October 2, 2024

The late seventies and early eighties saw the rise of many well-regarded synth-pop bands. From Kraftwerk to New Order, this period of time was marked by experimentation in sound and technology while keeping lyrics minimal. This rise in synth-pop experimentation was likely brought about by the increase in availability of synthesizers [if you would like to learn more about synthesizers and the history of this technology, I would suggest this brief article from Hi5 Electronics].

Popular in this scene is Yellow Magic Orchestra. This Japanese trio, comprised of Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, and Haruomi Hosono, served as innovators in the world of synth-pop. Their music pushed synth-pop sound forward through their experimentation with synth technology. Jason Ankeny writes for Spotify that Yellow Magic Orchestra was and still is, “hugely popular both at home and abroad,” and that “their pioneering use of synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines places them second only to Kraftwerk as innovators of contemporary electronic culture.”

Amongst their discography, their standout work is the 1979 release Solid State Survivor. This eight track album cemented their place in the synth-pop and electronic communities and served as a highlight of their musical career.

Featuring an array of synthesized sounds, a loud bass, and minimalist lyrics, this album fits into well-established ideas of music from this time, while still injecting a distinctly Japanese pop sound and driving ideas of synth-pop forward.

Today, I want to take a look back at this album and consider why it was so influential at the time and holds up so well. Let’s take a listen to some of the standout tracks and remember Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Solid State Survivor.

Technopolis

“Technopolis” is a great start to Solid State Survivor and one of my favorite tracks on the album! I appreciate the robotic voice repeating “Tokyo,” it shows off the album’s personality immediately, before transitioning into a more traditional synth-pop song.

The vocal lines return throughout the song and they continue to give the song a “synthetic” feel. The title of the track serves this purpose, too. “Technopolis” sounds like some robotic utopia, and the robotic voice and synth-pop add to this feel.

This song conveys its ideas through so few words; the sound itself is what paints a techno picture in your head.

Rydeen

“Rydeen” is my favorite song on this album. This was the song that introduced me to Solid State Survivor and I was hooked from there! It’s such an upbeat, poppy, synth-led track. I’d also argue that this is one of the simpler tracks on the album, as in comparison to “Technopolis” or some other songs here, it stays instrumental and doesn’t have a lot of shifts or movements.

Behind the Mask

“Behind the Mask” is another highlight of this album. This track is slightly mellower than those discussed previously, but it’s also backed up with full lyrics performed with a synthetic voice filter similar to the voice in “Technopolis.”

The lyrics are minimalist but they add to the mellow sound of this song. The vocals also sound pretty progressive for the time. I can see this song as an influence for the synthetic vocals of groups like Daft Punk and Justice.

Plus, as some added trivia for this song, Michael Jackson, Greg Phillinganes, and Eric Clapton all have versions of this song that they have made with their own lyrics. It’s really interesting that these popular western artists all found this song as a point of inspiration and used the song to create their own interpretation. I’d recommend checking these out if you enjoy the original version! Of these three, Greg Philinganes version is my favorite.

Day Tripper

“Day Tripper” is interesting, as it’s a cover of the Beatles song of the same name. Personally, I enjoy the original song more, but that isn’t to say this cover is bad. It’s really interesting and Yellow Magic Orchestra really add their own sound to this song. It’s also interesting that this is the one and only cover on the album.

Solid State Survivor

“Solid State Survivor” is the title track and conclusion to the album – and a great conclusion at that! It features an up-tempo with original lyrics. The way the chorus is delivered has such a great hook, and I really enjoy the choruses too!

“The strangeness of the strangers / second-hand teenagers / face-to-face, they face / a chemical race” is the first chorus, and it sounds awesome.

This is a really great song to end the album, and while it isn’t my favorite song here overall, it’s a strong song to close out a strong album.

Final Thoughts

This is a really great album. It’s clear to me why this was so influential and why it’s looked upon fondly by many to this day! Solid State Survivor has such a unique identity while still paving the way for sounds and songs to come.

If you haven’t listened to this album but any of this struck a chord with you, check it out! It is available to stream on all major streaming services, and is available to purchase online at stores like Amazon.