Phew is a Japanese singer and analogue electronics improviser working in the areas of experimental and avant-garde music.
Phew | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Hiromi Moritani |
| Born | 12 September 1959 Osaka, Japan |
| Genres | Electropunk Avant-garde Experimental |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, electronics, synthesizer |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Labels | Bereket Mute Records Pass Records Alida Mesh-Key Felicity |
| Website | N/A |
Music career edit
Her career began as a member of post-punk group Aunt Sally, who released a self-titled album on Osaka’s Vanity Records in 1979.[1]
After the break-up of Aunt Sally, she released the "Finale"/"Urahara" single produced by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, followed by the Phew album recorded at Conny Plank's studio in Cologne, with Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit.[2] This was followed by a series of albums that included Our Likeness, recorded with Plank and Liebezeit, featuring Einstürzende Neubauten's Alexander Hacke and D.A.F/Liaisons Dangereuses's Chrislo Haas.[3]
After 1995's Himitsu No Knife, she remained active in various groups, including the jam rock ensemble Novo Tono featuring Otomo Yoshihide, a collaboration with electronic musician Hiroyuki Nagashima called Big Picture, and the punk group Most with Boredoms guitarist Seiichi Yamamoto.[4] In 2010, she returned to her solo career with the covers album Five Fingered Discount on her own Bereket label, featuring Jim O'Rourke.[4]
From 2012 she began to work in electronic music and home recordings which gave rise to a prolific series of records, starting with 2015's A New World and continuing with 2017's Light Sleep and 2018's Voice Hardcore. In 2018 she also released Island, a collaboration with Raincoats' Ana da Silva.[5]
By the time of 2021's New Decade, she was receiving widespread acclaim for her long career in experimental music.[6]
Discography edit
Solo edit
- New Decade (LP/CD) Mute (2021)
- Voice Hardcore (LP) Mesh-Key (19 Jan 2018 in US)
- Voice Hardcore (CD) Bereket (1 Nov 2017 in Japan)
- Light Sleep (LP) Mesh-Key 2017
- A New World (CD) Felicity 2015
- Five Finger Discount (CD) Bereket 2010
- Himitsu no Knife (CD) Alida 1995[7]
- Our Likeness (LP/CD) Mute 1992
- Songs (Maxi-Single) 1991
- View (LP/CD) 1987
- Phew(LP/CD) Pass Records 1981[2]
- Finale c/w Urahara (Single) Pass Records 1980
Aunt Sally edit
- Self-titled (LP) Vanity Records 1979 - Reissued on Mesh-Key (2022)
Most edit
- Most. P-Vine, PCD-25010, 2003
- Most. P-Vine, PCD-5647, 2001
- Most. 2000.11.26. CD-R. 2001
With bands and projects edit
- Patience Soup with Jim O'Rourke and Oren Ambarchi (LP) Black Truffle 2019
- Island with Ana da Silva (LP) (28 September shouting out loud! 2018)
- Island with Ana da Silva (CD) only (5 September NEWWHERE MUSIC 2018)
- Project Undark Radium Girls 2011 with Erika Kobayashi (CD) Bereket 2012
- Morio Agata. Norimono Zukan. Bridge BRIDGE-078, 2007
- Morio Agata. Norimono Zukan. Vanity 0005, 1980
- Big Picture. Big Picture. Little More, LMCA-1002, 2001
- Big Picture. Big Picture. CD-R
- Blind Light. The Absence of Time. Alida, ALIDA-001, 1994
- Anton Fier. Dreamspeed/Blind Light 1992–1994. 2-CD set Tzadik, TZ 7609 2003
- Anton Fier. Dreamspeed. Avant, AVAN-009, 1993
- Novo Tono. Live. CD-R. 2001
- Novo Tono. Panorama Paradise. Alida/Creativeman, CMDD-00038, 1996
- Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Ensemble. Dreams. Tzadik, TZ 7238, 2002
- Otomo Yoshihide. Otomo Yoshihide Plays the Music of Takeo Yamashita. P-Vine, PCD-5804, 1999
- The Unknown Cases, and Phew. Koyasan. Fünfundvierzig, MCD 45122, 2001
- Phew and Seiichi Yamamoto. Shiawase no Sumika. Tokuma Japan Communications, TKCH-71454, 1998
Compilations edit
- Pass No Past. 2-CD set Pass/P-Vine, SSAP-004/5, 2005
- Improvised Music from Japan. 10-CD set. Improvised Music from Japan, IMJ-10CD, 2001
- Mottomo Otomo: Unlimited XIII. Trost, TR076, 2000
- Megabank Presents Tribute to New Wave. Megabank, MB-2.507CD, 1995
- Rebel Incorporated. 2-LP set, Wax, 17WXL-3001/3002; CD, Wax, 32WXD-101
References edit
- ^ Pelly, Jenn. ""New World" review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ a b "DeLorean: Phew - "Phew" (1981)". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Pothast, Emily (June 2022). "New Day Rising". The Wire. No. 460. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Phew Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ Geffen, Sasha. ""Island" Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ Phares, Heather. ""New Decade" Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ ""The thing I care the most about is tone"September 1995: An interview with Phew from G-Modern #9+ 3 album reviews - BLACK EDITIONS". 1 May 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2021.