BEATS, BLEEPS AND BASS科技時代的節拍

Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra debuted their eclectic electronic sound in 1978, leading the way for artists around the world. By TIM PRITCHARD 日本樂團Yellow Magic Orchestra於1978年推出首張專輯後一鳴驚人，成為領導全球電音流行樂先鋒。撰文： Tim Pritchard

FANS OF POPULAR music today might not know their name, but Japanese synthpop trio Yellow Magic Orchestra were one of the most influential groups of their time – and beyond.

Many may know keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto, an accomplished musician in his own right. They may also know of the musicians who’ve sampled YMO’s songs (Jennifer Lopez), covered them (Michael Jackson, The Human League) and adopted their template of melodic synthpop (Daft Punk, Norwegian producer Todd Terje), with chart-topping results.

Onboard this month is the re-released edition of YMO’s eponymous 1978 debut, which adds tracks from subsequent releases such as Tighten Up and Rydeen.

The group formed in 1978 with one aim: to create a concept album both lampooning and paying homage to the ‘exotica’ records by 1950s lounge acts like Les Baxter and Martin Denny. These were fuelled by a post-war craze for tropical music, which gave rise to kitsch records soundtracking clinking mai-tais in the tiki bars popping up across the US.

For their album, YMO turned to a different post-war craze that had swept Japan and created an economic boom: technology. They took exotica themes to vibrant extremes, colouring kitsch Asian melodies with glossy synthesisers, videogame samples, roboticised vocals and cutting-edge digital recording methods.

Tong Poo sounded nothing like what was coming out of Asia – or the West – at the time, bouncing with Sakamoto’s euphoric synths, Haruomi Hosono’s head-bopping basslines and Yukihiro Takahashi’s tight drums. Firecracker, a supercharged electronic cover of Denny’s 1959 exotica song, swapped marimbas for polyphonic synthesisers and samples from 1970s videogames. The infectious melodies continue on tracks like Rydeen and Cosmic Surfin’s trippy laser beams, fizzy synths and drippy, reverb-laden surf guitars.

Tighten Up, a cover of American R&B group Archie Bell & the Drells, is an absolute delight, drawing deep from soul and funk and adding layers of electronic vocals, programmed beats and a new refrain: ‘Japanese gentlemen, stand up, please!’

As modern musicians mine bygone chart hits for nostalgic sounds, take a moment instead to enjoy YMO’s future-facing sounds that continue to echo through hits today.

現今的流行樂迷未必聽過他們的名字，但Yellow Magic Orchestra（YMO）這個日本電音三人組合，對於當年以至後世來說，都是一個極具影響力的樂團。

不少人應該認識樂團的鍵盤手坂本龍一，而樂團的作品更曾被歌手 Jennifer Lopez 取樣；被天王 Michael Jackson 及樂隊 The Human League 翻唱；天團 Daft Punk 和挪威音樂監製 Todd Terje 也將他們旋律優美的合成器流行音樂改編，全都高踞流行榜首位置。以上這些大家熟悉的名字，印證了YMO的殿堂級地位。

今個月為大家帶來的是YMO 於1978年推出首張同名專輯的重新發行版本，並加入後期推出的多首代表作如〈Tighten Up〉和〈Rydeen〉等。樂團在 1978年組成時，只有一個目的，就是創作一隻概念專輯，對1950 年代 Les Baxter 和 Martin Denny 等 酒廊音樂人的「異國風情」音樂嘲諷一番。這些音樂源自二次世界大戰後人們對熱帶音樂的狂熱，繼而興起了無數模仿跟風的同類型音樂，充斥於全美國大大小小以波利尼西亞風情作招徠的酒吧。

而 YMO的專輯，則轉而利用戰後另一種席捲日本並帶來經濟高峰的熱潮來進行創作：科技。他們把異國風情主題變得更有聲有色，以浮誇的合成器聲音、電子遊戲音樂聲效、機械化人聲和前衛的數碼錄音方法，令俗艷的亞洲旋律生色不少。

〈Tong Poo〉以坂本龍一令人亢奮的合成器聲音，加上細野晴臣令人隨之搖頭擺腦的低音旋律，和高橋幸宏強勁的鼓聲交織而成，有如天外之音，在當時超越了亞洲或西方音樂的想像。他們又用復音合成器和1970年代電子遊戲音樂聲效取代馬林巴琴，以激昂澎湃的電音曲風重新演繹Denny 的1959年異國風情樂曲〈Firecracker〉。這些極具感染力的旋律貫徹全碟歌曲，括〈Rydeen〉和恍如迷幻華麗太空電音的〈Cosmic Surfin〉。

改編自美國 R&B 組合 Archie Bell & the Drells 的〈Tighten Up〉令人一新耳目，糅合騷靈和放克，添上電子化人聲、電腦編排的節拍和新創的副歌：「Japanese gentlemen, stand up, please!」（各位日本男士，請站起來！）

現代音樂人在昔日的流行榜上尋找懷舊旋律時，不妨花點時間欣賞YMO歷久不衰、時至今日仍在流行榜上不斷迴響的前瞻之聲。 FIND YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA IN MUSIC (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) ON THE INTERACTIVE MENU於互動選單上的音樂（電子音樂）聆聽《Yellow Magic Orchestra》