miharu koshi

compiled by Nicholas D. Kent
email: ndkent "at" optonline.net

Last updated 03.03.03

(*) means I don't own this album.

(@) Means I've listened to, but do not own this album.

Info from Ralf Kraus, Ron Kane, Terry Green, Buggle (with material from Ara), Frederic Guyader

her current label, daisyworld , with info in Japanese

Official Site


Toy Box Vol. 1
Omocha-bako - Dai ichi maku

(@) 1979 RCA cd: BVCR-5022

Early pop material. This is like an idol album. She's transformed herself 3 times to some extent. First her early idol career. Her new wave period starting in 1983. Then her transformation into a chanteuse with ecclectic european art songs starting in the mid 1980s

Frederic adds all the following: --> Very eager to launch Miharu Koshi as a new idol act, RCA released three singles just after Toy Box was on the market. Two are from the Toy Box album and the third is totally original material. Here are the details :

Lovestep / Arabian Rhapsody

(*) 1979 RVC Corporation 7" single RVS-1151

Track one is from Toy Box. Track two is previously unreleased.
Please note (for die-hard fans) that there are two different covers for this single. First is Miharu facing us, near a piano, on brown background. The second is Miharu, closer, playing piano on a bright red backgroung. On the second, she is MUCH cuter.


Kimagure Highway (Fantasy Highway) / Gogatsu no kaze (The Wind from May)

(*) 1979 RVC Corporation 7" single RVS-1165

Both tracks are from Toy Box.

My Blue Summer / Ii ki na mono ne (Such a nice feeling)

(*) 1979 RVC Corporation 7" single RVS-1184

Both tracks are previously unreleased. Apparently, this single was to be included on the never released Toy Box 2…


On The Street - Miharu 2

(*) 1980 RVC

More young pop idol material as far as I know. No CD re-issue.

Tachiiri Kinshi / Itazura Ennui 7" 1980


Make Up

(*) 1981 RVC

Still more young pop idol material as far as I know. No CD re-issue.

Akai Yoru Aoi Asa / Tokumei Kubou 7" 1981


Tutu

1983.10.26 YEN/Alfa lp: YRL-28011, cd: ALCA-378, ALCA-5124, ALCA-9117 (current), Pick Up (Holland) lp: LPU 0003 

A technopop classic. Features a song and performances by "The Telex". More accurately Marc Moulin from Telex does the arrangements for a cover of his popular track by Telex and Lio.The entire album is slightly Telex-like, but has much of MK's personality too. Hosono produced. The picture on the right is the reissue cover art. In the 80s a completely different piece of cover art was used. 

This, I'd say is the best known and I'd guess most authentic and trend leading Japanese pop album that shows clear influence of Telex. Around this time quite a few women singers in Japan seemed to have been influenced by Telex and even more specific, Telex's 1980 production for Lio's self titled album.

(@) L'amour Toujours / Scandal Nights Pick Up (Holland) 7": SPU 0008 

Oops!!! Pick up records put a photo of Tamao Koike on the sleeve of this single instead of Miharu Koshi by mistake! 

(*) Petit Pardis Japanese and English versions Pick Up (Holland) 7": SPU 0012 

these alternate version singles and unreleased karaoke versions are on YEN BOX 1&2
As L'amour Toujours is arranged by Marc Moulin himself the karaoke version ist a very elusive item for the serious Telex collector.

 


Parallelism

1984.9.25 YEN/Alfa lp: YRL-28019, cd: ALCA-379, ALCA-5133, ALCA-9118(current), Pick Up (Holland) LPU-0010

Arrangements by "Miharuomi" and on Yen Records. A guarantee of excellence. Similar style to the last album though it has a less overt Telex feel. The melodies are a bit less catchy though.


Boy Soprano

1986 Non-Standard cd: 30CH-160, TECN-18044, 2001 reissue cd: TECN-19753

European style art songs produced by Hosono/F.O.E. Here she begins the crossover to chanteuse, though it is still technopop. Reissued in 2001.

Heidenroselein/Marie-Ange

(*) 1986 Non-Standard 7" 07NS-103


Echo de Miharu

(@)1987 Sixty cd: SXCR-303

out of print. Indie release. Rare. Reissued with extra tracks in '93. That version was rare and limited too.
 

  1. La Cancion de Marcelino
  2. Satyricon
  3. Beyond the blue horizon
  4. It's raining sunbeams
  5. La traviata - Brindisi
  6. Save the last dance
  7. Doggie in the window
  8. Diga diga do
  9. L'acqua Sonora
  10. Alleluja
  11. One more hour (a jennifer warnes song!)

"Directed by Haruomi Hosono, 1987"
- liner notes say that "L'acqua sonora" is 'unreleased from 1983'. (info from Ron Kane).

NK: This album alternates eccentric takes on old American songs eccentric takes not American songs ;-) Some material sounds like her later Art Song style which is generally her on her own while some retain distinctly Hosono sounding arrangements and even a some backing vocals.

Frederic adds:--> Actually, the original version of L'acqua sonora is from 1983. The version included here is a Koshi / Hosono re-recorded version from 1986.

(*) La Chanson de Marseillno 7" 1987 - I'm not sure if the B side is on the album, I don't think so.


Passepied

1989 Funhouse cd: 00FD7125

Witty classical music + some Leroy Anderson and standards. HH executive produces. I think her transformation to chanteuse is complete at this point.


Siciliano / Passepied

(*) 1989 Fun House cd single: OOFD-4025


Frederic adds: These two tracks are the same than on the Passepied album.


Shinzo no Ue (“Above the heart” or “On the heart”)


(*) 1990 Fun House CD book / CD reference : FXD-7014

a quite elusive book with a CD

Frederic adds: Medium format hardcover CD book from Miharu Koshi and Zin Akagi (graphic designer and illustrator). 90 pages. Black and white and monochrome texts and illustrations. For those who have Passepied, Der Vater und die Pistole, Source d'espoir or Chanson Solaire you know who Zin Akagi is, since he did all the design and illustrations for these four albums. The cover of this book looks a little like Passepied : a girl with an orange dress, playing hide and go seek with a little tiger.
The CD given with the book is more a mini-album than a full length album. All tracks are classical music re-arrangements from very popular composers like Erik Satie, Maurice Ravel, Paul Hindemith, Tchaikovsky, etc… Haruomi Hosono and Koji Ueno play various instruments.


Die Vater und die Pistole

1991 Fun House cd: FHCF-1108

produced by MK & HH. Follows in the chanteuse style. The twist here is a substantially German language album.
 

Madonna / Clepsydra Sanatorium

(@) 1991 Fun House cd single: FHDF-1073

More songs. Eccentric clockwork type musical show type stuff.Seems to rare.

1- Madonna (complete version)
2- Clepsydra Sanatorium (japanese version)

Frederic adds: The album version of Madonna is a very short, faded out (43 seconds!) version. Here, we have the full 3:30 version. This version is on Autoportrait, Miharu Koshi's best of… Track two is in japanese. The album version is in german.


Source d'espoir

1992 Funhouse cd: FHCF-2030

Original material. HH executive produces. A live version exists on video.

Bonjour CouCou / Chanson d'amour

(*) 1992 Funhouse cd-single FHDF-1194

1- Bonjour Coucou
2- Chanson d'amour

Frederic adds: Bonjour Coucou is from Source d'espoir. Track 2 is from La voix de Paris. Same versions.
This single is quite unique in its presentation. It's vertical, like almost all japanese singles, but the front part unfolds right and left. On the cover, Miharu is in a magician's box. On the right part, there is a seal playing with a ballon and a straw mannequin putting swords through the box where Miharu is. On the left part, we can see the magician itself : a man with the face of a cat…


La Voix de Paris

1992 Medium cd RISU-001

Early 20th. Century French songs. HH executive produces. This one is pretty straight art music in farily simple arrangements. Indie release. Might be a bit hard to find.


Chanson Solaire

1995 FOA cd : FRCA-1002

More chanson. Mostly synths compared to the more traditional arrangements of the prior album. Nice as usual.

FOA Records


Seri

Toru Takemitsu Pop Songs

95.11.21 Denon cd: COCY-78624

This is a collection of pop songs written by Toru Takemitsu and sung by a female vocalist named Seri. I believe this album was made under the late composer's supervision. I had this album for several years before Sonoko pointed out that Miharu Koshi arranged several songs on it. Listening again, her arranging style is really clear. It was the combination of the first song not being arranged by MK and in a sort of jazzy style, Seri instead of her singing, plus her name only appearng in small print Kana text which lead me to never realize what's obvious in hindsight.


Miharu Koshi & Harry Hosono Jr. (Swing Slow)

Swing Slow

1996.10.25 Mercury M.E. CD: PHCR-916

This is a retro lounge album. It's cute and funny. Good Morning Mr. Echo cracks me up with HH singing and Miharu providing the voice of Mr. Echo. Sometimes there is clever use of synths substituting for lounge instruments. (Terry Green let me listen to his copy)

  • 1. WESTERN BOLERO Music by Miharu Koshi/Lyrics by M.Koshi & So-si Suzuki
  • 2. TIME SCAN 1 Created by Haruomi Hosono
  • 3. I'M LEAVING IT ALL UP TO YOU Words & Music by Don Harris & Dewey Terry Jr.
  • 4. DISAPPEARED Music by Miharu Koshi/Lyrics by M.Koshi & So-si Suzuki
  • 5. HOTEL ETOILES Music by Miharu Koshi
  • 6. SNOW WAVE Music by swing slow
  • 7. YUKI-ya-konko Japanese traditional song/Addapted by swing slow
  • 8. GOOD MORNING, MR.ECHO Words & Music by Belinda & Bill Putnam
  • 9. CAPYBARA Music by Miharu Koshi/Lyrics by M.Koshi
  • 10. VOO DOO SURFER Music by swing slow
  • 11. TIME SCAN 2 Created by Haruomi Hosono
  • 12. PARADISE, VER.2 Music by Haruomi Hosono/Additional note by Miharu Koshi
  • Swing Slow

    (*) 1996 10" LP Sun & Moon Records, PHJR-10002
  • Good Morning, Mr. Echo 2.39
  • Yuki-ya-konko 2.42
  • Caravan [not on CD]
  • Disappeared 6.38
  • Voo Doo Surfer 4.04
  • I'm Leaving It All Up To You 3.17

  • 10" limited edition


    Daisy World Tour

    1996 Daisyworld SYDW-0001

    Compilation Tracks:


    DIVINATION

    Distill

    1996 Submeta (USA) double cd: SM 9803-2

    Compilation Track: Contains the Hosono billed track Ether Vibes (7:51) which was written by HH and Miharu Koshi and appeared with a different mix on Swing Slow


    Rodeo de Paris

    97.10.21 cd: Denon COCA-14427

    this is witty eccentric French music with a Wild West flare. (playing up the leather, ropes and whips part in the art direction) Hosono shows up on a track, Koji Ueno co-arranges one, Sô-si Suzuki (World Standard) works on 2. Pretty unique.


    various artists

    Healing Voices from the Sea

    compilation track: Parle-moi d'amour

    (also includes ayuo takahashi and Voices by Yoshiaki Ochi featuring a Miyako Koda vocal)


    various artists

    French Lips II

    (@) 1997 Nippon Columbia COCA-14224

    compilation track: Bachibouzouk Marche (info: Ron Kane) Credited to "Koshi et le Bachibouzouk Band" - they are the usual back up band to "Arthur H", who is the son of French folk singer/cultural icon Jacques Higelin.


    Autoportrait (best of)

    (@) 1998 2CD TACT-1013/4

    rare tracks are (info from Ron Kane)

    Frederic mentions Caramel Mou is on La voix de Paris !


    L'Assassinat de la rue du Pelican

    (@) 00.02.23 RWCL-20007

    The Murder on Pelican Street -- art songs with a touch of intrigue. Hosono drum programs on several tracks. Sô-si Suzuki collaborates on one. Most tracks composed by MK though we have a Raskin/Mercer tune and Ave Maria . Seems to be out of print.


    frou-frou

    (*) 01.04.21 RWCL-20012

    Haven't heard it yet. This seems to be a charming 30s style. ReWind, the distributer seems to have shut down so especially this last one is hard to locate as it seems to have been the last Daisy World release with them. Seems to be out of print.


    Strange Flowers Vol.1

    -The compilation of Daisy Creatures-

    (@) 2002.4.3 CTCR14214

    compilation track: BONNE NUIT MINOUCHE -Miharu Koshi (Haruomi Hosono Remix)


    Corset

    (*) 03.3.5 daisyworld CTCR-16049

    scan courtesy of Ron Kane





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