Technodon
Encyclopedia
Technodon is the seventh and final studio album to date by Yellow Magic Orchestra
and released in 1993, a decade after the band's original breakup. Because the name Yellow Magic Orchestra was owned by former record label Alfa Records
, the band were forced to release the album under the nameYMO. For the tour that followed, they were billed as Not YMO. Future releases by the band would be made under the names Human Audio Sponge and HASYMO.
At the time of recording, Haruomi Hosono
and Ryuichi Sakamoto
were incorporating a lot of world music
elements into their sound, which is still evident on Technodon; however, the sound is pared down, revealing simple technopop arrangements. Yukihiro Takahashi
mainly used drum machine
s for the record as opposed to a drum kit. Like many artists at the time, YMO faced many potential legal troubles due to copyrights associated with sampled sounds from other artist's work. In this environment, using samples on the album was out of the question; a matter that Sakamoto was quite angry about. The new sound confounded older fans of the band while drawing in new listeners. Sakamoto's response to criticism was "This is YMO."
The album artwork, designed by Stefan Sagmeister
, featured diffraction grating
on the CD jewelcase, allowing messages composed by American artist Jenny Holzer
to be read through the lens; the text is otherwise illegible. The cover's text read "Slipping into madness is good for the sake of comparison" when the disc was packaged, but Sagmeister designed the sleeves to be interchangeable, allowing the consumer to choose his or her cover.
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band...
and released in 1993, a decade after the band's original breakup. Because the name Yellow Magic Orchestra was owned by former record label Alfa Records
Alfa Records
, originally Alfa Music, was established in 1969 by composer and record producer Kunihiko Murai. It was formed into an independent record label known as Alfa Records in 1977.- History :The company faced much hardship in the 1990s...
, the band were forced to release the album under the name
At the time of recording, Haruomi Hosono
Haruomi Hosono
, also known as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese popular musician, best known internationally as a key member of the rock band Happy End and the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra.-Biography:...
and Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
were incorporating a lot of world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
elements into their sound, which is still evident on Technodon; however, the sound is pared down, revealing simple technopop arrangements. Yukihiro Takahashi
Yukihiro Takahashi
Yukihiro Takahashi is a Japanese musician, who is best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band.-Biography:...
mainly used drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s for the record as opposed to a drum kit. Like many artists at the time, YMO faced many potential legal troubles due to copyrights associated with sampled sounds from other artist's work. In this environment, using samples on the album was out of the question; a matter that Sakamoto was quite angry about. The new sound confounded older fans of the band while drawing in new listeners. Sakamoto's response to criticism was "This is YMO."
The album artwork, designed by Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister is a New York-based graphic designer and typographer. He has his own design firm—Sagmeister Inc.—in New York City. He has designed album covers for Lou Reed, OK Go, The Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Aerosmith and Pat Metheny.-Biography:Sagmeister studied graphic design at the...
, featured diffraction grating
Diffraction grating
In optics, a diffraction grating is an optical component with a periodic structure, which splits and diffracts light into several beams travelling in different directions. The directions of these beams depend on the spacing of the grating and the wavelength of the light so that the grating acts as...
on the CD jewelcase, allowing messages composed by American artist Jenny Holzer
Jenny Holzer
Jenny Holzer is an American conceptual artist. Holzer lives and works in Hoosick Falls, New York.-Education:...
to be read through the lens; the text is otherwise illegible. The cover's text read "Slipping into madness is good for the sake of comparison" when the disc was packaged, but Sagmeister designed the sleeves to be interchangeable, allowing the consumer to choose his or her cover.
Track listing
Personnel
- Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
: keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Yukihiro TakahashiYukihiro TakahashiYukihiro Takahashi is a Japanese musician, who is best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band.-Biography:...
: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals - Haruomi HosonoHaruomi Hosono, also known as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese popular musician, best known internationally as a key member of the rock band Happy End and the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra.-Biography:...
: BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards, vocals