release date: Jul. 21, 1983
format: vinyl (25506) / digital (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Masami Tsuchiya
label: Epic Records - nationality: Japan
Track highlights: 1. "Plants' Music" (4 / 5) - 2. "Àfrican Nights" - 3. "Rain in My Heart" - 5. "Lonely Sea Lion" - 10. "Crystal Leaves"
4th and final studio album by Japanese synthpop and new romantic Masami Tsuchiya-led project band Ippu-Do. The band's previous albums were released as a trio consisting of Masami Tsuchiya on vocals and guitar, Akira Mitake on keyboards, and with Shoji Fujii on drums, but after releasing its third album Radio Fantasy in '81, the band went on a hiatus and upon rejoining, after Tsuchiya's engagement with British band Japan on its final '82 tour, Ippu-Do was reduced to a duo without drummer Fuiji.
The original ten tracks album has a running time at just below 42 minutes, whereas the 2013 remaster comes with an additional 7 bonus tracks making it a more than 71 minutes album.
On Night Mirage the band is joined by Richard Barbieri (on one track) and Steve Jansen, both members of Japan, with the latter playing drums on all tracks.
Night Mirage is an experimental synthpop release with tracks of various styles, but ultimately bridging nicely between with European synthpop and that of Yellow Magic Orchestra with an addition of sound elements from Japanese music culture and more electronic bits from ambient music. Some tracks are harmony-driven with lyrics and choruses, whereas others are more experimental instrumentals. The seven bonus tracks' album makes it more incoherent with the added compositions being more in the style of electronic ambient.
This is a strong, original and very warm album that I always return to!
