Don’t be fooled by appearances: despite its faux-Japanese style, this record has nothing truly Japanese about it. The lyrics themselves seem invented — and may not mean anything at all. In reality, this unusual project was produced by Belgian composer Jean Kluger and French lyricist Daniel Vangarde — also known as the father of Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk. Between their work for stars like Sheila and Dalida, they embarked on this bold and eccentric experiment.
Mixing psychedelic pop, children’s voices imitating Japanese sounds, and guttural shouts, the album was meant to shake up disco-era dancefloors. It didn’t make a big splash at the time, but later developed a cult following. The English label Finders Keepers eventually reissued it in 2005.
Its legacy grew further when producer Madlib sampled “Kono Samuraï” for Erykah Badu’s track “The Healer.” A surprising second life for a record once seen as a curiosity — and still a fascinating piece of 1970s experimental pop
Record is strong EX (actual soundcip on our iG post) / Sleeve is EX
