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Rating:
LA RECENSIONE
YMO.
Yellow magic orchestra.
After the departure of Ryuichi Sakamoto from one of the most innovative Japanese groups ever, Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono did not throw in the towel and, after various solo works, came back together forming Sketch Show.
Released only in a Japanese edition (what a shame...) it contains 12 tracks that indeed closely resemble the work of the old formation, yet bringing the "sound" into the new millennium by adding that glitch touch that by now doesn't hurt anyone... and collaborating with Saka on two songs.
We must come full circle to find the truth
This is the phrase that repeats endlessly in "Turn Turn", the first track on the list.
It must be said that, if the message may seem cryptic, the duo certainly completed their own circle, speaking in a zen-like manner.
YMO has never been so pleasant to listen to, indeed, and the two Japanese wizards are still casting their yellow magic in "Wonderful To Me" and "Microtalk".
After the first trio of songs, unfortunately, the album settles on slightly more modest levels (yet still enjoyable), traveling on architectures made of microsampling à la Akufen and modular synth noises à la Microstoria, without ever forgetting the pop roots.
Besides the zen quotes, we find a sense of humor: "My father was a gangster, I never knew my mum... Anyway... Do you want to marry me?", sex: "You do. Something. Wonderful. To me. I do. Something. Wonderful. To you" and above all music ("Microtalk" and "Reform" are instrumentals only).
Their new work has already been out for a while and Sketch Show was a headliner at Sonar 2004 alongside Massive Attack, we hope this gives their publishers a reason to officially import them. Hosono and Takahashi are still geniuses.
I'm not providing links... They're all in Japanese!
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Summary by Bot
After Ryuichi Sakamoto’s departure, Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono formed Sketch Show, releasing Audio Sponge, which echoes YMO’s innovation with a modern glitch touch. The album blends zen themes, humor, and rich electronic textures, highlighted by tracks like 'Turn Turn' and 'Wonderful To Me.' Although some parts are more modest, it maintains strong pop roots and creativity. The duo’s performance at Sonar 2004 reflects their ongoing influence and genius.Tracklist
Sketch Show
Sketch Show is a Japanese electronic duo formed by Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, both formerly of Yellow Magic Orchestra; they have collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto on some tracks.01 Reviews
