Haruomi Hosono – Mercuric Dance

Commissioned by Japanese toy maker Bandai in 1984, the Hosono-composed Mercuric Dance is the soundtrack for a contemporary ballet piece of the same name. Each track is inspired by a planet (or the moon), an idea, though simple, that translates completely during the listening experience. It’s an immersive and atmospheric record with large-scale dynamics, much akin to the movement of planets… Synths pan and wash, bells and keys sustain and fall off, percussion and even reverse recordings push and pull. It’s a record that builds a world of its own, with futuristic sounds merging elegantly with recognizable grooves from the past – traditional Japanese drumming is featured throughout – and much like a transcendent ballet performance, the music dances and pulls us out of this world.

– Dane Majors

Recommended – A2 Mercuric Dance, B2 Sea Of Tau, B4 To The Air