Mangekyou

The album’s title translates as ‘Kaleidoscope’, appropriately describing the mix of funk and soul and hints towards a Japanese soundworld found within. This was Yoshiko Sai’s first album, originally issued in 1975. Now highly sought after by collectors, there is something of a legend surrounding it and original copies sell for large sums. Sai failed to get into Kyoto University of the Arts, so turned to studying law until a debilitating illness forced a rethink. She began writing poetry, turned her poems into songs, and recorded four albums before abruptly retiring in 1979. Yuji Ohno, known particularly for his jazz collaborations and scores for anime, was producer and arranger of this album, hence the eclectic mix, which functions almost as a summary of 1970s Japan. ‘Tsubaki Wa Ochita Kaya’ (Did the Camellia Fall?) stands alone, coupling biwa (lute) and tsuzumi (drum) to an almost Noh-theatre like vocalisation, but elsewhere on Mangekyou contrasts abound, the mid-tempo guitar-led ‘Yoru No Sei’ (Night Spirit) echoing 1960s US folk while the keyboard-heavy ‘Yukionna’ (Snow Woman) could be from a film score.