Song of the Day: Taeko Ohnuki “Les Aventures de Tintin”

I was recently in Japan for a few weeks and am still fully digesting all of the records I brought back with me. A favorite of mine has been this buoyant Japanese funk/ synth-pop cut from J-Pop royalty, Taeko Ohnuki. Kicking off Ohnuki‘s 1982 LP Copine (most of her discography has French titles), the song “Les Aventures de Tintin” is a charming tribute to the Belgian comic book character created by Hergé. The cut has a start/ stop quality that really seems to mimic the push and pull narratives of the best Tintin adventures.

The track was arranged by electronic musician, regular Ohnuki collaborator and YMO-alum, Ryuichi Sakamoto. It features a lot of Sakamoto‘s musical personality while still sounding like something that is very Ohnuki. Emerging from a delicate synth cocoon, the track is soon driven forward by some absolutely bonkers synth bass pile-ups and just the right amount of musical space for them to hit with maximum impact. Ohnuki‘s bright, sing-song delivery is a perpetual ray of light that cuts thru the murkier spots where the song gets a bit musically weird. What is left is an absolutely exhilarating track that really shines a light on what makes both Ohnuki and Sakamoto so special as musicians, A perfect collaboration!