During the golden era of the late 1970s-1980s Japan had many provocative artists and bands experimenting with electronic, symphonic, and new wave music. Hiro Kawahara was one of the original pioneers of the genre, fusing synthesizer with celestial guitar excursions. He produced his first LP as Osiris in 1980. Then in 1985, he formed Heretic with Tohru Ohta, Suguru Mori and Robbin Lloyd (joining for the second album) and his musical conception grew to explore dimensions that were even more expansive. Over the next 20 years he released some of the most deeply beautiful, diverse and powerfully strange music on the Japanese indie scene.
Heretic’s music was relatively unknown during its creative period. Now with the re-evaluation of all that came before musically in full swing, upon a second listening it more than stands up to the test of time. Some artists gained more recognition back then, but little of the music made displayed the vast range of sonic diversity and creative imagination contained in Hiro’s extensive catalog. Recently, I asked him to create an anthology of music he felt encapsulated the essence of his work.
Requiem is an anthology of music he felt encapsulated the essence of his work. It offers a magical trip back to a time when people created music from the heart and soul. In its most inspired moments of inspiration it affirms the ability of music to evoke powerful emotions by offering an alchemical fusion that literally can take a listeners breathe away.
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