What can you say about YMO that hasn't already been said? The little group that started out as a self-professed Japanese rip-off of Kraftwerk quickly took on a life and fandom of their own that is literally unparalelled in the history of international pop music.
BGM is one of their most groundbreaking efforts, a mixed bag of ultra-high technology (for the early 1980's), atmospheric ambient noodling, and unselfconsciously overblown corniness. YMO was always more diverse and much more imaginative than their German inspiration, and BGM is a case in point. Kraftwerk built a legacy of bland, yet mindnumbingly catchy similitude, every song essentially a variation, both stylistically and musically, of 'Autobahn' and 'Trans-Europe Express'. The Japanese trio, however, were never afraid to shake loose from the self-imposed, neo-gothic duldrums of European electronic music. It is no wonder that YMO was, and still is, cited by the more creative forces in 90's techno and and ambient trance, like Orb and 808 State, as a stronger influence than the mighty Kraftwerk.
Ironically enough, this album, along with its 1981 co-release 'Technodelic', is their most Teutonic sounding effort. Execept for the despicably kitschy 'Rap Phenomena', which from its very intro makes me nauseous with nostalgia, this is a rather dark little collection of "songs", rising from the depths of some electronic unconscious like a sonic, cybernetic raven. The back of the album displays the list of electronic wizardry (and gimmickry) that Harry, Ryuichi, and Yukihiro used to create this modern classic, complete with then state-of-the-art PC's, sequencers, and of course YMO's trademark arsenal of digital samplers. The most impressive array of electronic instrumentation I have ever seen or heard yet, on either side of the 21st century.
The "music", for lack of a better description, produced by all these gizmos is magnificent. Everywhere there are the digitally sampled and regurgitated echoes of helicopters, machine guns, drills, chainsaws, and disembodied human voices. Yukihiro Takahashi's loping percussion holds it all together, more efficiently and precisely than any pre-programmed drum machine (although a couple of those are employed as well, apparently for good technological measure).
'Ballet' is an OK tune, with a catchy little rhythm. Takahashi's droning voice is a tad on the annoying side, but again his laidback, always on-time drum work cannot be "beat" (sorry!). The digital samplers are in full effect from bar one; the song starts off with what sounds like a steam train whistle. It sets the stage for what is to come, with its impenetrably wierd and somewhat morose melody.
'Music Plans' is a Sakamoto original, replete with synthesizers that sound as if they're gasping for air from beneath a swirling, pseudo hip-hop rhythm track. More bizarre, almost undecipherable English lyrics, most likely courtesy of long time YMO collaborator Peter Barakan. Superlative use of electronics throughout, and one of the strangest and catchiest techno-pop songs ever, with its strained, robotic, vocoder chorus.
The aforementioned 'Rap Phenomena' is better left ignored. This is not one of YMO's brightest ideas, and I'm almost ashamed to admit, is the brainchild of my favorite Yellow Magician and electronica pioneer, Haruomi Hosono. "Rap, rap - everybody rap" .... Ouch ... Because of this misfire alone, I give the album four instead of five stars. Better press the skip button and move on to track #4.
'Happy End' is another Sakamoto effort. Tinny, hollow, and full of sampled reverb, this is a faux "ambient" piece that is a somewhat clumsy pretense of minimalism, sort of like a brillaint experiment that goes slightly awry and then abruptly straight down the tubes. Somehow, though, it still manages to trump Brian Eno at his own game ...
'1000 Knives' is a mind-blowing caucophony. It is one-quarter proto-industrial, one-quarter pure techno, and two-quarters overly sampled mayhem. YMO's cover of Sakamoto's 1978 classic from his first, pre-YMO solo album, it is a mosaic of clean, simple, even beautiful synth lines skirting a miasma of static, skittering whines and buzzes, and percolating drones, with one of the most inventive rhythms I have heard. A great, utterly original tune and easily one of the precursors of the techno and electronica grenres as we know them today.
'Cue' is pure synth-pop. Upbeat, catchy, a little kitschy, with a dark, droning electronic bassline, imagine the Beatles fused with the Pixies, and then fed through a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5. Nice, but nothing groundbreaking.
'UT' is another amazing piece of work. Manic, mechanical, and dark, with something akin to a breakbeat for its rhythm track, it nearly rages with wafting, almost angelic synthesizer. The YMO boys carry on a bizarre, stuttering, non-sensical coversation (in Japanese) in the midle of the song, with bass synths churning in the background. So wierd it's almost undescribeable, it is pure YMO all the way.
Yuki Takahashi's 'Camouflage' is the masterpiece of the album. With a classic, almost iconic, status among the second wave of European (especially British) electronica sages of the late 80's, it is easy to read the blueprint of modern techno in its overpowering synths and driving, sometimes frenetic (for the early 80's) drums. It is, despite Takahashi's singing, in two words: Incredible. Stunning.
Hosono's 'Mass' is more strangeness. With its simple, yet downright haunting melody, and powerful beat, it is also the perfect antidote for the truly terrible 'Rap Phenomena'. As its name may imply, it ends up sounding like a robotic pipe organ from some imaginary cathedral. An excellent, truly original example of "techno-pop".
'Loom' is more ambient aspiration - short, tranquil, and a suitably bizarre end to the album. It sounds oddly out of place though, like a rainbow in the middle of a tornado. It is, unfortunately, not nearly as memorable or entertaining as most of the other tunes on the disc.
All in all, BGM is a classic of early electronic pop music. It is daring, unique, at times light years ahead of their European competition, with its mix of excess and success. In that sense it is the consummate YMO album, a musical resume of their all too short time together as a cohesive unit.
Very Eclectic, But Holds Together Submitted on: 1999-08-27
One can rarely fault YMO for not trying new things. In one of their oddest moves, they cover one of the member's previous solo numbers - Ryuichi Sakamoto's "1000 Knives" - and do a very good job with it (I still prefer the original, though). The band also takes stabs at electro-pop ("Cue"), bleak German style rap ("Rap Phenomenom"), and more, with mixed results. My favorites include the oddly named "U.T", a fast number, and the incredibly ambient "Loom". A good album for those who like early electronic stuff.
The Perfect Grey Area of Pop. Submitted on: 1999-02-10
Any fan of Sakamoto-san's YMO efforts will be the first one to admit, they have their ups and downs. Fortunately, somewhere right in the middle, YMO managed to straddle that fine line between overzealous orchestration and poncy techno-pop. BGM is like the Eastern version of David Sylvian's "Japan". Grinding electro-rhythms and spooky art school sensability combine to create what may be their most focused, least self-absorbed effort. The finest electronica in my collection. Right after this album, it was crash and burn for YMO.
Oh, Sakamoto and Sylvian later realized their kindred styles and worked together on Sakamoto's "Heartbeat" It's not a bad little album.
Still One of the Best