説明
1990年代の日本で独自進化した“Listening Techno”に焦点を当てた、Music From Memory渾身のアンビエント・コンピレーション第2章。
名門Music From Memoryの人気シリーズ『Virtual Dreams』第2弾は、日本の1993年〜1999年にフォーカス。ハウスやテクノ周辺から生まれ、90年代のアンビエントの定義を塗り替えた珠玉の音源群を集めたコンピレーションだ。
前作ではヨーロッパのテクノ／ハウス・プロデューサーによるチルアウト空間のためのサウンドに光を当てたが、今作では日本独自のクラブ・カルチャーの中で育まれた“Listening Techno”を深掘り。海外ではアンビエント・テクノやIDMがクラブ・カルチャーの副産物として発展したのに対し、日本では最初期から“聴くためのテクノ”が重要な柱となっていた。
収録曲は、Sublime Records、Transonic Records、Syzygy Records、Frogman Records、Form@ Recordsといった日本の先鋭レーベル群を中心に、アンビエント、チルアウト、インテリジェント・テクノ、さらに日本人ハウス・プロデューサーによるアンビエント寄りの楽曲まで幅広く網羅。CDのみで発表されていた楽曲も多く、発掘的価値も非常に高い。
コンパイルは『Heisei No Oto』や『Dream Dolphin - Gaia』でも知られるJamie TillerとEiji Taniguchi (Revelation Time) 。Jamie Tillerが2023年に急逝する前に最後まで情熱を注いだプロジェクトでもあり、このシリーズの中でも特別な意味を持つ1作となっている。
90年代日本のクラブ黎明期、その静かで未来的な空気を切り取った貴重な記録。アンビエント、IDM、インテリジェント・テクノ、そして日本のクラブ史に興味があるなら外せない内容だ。
A1. Dub Squad - Blown Fruit
A2. Akio / Okihide - Phoenix At Desert
A3. Palomatic - Flutter
B1. Virgo - Prelude
B2. Ambient 7 - Escape
B3. Web - The Cycle Of Seasons
C1. Yukihiro Fukutomi - 5 Blind Boys
C2. Katsuya Hironaka - Pause
C3. Riow Arai - 1969
D1. Modern Living - Snow Bird
D2. Missing Project - Poisson Davril Galaxy Dub
D3. Drawing Future Life - 1969
The next installment of MFM's popular multi-artist compilation Virtual Dreams: 'Virtual Dreams - Ambient Explorations In The House And Techno Age, Japan 1993-1999'. As with Part One, released in 2020, 'Virtual Dreams II' shines a light on house and techno-adjacent music that helped redefine the definition of ambient music during the 1990s.
The focus of Part One heavily fell on music from techno and house producers in Europe, eagerly exploring new soundtracks for chill-out rooms and re-imagining the potential future of club culture from new perspectives. For Part Two, we narrow the lens to focus on a unique time and place, namely Japan between 1993-1999. Despite missing out on the 'Acid House Fever', club culture was beginning to take shape in Japan during the early '90s. In contrast to the rest of the world, where ambient techno / IDM emerged as a by-product or response to the scene, 'listening techno', as it is known in Japan, was a central pillar of the culture right from the start.
'Virtual Dreams II' aims to shine a light on this unique moment in time where the thread of ambient music weaved its way through the music of an emerging club culture. This period saw the birth of many great Japanese techno labels such as Sublime Records, Transonic Records, Syzygy Records, Frogman Records, and Form@ Records, following in the late '90s. 'Virtual Dreams II' features ambient, chill-out, and intelligent techno from these leading labels alongside other lesser-known but equally influential imprints, as well as ambient deviations from Japanese house producers. Much of the music featured has only ever been released on CD.
'Virtual Dreams II' is compiled by Eiji Taniguchi and Jamie Tiller, who have worked closely together on previous Music From Memory releases such as 'Heisei No Oto' and 'Dream Dolphin - Gaia'. It is also the final project Jamie Tiller worked on before his tragic passing in 2023. Jamie had been researching, planning, and compiling this version of Virtual Dreams even before the first chapter was released, believing that there were many great tracks in Japan that fit the concept of the series. Knowing how much love and energy he put into compiling it gives it an extra special place in our hearts.
Compiled by Jamie Tiller and Eiji Taniguchi with artwork by Kenta Senekt, design by Steele Bonus and liner notes by Itaru W. Mita,
