Yasuhito Ohno’s ’80s private press minimal synth gem is available now to pre-order through In Sheep’s Clothing Distribution!

From the depths of EM Records’ peerless library comes a private press gem recorded in the early 1980’s in New York by Yasuhito Ohno, a young Japanese artist who had left Japan in search of inspiration. Influenced by the avant-garde movement and performance art from artists like Laurie Anderson and Meredith Monk, Music in DNA is a pure and raw expression of experimental electronics constructed using only a four-track cassette recorder and the Roland Juno-60 synthesizer.

Themes explored on the album include “DNA” and “computer graphics,” terms which were just emerging at the time and presented a bright technological future. Nearly half a century later, that future seems bleaker than ever, but Ohno’s music remains a joy to listen to. Em Records’ writes: “In an era of jaded cynicism, Music in DNA is a welcome taste of big-hearted innocence, a revival of a raw self.” Listen to opening track “Gotta Get Going” which builds a kabuki-like atmosphere with warm synthesizers and spoken word.

Pre-Order Yasuhito Ohno’s Music in DNA now! Shops can reach out to [email protected] for wholesale pricing.

Below, a message from Yasuhito Ohno reflecting on this album and his time living in New York City:

“I lived in New York for about a year in the early ’80s, a decade often associated with New Wave music, but at the time, I was immersed in the avant-garde movement. In ’83 and ’84, I encountered the work of artists like Laurie Anderson and Meredith Monk through the so-called ‘performance’ genre. At the time, I was feeling almost hopeless about the music scene in Japan, and these experiences were a relief to me. Even though I was a musician, I was interested in the art scene and frequently visited galleries in Soho. Looking back now, I think I passed Keith Haring and Basquiat on the street, but I didn’t particularly recognize them at the time. I clearly remember the works on display and remember seeing works that are now considered masterpieces. I also passed Andy Warhol on the opposite side of the street. I wish I had gotten his autograph…

Inspired by that New York of the 1980s, I was an edgy young man in my twenties. I was still a creator starting out, so I couldn’t help channeling that inspiration in the form of music. This album is the result of that inspiration. It was created using a newly purchased four-channel cassette multi-track recorder and a single polyphonic synthesizer: my then-favorite Roland Juno-60.

At the time, I still lacked the skills necessary to become a professional musician; I was at a beginner’s level. Listening to Music in DNA now for the first time in a long time, it feels truly immature. The sound creation, too, is almost amateurish, at the level of ‘I wish I could crawl into a hole.’

However, even though it may be rough around the edges, you could also say that it contains a ‘raw self.’ I think Music in DNA is something that I could create only when I was in my early twenties. If I were asked to make the same music now, I probably couldn’t.”