Hiroshi Yoshimura HHV Records 5 Items

In the flow

Hiroshi Yoshimura was a Japanese composer and musician born in 1940 in Yokohama, Japan. He began playing the piano at the age of five and later attended Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he studied composition and music theory. After graduating from university, he worked as a sound designer and composer for various film and theater productions. He was inspired by the Fluxus movement and the works of Harry Partch and Erik Satie and began experimenting with creating music that was both ambient and experimental. His innovative compositions gained recognition in avant-garde circles, and he slowly built a following for his unique ambient soundscapes. In the late 1970s, he coined the term Environment Music to describe his unique musical style. Yoshimura’s environmental music was characterized by the use of electronic synthesizers and natural soundscapes. He often recorded natural sounds such as rain, birdsong, and wind and incorporated them into his music. His music was intended to be soothing and relaxing and was often used in public spaces such as museums, galleries, and train stations.

Pioneering work

His discography is characterized by a delicate fusion of traditional Japanese music, minimalism and electronic sounds. In 1982, he released his groundbreaking album Music for Nine Post Cards, a work of profound serenity that remains a classic of the ambient genre. It was followed in 1986 by Green, which further cemented his reputation as a master of quiet, nature-inspired compositions. One of his best-known works, Pier & Loft, released in 1983, beautifully captures the ambient sounds of urban life, while 1984’s A・I・R (Air In Resort) evokes tranquil atmospheres reminiscent of a serene day by the sea. Hiroshi Yoshimura’s album Soundscape 1 is a masterpiece of ambient music, released in 1986. This tranquil sound journey lasts just under 40 minutes and invites the listener to immerse themselves in a world of calm atmospheres and gentle melodies. Yoshimura, a pioneer of the ambient genre, meticulously crafted this album using a variety of instruments, including synthesizer and piano. The vinyl released by the label Temporal Drift is available exclusively here at HHV as a Blue Splatter Vinyl Edition. Limited to 300 copies, so grab `em while they’re hot!

Revived

Hiroshi Yoshimura tragically passed away in 2003, but his musical creations continue to captivate and inspire listeners around the world. His work had a significant impact on the development of ambient music, and his influence can be heard in the music of many contemporary artists. One of Yoshimura’s most famous albums is Green, released in 1986. Green is a beatless album that contains a mixture of natural sounds such as birdsong and running water with electronic synthesizers. The album is considered a classic of the ambient genre and has been praised for its beauty, serenity and timelessness. Yoshimura’s music was also significant in the development of the Japanese electronic music scene. He was a member of the influential group Yellow Magic Orchestra, and his work paved the way for other Japanese electronic musicians such as Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono. In recent years, Yoshimura’s music has experienced a resurgence. This is partly due to the fact that his music can be heard in popular movies and television series such as Lost in Translation and Stranger Things. Yoshimura’s music is also known for its fusion of traditional Japanese sounds with electronic music. This fusion has created a new and unique sound that has had a lasting impact on the music world.