orchestra between 1979 and 1980. For this album, Akiko decided to try something new; she enrolled English musicians Mick Karn, Steve Jansen and David Sylvian from Japan and booked the Air Studios in London under the supervision of engineer Steve Nye. Over a couple of weeks, the musicians created a fascinating soundscape full of catchy pop tunes, sung in both Japanese and English. Reminiscing about the studio sessions, Steve Jansen notes "Our music's different but we maybe had a similar process of working. It was a great environment because the studio was a great place to work. It was very insular. There were four studios and there were always groups working in there 24/7." The eleven tracks featured on Ai Ga Nakucha Ne, mostly composed by Akiko -- are a great collection of catchy tunes featuring her distinctive vocals and accompanied by the Japan musicians. As Akiko explains about the creative process, "I didn't think to imitate or to make another Tin Drum. But I had Steve Jansen and Mick Karn, these excellent musicians. They were eager to understand the songs, then they put in everything they had. I knew the material was different from what they usually played in Japan. But it was a great experience working with them." There are many highlights on the album, from the pop edge of "Aisuru Hito Yo" to the avant groove of "Another Wedding Song", each song is memorable and the album ends with the superb "Good Night" sung by Akiko and David Sylvian. The original 1982 LP release included a 24-page booklet featuring many photos by Pennie Smith and Japanese photographer Bishin Jumonji. The booklet is reproduced in its entirety here and the album on top of contributions by Mac DeMarco, a longtime fan of the album. Also includes a dual interview with Akiko Yano and Steve Jansen by journalist Paul Bowler. Audio remastered from the original tapes by Mitsuo Koike.

$17.50 PREORDER RELEASE DATE: 10/8/2021

Wewantsounds reissue Akiko Yano's cult classic Ai Ga Nakucha Ne, recorded in 1982 and co-produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Ai Ga Nakucha Ne ("there must be love" in Japanese) is Akiko Yano's sixth studio album and follows Tadaima in 1981. It continues exploring the electro-pop sound of its predecessor, hot on the heels of her touring with Yellow Magic Orchestra between 1979 and 1980. For this album, Akiko decided to try something new; she enrolled English musicians Mick Karn, Steve Jansen and David Sylvian from Japan and booked the Air Studios in London under the supervision of engineer Steve Nye. Over a couple of weeks, the musicians created a fascinating soundscape full of catchy pop tunes, sung in both Japanese and English. Reminiscing about the studio sessions, Steve Jansen notes "Our music's different but we maybe had a similar process of working. It was a great environment because the studio was a great place to work. It was very insular. There were four studios and there were always groups working in there 24/7." The eleven tracks featured on Ai Ga Nakucha Ne, mostly composed by Akiko -- are a great collection of catchy tunes featuring her distinctive vocals and accompanied by the Japan musicians. As Akiko explains about the creative process, "I didn't think to imitate or to make another Tin Drum. But I had Steve Jansen and Mick Karn, these excellent musicians. They were eager to understand the songs, then they put in everything they had. I knew the material was different from what they usually played in Japan. But it was a great experience working with them." There are many highlights on the album, from the pop edge of "Aisuru Hito Yo" to the avant groove of "Another Wedding Song", each song is memorable and the album ends with the superb "Good Night" sung by Akiko and David Sylvian. The original 1982 LP release included a 24-page booklet featuring many photos by Pennie Smith and Japanese photographer Bishin Jumonji. The booklet is reproduced in its entirety here and the album on top of contributions by Mac DeMarco, a longtime fan of the album. Also includes a dual interview with Akiko Yano and Steve Jansen by journalist Paul Bowler. Audio remastered from the original tapes by Mitsuo Koike.

$35.50 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds present the first vinyl reissue of Frank Foster's The Loud Minority, originally released on Bob Shad's Mainstream Records in 1972. A landmark album and one of the key political works of the '70s. Featuring an all-star cast of superb musicians including Elvin Jones, Stanley Clarke, Airto, Cecil Bridgewater, and Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, it is also Dee Dee Bridgewater's earliest full recordings. This special edition comes in a gatefold sleeve and includes a 20-page booklet featuring amazing unseen session photos recently unearthed, an introduction by Judd and Mia Apatow (Shad's grandchildren), an essay by British journalist Kevin Le Gendre and an exclusive interview of Cecil and Dee Dee Bridgewater by Paul Bowler. Includes original photos and the audio newly remastered from the original tapes. When he recorded The Loud Minority in 1972 for Bob Shad's Mainstream Records, Frank Foster had been a solid sax player for nearly twenty years, playing with the likes of Donald Byrd, Thelonious Monk and The Count Basie Orchestra. For this special session, he gathered a stellar line up of old fellow musicians like Elvin Jones and Harold Mabern and young turks including Stanley Clarke, 'Hannibal' Marvin Peterson, Cecil and Dee Dee Bridgewater. As usual for Mainstream sessions, the studio was booked for two days and the record was cut live, supervised by arranger Ernie Wilkins and engineer Carmine Rubino. What came out of these two days is now the stuff of legend, four long funky jams fueled by two distinct line ups playing simultaneously augmented with a powerful six-piece brass section led by Foster. The Loud Minority is a key militant jazz manifesto and one of the landmark jazz funk albums of the 20th century. The album was recorded in two days but its legacy lives on and still resonates loudly in the BLM days.

$36.50 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds reissue one of Michel Legrand's best soundtracks composed for the French thriller La Piscine (The Swiming Pool), released in 1969 and featuring Alain Delon and Romy Schneider. Legrand penned the score straight after The Thomas Crown Affair OST and it features the same ultra-cool mix of memorable themes, slick jazzy instrumentals, and funky pop songs. The full soundtrack was only released in Japan and France and is now very rare. Three bonus tracks that have never been released on vinyl have been added, all newly remastered and housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve with new liner notes by Jeremy Allen. Also includes Legrand's ultra-rare funky 7" OST of Un Homme Est Mort from 1972 in its original artwork. When La Piscine was released in France in 1969, it created a stir and became an instant classic. Starring the sexy duet of Alain Delon and Romy Schneider, it had all the ingredient for a smash hit: stunning actors, a great story of jealousy and sexual tension and the magical sun-drenched setting of the French Riviera. All you needed was a soundtrack to match and Deray turned to Michel Legrand who had struck gold with The Umbrella Of Cherbourg and The Thomas Crown Affair. For La Piscine, Legrand came up with the same magic: a great theme which he declined in several jazzy and groovy variations to match the moods and tensions of the film. For the "Main Theme" and "De Souvenirs En Regrets" Legrand invited his sister Christiane, also a gifted singer, to scat with him and mirror the Delon-Schneider couple on screen. Also invited was French violin ace Stephane Grappelli who play on several queues. To spice up the score and reflect the party mood of late '60s Cote D'Azur, Legrand added a pinch of groove with "Dans La Soiree" and two funky pop songs penned by Marilyn and Alan Bergman, the jerky "Run, Brother Rabbit, Run" sung by Delaney Bramlett (Delaney & Bonnie) and the superb mid-tempo "Ask Yourself Why" sung by Sally Stevens. This The super rare and funky 7" of another Legrand-Deray collaboration from 1972 for the film "Un Homme Est Mort." The soundtrack only came out in France as a single at the time which has become a highly sought-after nugget on the jazz funk digging scene and is reissued here in its original artwork. Gatefold sleeve.

$29.50 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds reissue Sylvia Robinson's super rare soul LP released in 1975 on her Vibration label, part of her All-Platinum/Stang/Turbo empire. Sweet Stuff features several Sylvia cult classics including "Private Performance," "Soul Je T'aime", a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" and the mellow favorite "Sho Nuff Boogie" recorded with The Moments. As bonus tracks, the release features "Sho Nuff Boogie, Part 2" which only came out as the single's B-side at the time and the long version of "Soul Je T'aime". Born and raised in New York, Sylvia Robinson began recording at a young age under the name "Little Sylvia" in the early 1950s. She gained exposure when she teamed up with Mickey Baker scoring a hit in 1956 with "Love Is Strange" as Mickey & Sylvia. She went on to record many singles during the late '50s and '60s before setting up her own label, All Platinum Records in 1966 followed by Stang Records and Vibration. Through these labels, she had several hit records in the '70s as a producer including The Moments' "Love On A Two Way Street" and Shirley & Co's "Shame Shame Shame". Sylvia Robinson continued to record as a solo artist shortening her name as "Sylvia". She got a massive hit of her own with "Pillow Talk" in 1973, a song she'd originally penned with Al Green in mind. The song went to #3 in the charts and started a string of other hits over the next few years. In 1973 she covered Serge Gainsbourg's 1969 megahit "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" renaming it here "Soul Je T'Aime" and duetting with Fania Records' Latin soul singer Ralfi Pagan. The following year was also busy for the singer and producer with three singles that went to the R&B chart: the Soul Ballad "Alfredo", the funky "Private Performance" and "Sho Nuff Boogie," sung with The Moments. They are all featured on the album Sweet Stuff which was released in 1975. Interestingly the song "Sweet Stuff" notoriously sampled by J Dilla for "Crushin'" doesn't appear on this album even if "Sho Nuff Boogie" sounds very much like a forerunner of the song with its similar languorous pace and almost identical melody. Four years later in 1979, Sylvia Robinson would make another genius move with the launch of Sugarhill Records and the Sugarhill Gang's single "Rapper's Delight" which would revolutionize music and almost single-handedly launch hip-hop but that's another chapter of Sylvia Robinson's life.

$18.00 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds present a first time reissue of Robert Cotter's ultra-rare 1976 album, Missing You in partnership with Robert Cotter himself. Originally released on the notorious Tiger Lily label, the album was never properly released at the time and most copies were destroyed before they could hit record store shelves. The album, recorded in New York between 1975 and '76, is also Chic's earliest recording -- or The Big Apple Band as the group was known, which Robert Cotter was fronting at the time alongside fellow musicians Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, and Robert Sabino. Robert Cotter had been active since the late '60s, first in Long Island where he grew up singing in Church and with his high school band, then in New York where he got hired to play in the roadshow of the 1970 Broadway hit Jesus Christ Superstar. When this came to an end, Robert returned to New York where he got introduced to Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Robert joined and the group played for a few years making a name for themselves in the New York area. In the process Cotter wrote a few songs that he recorded with two different groups between 1975 and '76: The Big Apple Band on one side and also with musician friends from his previous group on the other side. The album features a wide array of styles, from the funk of the title track and "Disco Blues" to the soulful acoustic feel of "Three Wise Men" and the conga-led mid-tempo groove of "God Bless The Soulfire People". The two Big Apple Band tracks, "Love Rite" and "Saturday" are not only great, but also give an insight into the origin of the Chic sound. These songs are historically invaluable as the group's only recordings just before it morphed into Chic (a remake of "Saturday" would actually become a hit for Norma Jean Wright two years later produced by Rodgers/Edwards). The album finishes with the incredible "Come On With It," a politically-charged diatribe against Nixon featuring a darker psychedelic edge. When the album was pressed, Cotter got a few copies and never really heard back from the label. He moved on with his career -- performing and recording for various other labels -- and never really looked back on his debut album. Remastered. Includes two-page insert featuring liner notes by Love Injection's Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele telling the whole story.

$29.00 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds present a reissue of Ziad Rahbani's cult album, Bennesbeh Labokra...Chou? released in Lebanon only and mixing Arabic music with jazz, bossa nova, and other western influences. Curated by Lebanese-born music expert Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, the album is reissued on vinyl for the first time since 1978. When Ziad Rahbani released Bennesbeh Labokra... Chou? he was only 22 years old. He had started to make an impression on the Lebanese cultural scene a few years before, while still a teenager, composing and releasing albums under his own name. Born into an illustrious musical family -- his mother is the legendary Lebanese Diva Fairuz and his father, Assi Rahbani, was a renowned composer and part of one of the most famous Lebanese groups, The Rahbani Brothers -- Ziad quickly gained exposure as a gifted composer and producer. When his father fell ill in the mid '70s, he took over as Fairuz's producer which led to a fruitful collaboration starting with the 1979 album Wahdon. Highly influenced by other genres of music, Rahbani had started bringing modern western influences to traditional Arabic music. 1978 saw the release of two key albums by the young musician, the disco 12" Abu Ali which went on to become one of the most sought-after Arabic albums on the international DJ scene and Bennesbeh Labokra... Chou?. A soundtrack to Rahbani's eponymous play, the album gathers all the musical interludes heard during the play, a social diatribe about the Beirut society underlining the difficulties of living in the tense social and political climate of the Lebanese civil war. Written by and starring Rahbani, the play follows the everyday life and problems of a young couple running a cafe in the heart of Beirut. The play underlying Rahbani's leftist sensitivity was an immense success and the album was released the same year (the complete play was also released over three LPs). Bennesbeh Labokra... Chou? is a skillful blend of Arabic music and bossa nova, groove with funky beats, and jazz. It's interesting to hear an early version of "Al Bosta" which would grace Fairuz's 1979 album Wahdon in a faster, funkier version. With a knack for cinematic orchestrations reminiscent of Lalo Schifrin, Rahbani also brings more complex arrangements to the album. Gatefold sleeve. Remastered audio. Two-page insert with a new introduction by Choueiry.

$32.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Wewantsounds present a first time reissue of Robert Cotter's ultra-rare 1976 album, Missing You in partnership with Robert Cotter himself. Originally released on the notorious Tiger Lily label, the album was never properly released at the time and most copies were destroyed before they could hit record store shelves. The album, recorded in New York between 1975 and '76, is also Chic's earliest recording -- or The Big Apple Band as the group was known, which Robert Cotter was fronting at the time alongside fellow musicians Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, and Robert Sabino. Robert Cotter had been active since the late '60s, first in Long Island where he grew up singing in Church and with his high school band, then in New York where he got hired to play in the roadshow of the 1970 Broadway hit Jesus Christ Superstar. When this came to an end, Robert returned to New York where he got introduced to Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Robert joined and the group played for a few years making a name for themselves in the New York area. In the process Cotter wrote a few songs that he recorded with two different groups between 1975 and '76: The Big Apple Band on one side and also with musician friends from his previous group on the other side. The album features a wide array of styles, from the funk of the title track and "Disco Blues" to the soulful acoustic feel of "Three Wise Men" and the conga-led mid-tempo groove of "God Bless The Soulfire People". The two Big Apple Band tracks, "Love Rite" and "Saturday" are not only great, but also give an insight into the origin of the Chic sound. These songs are historically invaluable as the group's only recordings just before it morphed into Chic (a remake of "Saturday" would actually become a hit for Norma Jean Wright two years later produced by Rodgers/Edwards). The album finishes with the incredible "Come On With It," a politically-charged diatribe against Nixon featuring a darker psychedelic edge. When the album was pressed, Cotter got a few copies and never really heard back from the label. He moved on with his career -- performing and recording for various other labels -- and never really looked back on his debut album. Remastered. Includes two-page insert featuring liner notes by Love Injection's Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele telling the whole story.

$31.00 NOT IN STOCK

Wewantsounds present the first vinyl reissue Omar Khorshid's cult instrumental album from 1978 originally released in Lebanon. The album features Khorshid's trademark twangy electric guitar sound over Arabic melodies enhanced by fascinating fuzzed-up arrangements and early synthesizer sounds. Wewantsounds' series of Arabic music reissues are curated by Lebanese-born Arabic music expert Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. The album has been newly remastered and comes with the original Voice of Lebanon LP artwork. One of the greatest guitar players of the Arab world accompanying such stars as Oum Kalthoum, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Farid El Atrache, Omar Khorshid was born in Cairo in 1945. After studying music from an early age, he joined the Egyptian pop group Les Petits Chats in 1966 and played with them for a couple of years. After seeing the group playing, Abdel Halim Hafez then recruited Khorshid for his band which led him to subsequently play for Egyptian diva Oum Khalthoum and a few other Egyptian pop stars. Following the political troubles faced by Egypt in the early '70s, Khorshid decided to move to Lebanon in 1973 and started recording under his own name for a few Beirut-based labels. In 1977, he was invited by Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat to perform at the White House for the celebration of the Camp David Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. In 1978, Khorshid moved out again -- to Syria this time -- for a about a year before returning to his homeland of Egypt to concentrate on live performances and on his nascent film career. Unfortunately, Khorshid efforts were cut short and he didn't have time to fulfil his ambitions tragically dying in a motorbike crash in May 1981, aged just 36. With Love released by the Beirut-based Voice of Lebanon label in 1978 is a testament to Omar Khorshid's greatness and encapsulate the unique sound of his guitar playing over modern arrangements establishing him as one of Arabic music's true innovator. Featuring reworkings of such favorites as Mohamed Abdel Wahab's "Ahwak", Farid El-Atrache's "Hebbina Hebbina" (a Brian Eno favorite), and the Rahbani Brothers' "Rahbaniyat", the album is a fascinating example of modern Arabic music that aimed at fusing traditional influences with the more contemporary ones, and has become highly sought-after by lovers of this Middle Eastern sounds around the world.

$31.00 IN STOCK

Sidney Lumet's masterpiece Serpico released in 1973 is one of the most iconic movies of the '70s. Featuring a career-defining performance by Al Pacino in the title role, it's a superb neo noir encapsulating the post-Watergate mood of the early '70s. The film's soundtrack by Mikis Theodorakis is equally stunning. Composed by Greek musician and arranged by cult jazz pianist Bob James, it is a superb blend of funky instrumental and traditional melodies reminiscent of The Godfather OST. The soundtrack didn't have an easy start. To begin with, Sidney Lumet didn't want any music for the film, which, he thought, was self-sufficient. However, under the pressure of producer Dino de Laurentiis, he finally bowed and agreed to hire a composer. Lumet thought about Mikis Theodorakis who had famously penned the classic score for Zorba The Greek. The composer was just out of jail in Greece for political activism and was busy preparing a North American tour but he duly accepted the task. However, he said he could only compose the music and not perform it. Lumet agreed and turned to Quincy Jones for advice, the musician having scored Lumet's film The Deadly Affair in 1966. Jones recommended a young pianist and arranger named Bob James he had worked with, who could help put Theodorakis's composition into recorded music. James was hired on the spot to arrange the score and oversee the recording sessions adding a few cues in the process. The result is a stunning masterwork taking Theodorakis's great themes and reworking them in a skillful mix of traditional arrangements and cool jazz-funk tracks like "Honest Cop" and the stunningly funky "On The Streets". James doesn't remember much of the session players he says in the interview he gave for Wewantsounds' release, but they would have included the usual jazz funk suspects who were playing on his CTI sessions. Newly remastered from the original tapes by Colorsound Studio in Paris. Features a stunning gatefold designed by American illustrator Eric Adrian Lee including authoritative notes by British film and music critic Jason Wood with an insightful Bob James interview reminiscing about the production of this superb soundtrack.

$20.00 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds present the reissue of Ryuichi Sakamoto's third solo album Hidari Ude No Yume (Left Handed Dream), originally released in 1981 on the Alfa label. Save for a small-scale Dutch vinyl release in 1981, it is the first time the album's original Japanese edition is released outside of Japan (the European release on Epic Records included significantly different tracks and mixes). Hidari Ude No Yume was recorded at the legendary Alfa Studio "A" in Tokyo during the Summer of 1981. it came after B-2 Unit in 1980 and his debut album Thousand Knives Of... in 1978 (WWSCD 024CD/WWSLP 024LP), the very year Sakamoto was invited by Haruomi Hosono to join Yellow Magic Orchestra alongside Yukihiro Takahashi. In 1981, Sakamoto decided to record an album rooted in pop and he invited British producer Robin Scott to co-produce. They entered the Alfa studio in July 1981 with his fellow YMO musicians Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, keyboard programmer extraordinaire Hideki Matsutake who'd been on Sakamoto's first two albums and became YMO's unofficial fourth member, violinist Kaoru Sato, saxophonist Satoshi Nakamura, and American guitarist Adrian Belew (David Bowie, The Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club). Together, they created a fascinating mix of pop, ambient and electronic music with elements of avant-garde and traditional Japanese music, the whole firmly rooted in a solid groove. From the funk of "Relâché" to the new wave feel of "Venezia" and the ambient minimalism of "Slat Dance," the album is remarkably consistent while displaying a wealth of global influences. The album was released in Japan in 1981 and Epic Records picked it up for Europe a year later but decided to release it in a significantly altered version. The sequencing was completely reshuffled and two tracks, "Saru No Ie" and "Living In The Dark" were completely dropped while three others, "Relâché", "Tell 'em To Me", "Venezia" were heavily remodeled with English lyrics and different names. Last but not least, a new English-sung track, "The Arrangement," was added, making the album nine tracks instead of ten for the Japanese edition. Newly remastered from the original tapes by renowned engineer Bernie Grundman. Four-page insert with new introduction by journalist Anton Spice.

$36.50 NOT IN STOCK

Double LP version. Tokyo Dreaming is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. Wewantsounds have teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk, and ambient and includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late '70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro, and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers. Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time. Tokyo Dreaming starts with "The End of Asia" by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut Thousand Knives Of... (WWSCD 024CD/WWSLP 024LP, 2019). The track became a staple of Sakamoto and Yellow Magic Orchestra's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album X Multiplies. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavored synth pop classic "Shinzo No Tobira" (1983). Chika Asamoto's "Self Control" (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's "Treasure Hunter" (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's "Watashi No Bus" and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's "Rainy Driver" both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of city pop. Tokyo Dreaming superbly showcases the breadth of '80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-infused "Room" from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid "Tokyo Joe" (1980) and Juicy Fruits' techno pop song "Jenie Gets Angry". The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's "Semi Tori No Hi" and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece "The Word II" from his highly sought-after album Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2 (1975). Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future. Album designed by famed London-based designer Optigram. Also features Yumi Seino, Kyoko Furuya, Kazue Itoh, Haruo Chikada & Vibra-Tones, and Colored Music.

$18.00 IN STOCK

Tokyo Dreaming is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. Wewantsounds have teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk, and ambient and includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late '70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro, and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers. Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time. Tokyo Dreaming starts with "The End of Asia" by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut Thousand Knives Of... (WWSCD 024CD/WWSLP 024LP, 2019). The track became a staple of Sakamoto and Yellow Magic Orchestra's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album X Multiplies. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavored synth pop classic "Shinzo No Tobira" (1983). Chika Asamoto's "Self Control" (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's "Treasure Hunter" (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's "Watashi No Bus" and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's "Rainy Driver" both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of city pop. Tokyo Dreaming superbly showcases the breadth of '80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-infused "Room" from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid "Tokyo Joe" (1980) and Juicy Fruits' techno pop song "Jenie Gets Angry". The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's "Semi Tori No Hi" and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece "The Word II" from his highly sought-after album Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2 (1975). Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future. Album designed by famed London-based designer Optigram. Also features Yumi Seino, Kyoko Furuya, Kazue Itoh, Haruo Chikada & Vibra-Tones, and Colored Music.

$31.00 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds present the first vinyl reissue of Ammar El Sherei's superb instrumental album Oriental Music from 1976. Here, the iconic Egyptian musician and composer revisits six classic compositions by another Egyptian legend, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, in his own hypnotic way. Curated by Lebanese-born Arabic music expert Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. The late musician and composer Ammar El Sherei was one of Egypt's musical giants. Born in Upper Egypt in 1948 into an upper middle class family (his paternal grandfather had been an MP during King Fouad's reign and his eldest brother became the Egyptian ambassador to Australia) El Sherei moved to Cairo with his family when he was five and attended a special school for the blind (he had lost his eyesight in his early childhood). A child prodigy with a unique gift for music, he got noticed by his teachers who recommended him to the Hadley School for the Blind in America so he could perfect his studies by correspondence. El Sherei quickly learned piano, oud, and composition with unparalleled ease. He began playing accordion in the Cairo bars and clubs and started making a name for himself on the Cairo scene. El Sherei got his first taste of success when he managed to place a song with famed Egyptian singer, Maha Sabry. Following, his ascension was meteoric and he went to become a very successful composer for films and TV series especially. A true innovator who didn't hesitate to bring some western influences to traditional Egyptian music and was one of the musicians responsible for ending the lengthy song trend of the '70s. He embraced modern instrumentations and was asked by Japanese keyboard maker Yamaha Corp. to help develop new electronic keyboards that could handle quarter tone. Early in his career El Sherei recorded albums for Soutelphan, including Oriental Music celebrating the music of another Egyptian legend, composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab, who had co-founded Soutelphan. Here he masterfully interprets six classics from the master including "Ana Wehabieby" (aka Ana Wa Habibi), "Ya Wabour Koly", and the classic "Ahwak" made famous by such talents as Abdel Halim Hafez or Fairuz. Using early electronic keyboards like the Steelphon S900 or the Farfisa as seen on the album cover, El Sherei creates beautifully hypnotic instrumentals that blend together traditional melodies with modern instrumentation, adding jazz and pop elements in the mix. Newly remastered. Comes in original artwork.

$18.00 IN STOCK

Wewantsounds reissue of Billy Brooks's much sought-after album Windows of the Mind, released in 1974 on Ray Charles's Crossover Records. The album was co-produced by Charles and features such heavy players as Herman Riley, Calvin Keys, and Larry Gales. There's not a huge amount of information to be found about trumpet player Billy Brooks. A solid session musician who'd been around since the '50s, he played with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Cal Tjader, and of course Ray Charles, who signed him to his sub label Crossover Records in the early '70s to release Windows of the Mind. Interestingly, Brooks also appears on Bea Benjamin's 1976 cult classic African Songbird produced by Dollard Brand. Windows of the Mind released in 1974 remains Brooks' only solo album. Windows of the Mind was recorded in Los Angeles and co-produced by Ray Charles. It is a skillful, brass-led mix of jazz and funk performed by such cult players as bassist Larry Gales (Thelonious Monk), drummer Clarence Johnston (Freddie Roach, James Moody), saxophonist Herman Riley (Side Effect, Pleasure, Earth Wind & Fire, Letta Mbulu), guitarists Jef Lee (Roy Ayers, Sylvia Striplin) and cult player Calvin Keys of Black Jazz Records fame. From the groove of "Rockin Julius", "Shetter Cheeze", and "Black Flag" to the mid-tempo jazz mood of "Cooling It" and "C.P. Time" and the cinematic brass pyrotechnics of "The Speech Maker", "Windows of the Mind" is a superb funked-up big band jazz album. Windows of the Mind did reasonably well among the jazz circles when it came out but its fate would change fifteen years later when, in 1990, A Tribe Called Quest heavily sampled its closing track "Fourty Days" for their own "Luck of Lucien" featured on the group's debut album People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (1990). The album revolutionized hip-hop and "Luck of Lucien" became one of the album's highlights, thus cementing the reputation of Billy Brooks original LP among DJs and collectors. Original LPs now change hands for a few hundred dollars. Wewantsounds now make this landmark album available again in partnership with The Ray Charles Foundation. Newly remastered audio; comes with original artwork.

$31.00 IN STOCK

Single LP version. Obi strip; four-page insert. Wewantsounds present the reissue of Ryuichi Sakamoto's third solo album Hidari Ude No Yume (Left Handed Dream), originally released in 1981 on the Alfa label. Save for a small-scale Dutch vinyl release in 1981, it is the first time the album's original Japanese edition is released outside of Japan (the European release on Epic Records included significantly different tracks and mixes). Hidari Ude No Yume was recorded at the legendary Alfa Studio "A" in Tokyo during the Summer of 1981. it came after B-2 Unit in 1980 and his debut album Thousand Knives Of... in 1978 (WWSCD 024CD/WWSLP 024LP), the very year Sakamoto was invited by Haruomi Hosono to join Yellow Magic Orchestra alongside Yukihiro Takahashi. In 1981, Sakamoto decided to record an album rooted in pop, following the more experimental B-2 Unit and his landmark electro debut. Sakamoto invited British producer Robin Scott to co-produce. They entered the Alfa studio in July 1981 with his fellow YMO musicians Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, keyboard programmer extraordinaire Hideki Matsutake who'd been on Sakamoto's first two albums and became YMO's unofficial fourth member, violinist Kaoru Sato, saxophonist Satoshi Nakamura, and American guitarist Adrian Belew (David Bowie, The Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club). Together, they created a fascinating mix of pop, ambient and electronic music with elements of avant-garde and traditional Japanese music, the whole firmly rooted in a solid groove. From the funk of "Relâché" to the new wave feel of "Venezia" and the ambient minimalism of "Slat Dance," the album is remarkably consistent while displaying a wealth of global influences. The album was released in Japan in 1981 and Epic Records picked it up for Europe a year later but decided to release it in a significantly altered version. The sequencing was completely reshuffled and two tracks, "Saru No Ie" and "Living In The Dark" were completely dropped while three others, "Relâché", "Tell 'em To Me", "Venezia" were heavily remodeled with English lyrics and different names. Last but not least, a new English-sung track, "The Arrangement," was added, making the album nine tracks instead of ten for the Japanese edition. Newly remastered from the original tapes by renowned engineer Bernie Grundman. Comes with original artwork featuring cover shot by famous photographer Masayoshi Sukita. Four-page insert with new introduction by journalist Anton Spice.

$40.50 NOT IN STOCK

Double LP version. Gatefold sleeve. Includes the album's full instrumental version. Wewantsounds present the reissue of Ryuichi Sakamoto's third solo album Hidari Ude No Yume (Left Handed Dream), originally released in 1981 on the Alfa label. Save for a small-scale Dutch vinyl release in 1981, it is the first time the album's original Japanese edition is released outside of Japan (the European release on Epic Records included significantly different tracks and mixes). Hidari Ude No Yume was recorded at the legendary Alfa Studio "A" in Tokyo during the Summer of 1981. it came after B-2 Unit in 1980 and his debut album Thousand Knives Of... in 1978 (WWSCD 024CD/WWSLP 024LP), the very year Sakamoto was invited by Haruomi Hosono to join Yellow Magic Orchestra alongside Yukihiro Takahashi. In 1981, Sakamoto decided to record an album rooted in pop, following the more experimental B-2 Unit and his landmark electro debut. Sakamoto invited British producer Robin Scott to co-produce. They entered the Alfa studio in July 1981 with his fellow YMO musicians Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, keyboard programmer extraordinaire Hideki Matsutake who'd been on Sakamoto's first two albums and became YMO's unofficial fourth member, violinist Kaoru Sato, saxophonist Satoshi Nakamura, and American guitarist Adrian Belew (David Bowie, The Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club). Together, they created a fascinating mix of pop, ambient and electronic music with elements of avant-garde and traditional Japanese music, the whole firmly rooted in a solid groove. From the funk of "Relâché" to the new wave feel of "Venezia" and the ambient minimalism of "Slat Dance," the album is remarkably consistent while displaying a wealth of global influences. The album was released in Japan in 1981 and Epic Records picked it up for Europe a year later but decided to release it in a significantly altered version. The sequencing was completely reshuffled and two tracks, "Saru No Ie" and "Living In The Dark" were completely dropped while three others, "Relâché", "Tell 'em To Me", "Venezia" were heavily remodeled with English lyrics and different names. Last but not least, a new English-sung track, "The Arrangement," was added, making the album nine tracks instead of ten for the Japanese edition. Newly remastered from the original tapes by renowned engineer Bernie Grundman. Comes with original artwork featuring cover shot by famous photographer Masayoshi Sukita. Four-page insert with new introduction by journalist Anton Spice.