Archetype (Susumu Hirasawa album)

Overview

Released as part of "Project Archetype", a Universal catalog reissue program made to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hirasawa's debut as a solo artist, the album was part of the first wave of the project, alongside reissues of Hirasawa's first three albums. Polydor years is a spiritual successor to Polydor's ESSENCE OF HIRASAWA SOLO WORKS 1992 compilation (with the exception of the Water in Time and Space song "Skeleton Coast Park" and the original mix of "Bandiria Travellers", the entire ESSENCE OF HIRASAWA SOLO WORKS selection is present here), expanded with digitally remastered tracks released after that compilation.

Hirasawa himself had no involvement with the making of the album or the whole reissue project, but his associates were. The project was spearheaded by Osamu Takeuchi, a former Polydor employee whose first job with the company was as assistant director on Water in Time and Space (he kept his position on all subsequent Hirasawa Polydor releases, and was part of some of the impromptu chorus section that Hirasawa formed for certain songs). Kasiko Takahasi, whose Fascination company published Hirasawa's "Music Industrial Wastes" & "Near Future Never Come" books, was brought in to supervise. Masanori Chinzei, who has engineered every single Hirasawa release since 1991 supervised Universal's mastering process. Toshifumi Nakai, who designs Hirasawa's album sleeves (under the moniker "non graph") did the art direction. Takahasi, as well as Akiro "Kamio" Arishima (leader of The Bach Revolution, founder of AC Unit and holder of a 16-years long on-and-off creative partnership with Hirasawa), Yasuhiro Nakano (Disk Union manager that assisted Hirasawa in creating the SYUN label, later on funded the new wave shop Mecano) and Susumu Kunisaki (editor of Sound & Recording Magazine) all wrote of their experiences with Hirasawa's work under Polydor, which were made into new liner notes for the albums.

Polydor years consists of two thematic discs, disc 1 has songs that were important in shaping Hirasawa's pop style, disc 2 has single releases and compilation/non-instrumental soundtrack songs (including one that was made before Hirasawa signed with Polydor, but whose original label ended up being acquired by Universal). With the exception of 2 tracks, Hirasawa's soundtrack work is omitted from this compilation, as it was set to be released as its own compilation, Symphonic Code.

The album comes with a 32 page long color booklet, which contains a large essay by Sound & Recording Magazine editor Susumu Kunisaki, the cover is the photograph used on the inner part of the ESSENCE OF HIRASAWA SOLO WORKS tray card, with slivers of Hirasawa's first 5 main albums overlaid on it. The booklet is adorned with album artwork photo session outtakes of the albums covered on the compilation.

Track listing

All tracks written by Susumu Hirasawa.

All tracks written by Susumu Hirasawa, except "Bandiria Travellers", with string & choral arrangement by Hirasawa & Kayo "Kokubo" Matsumoto, "Haldyn Hotel [Fractal Terrain Track]", remixed by Masanori Chinzei, "Root of Spirit", with titling by Toshiaki Minejima and string arrangement by Jun Miyake, "Fish Song", with music by Hirasawa & Akiro "Kamio" Arishima and string arrangement by Hirasawa & Matsumoto, "Turista", by Ângelo Apolônio, and "Christmas in Africa", with lyrics by Hirasawa & Masami Orimo.

Personnel