Wikipedia

Yellow Dancer

For the Robotech character, see List of Robotech characters § Lancer.

Yellow Dancer (Japanese pronunciation: [ieɾoː daꜜɰ̃saː]) is the fourth studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino, released by Speedstar Records on December 2, 2015.

Yellow Dancer
The album's cover art. Above a crimson red backdrop, everyday items like plates, cooking utensils, clothing, books, and a cat are arranged in a pile so that they resemble a human. Above the objects is the text "Yellow Dancer" in a standard font, all caps, and pure black.
Standard and limited edition cover[a]
Studio album by
Gen Hoshino
ReleasedDecember 2, 2015 (2015-12-02)
Recorded2013–2015
Length56:27
LanguageJapanese
LabelSpeedstar
ProducerGen Hoshino
Gen Hoshino chronology
Two Beat in Yokohama Arena
(2015) 		Yellow Dancer
(2015) 		Live Tour: Yellow Voyage
(2016)
Singles from Yellow Dancer
  1. "Why Don't You Play in Hell?"
    Released: October 2, 2013
  2. "Crazy Crazy" / "Sakura no Mori"
    Released: June 11, 2024
  3. "Sun"
    Released: May 27, 2015

Background

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Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino emerged as a primarily acoustic pop artist with his debut albums Baka no Uta (2010) and Episode (2011).[1] Hoshino's parents were both fans of jazz and he grew up listening to Michael Jackson.[2] With his instrumental band Sakerock, Hoshino performed songs inspired by funk, soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues genres, and experimented with a mixture of Japanese and African-American styles on the B-sides to his singles, such as "Yuge" on "Kudaranai no Naka ni", "Moshi mo" on "Film" (2012), or "Kisetsu" on "Shiranai" (2013).[3][4]

Whilst in the process of wrapping up recording for his third album, Hoshino collapsed to a subarachnoid hemorrhage in December 2012.[5]: 27 [6] After a three-month hiatus, Hoshino released Stranger, which brought his sound into a more up-beat direction by incorporating greater use of synthesizer and string sections.[1][7] He followed Stranger with the non-album rock and roll single "Gag" for the anime film Saint Young Men a week later,[8] but assumed a second hiatus in June after a reinspection discovered a relapse in his hemorrhage.[9] While awaiting the reinspection, Hoshino wrote the lyrics to "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" – the theme song to the Sion Sono film of the same name – and had it released in October, whilst still on hiatus. Hoshino used the song to reconsider his musical roots – "1960s jazz, soul, Motown sound black music" – and was his first time incorporating African-American influences on an A-side.[10][11][5]: 27 

At the start of 2014, Hoshino officially commemorated his full recovery from the hemorrhage by finishing touring for Stranger in February and performing the Fukkatsu (復活, lit. "Revival") Live Tour in April.[12][13] His first post-recovery single – a double A-side of "Crazy Crazy" and the J-Wave campaign song "Sakura no Mori" (lit. Cherry Blossom Forest) – was released on June 11, 2014. "Crazy Crazy" was written as a homage to the Japanese jazz band Crazy Cats, reworked from a somber melody created by Hoshino during his surgery's waiting process.[14][15] A love for soul artists such as Michael Jackson re-disocvered during the single's production primarily inspired "Sakura no Mori";[16] Tomoyuki Mori at Real Sound wrote that the song showcased Hoshino merging Japanese and African-American into his musical direction after the experimentation of this style on his B-sides.[3]

Concept and writing

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A fun production process on "Sakura no Mori" inspired Hoshino to write an album in the same style, and conceived Yellow Dancer after noticing similarities in the stylistic origins from African-American music in the song and "Why Don't You Play in Hell?".[5]: 27  Hoshino was encouraged to explore the styles more openly after noticing a rise in popularity of Western artists such as Chich, Daft Punk, and Bruno Mars in Japan; daily airplay of Mark Ronson and Mars' "Uptown Funk" (2014) at his local convenience store and the response to "Sakura no Mori" from J-Wave listeners further motivated his work on the album.[5]: 28 

Track listing

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All tracks are written, arranged, and produced by Hoshino, except where otherwise noted.

Yellow Dancer — Regular edition[17]
No.TitleLength
1."Tokiyo" (時よ, lit. "Time")4:15
2."Week End"4:30
3."Sun"4:01
4."Miss You" (ミスユー, Misu Yū)4:55
5."Soul"3:49
6."Kuchizuke" (口づけ, lit. "Kiss")3:49
7."Why Don't You Play in Hell?" (地獄でなぜ悪い, Jigoku de Naze Warui, lit. "What's Bad About Hell?")3:41
8."Nerd Strut" (Instrumental)1:20
9."Sakura no Mori" (桜の森, lit. "Cherry Blossom Forest")5:10
10."Crazy Crazy"3:34
11."Snow Men"4:34
12."Down Town"3:51
13."Yoru" (夜, lit. "Night")4:11
14."Friend Ship"4:42
Total length:56:27
Yellow Dancer — First edition (Blu-ray/DVD — Hoshino Gen Hitori Edge in Budokan)[18]
No.TitleLength
1."Baito" (バイト, lit. "Part-Time Job") 
2."Bakemono" (化物, lit. "Monster") 
3."Work Song" (ワークソング, Wāku Songu) 
4."Why Don't You Play in Hell?" 
5."Tōmei Shōjo" (透明少女, lit. "Invisible Girl"; writer: Shutoku Mukai; original artist: Number Girl) 
6."Snow Men" 
7."Film" (フィルム, Firumu) 
8."Crazy Crazy" 
9."Barabara" (ばらばら, lit. "Scatter") 
10."Kuse no Uta" (くせのうた, lit. "Habit Song") 
11."Eigyō" (営業, lit. "Business") 
12."Kudaranai no Naka ni" (くだらないの中に, lit. "In the Nonsense") 
13."Rōfūfu" (老夫婦, lit. "Old Couple") 
14."Night Troop" 
15."Record Noise" (レコードノイズ, Rekōdo Noizu) 
16."Mad Men" (マッドメン, Maddo Men) 
17."Umi o Sukū" (海を掬う, lit. "Scoop the Ocean") 
18."Ichi Ni San" (いち に さん, lit. "One, Two, Three") 
19."Sakura no Mori" 
20."Yume no Soto e" (夢の外へ, lit. "Out of the Dream") 
21."Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī [ja]" (君は薔薇より美しい, lit. "You're More Beautiful Than a Rose"; writers: Kenji Kadoya, Mickie Yoshino; original artist: Akira Fuse) 
22."Sun" 
Total length:c.2:07:00
Notes
  • The first edition DVD/Blu-ray includes audio commentary from Hoshino and his collaborators.[18]
  • The analog version is a double album, split between "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" and "Nerd Strut".[19] The 2019 LP re-release splits the album into four records: the first disc contains tracks 1–3, the second 4–7, the third 8–11, and the fourth 12–14.[20]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the Yellow Dancer liner notes.[21]

Production
  • Gen Hoshino – songwriting, arrangement, production
  • Mio Okamura – arrangement of strings
  • Satoru Takeshima – arrangement of horns
  • Shojiro Watanabe – recording, mixing
  • Takahiro Uchida – mastering
  • Yuni Yoshida – art direction
  • Hideto Kometani – A&R
Instruments
  • Gen Hoshino – vocals (1–7, 9–14); guitar (1, 3–4, 6, 8, 11); handclaps (2, 5, 7, 9–10); tambourine (7, 10); marimba (7–8, 14); drums, piano, Hammond organ, sanshin (8)
  • Ryosuke Nagaoka – guitar (1–3, 7, 11, 14); handclaps (3)
  • Eiko Ishibashi – analog synthesizer (1–3, 14); background vocals (1–3, 5); handclaps (5); marimba (14)
  • Wataru Iga – bass (4–5, 7, 9, 11–14); handclaps (12)
  • Hama Okamoto – bass (1–3, 10); handclaps (3)
  • Wataru Iga – bass (4–5, 7, 9, 11–14); handclaps (12)
  • Haruomi Hosono – bass (8)
  • Noriyasu Kawamura – drums (1–5, 11–12, 14); cowbell (1–2, 12); handclaps (3, 12)
  • Daichi Ito – drums (7, 9, 12–14); handclaps (12)
  • Satoru Takeshima – tenor saxophone (2, 7, 12); flute (5); handclaps (7)
  • Hajime Kobayashi – piano (2–4, 10); Wurlitzer piano (2); Hammond organ (4–5); Rhodes piano (9, 11)
  • Nobuhide Handa – trombone (2)
  • Atsuki Yumoto – trumpet (2)
  • Tatsuhiko Yoshizawa – trumpet (2)
  • Naofumi Takimoto – trombone (7, 12)
  • Taichiro Kawasaki – trumpet (7)
  • Orari – background vocals (9)
  • Shohei Takagi – background vocals (9)
  • Yu Arauchi – background vocals (9)
  • Masatoshi Nakano – drums (10)
  • Teppei Kawakami – trumpet (12)
  • Takuji Nomura – piano (13)
  • Mio Okamura – violin (1–5, 7, 9, 11)
  • Osamu Iyoku – violin (1–5, 7, 9, 11)
  • Motoko Fujiie – violin (1)
  • Kiyo Kido – violin (1)
  • Yu Sugino – violin (1, 3–5, 7, 9, 11)
  • Miho Shimokawa – violin (1–5, 11)
  • Akane Irie – violin (2–5, 11)
  • Shohei Yoshida – violin (2, 9, 11)
  • Kazuo Watanabe – violin (2)
  • Rena Kato – violin (3)
  • Akatsuki Takahashi – violin (5)
  • Mikiko Ise – violin (7, 9)
  • Reiichi Tateizumi – viola (1–5, 9, 11)
  • Mikiyo Kikuchi – viola (1, 3–5, 7, 9, 11)
  • Kaoru Hagiwara – viola (7)
  • Toshiyuki Muranaka – cello (1, 5)
  • Ayano Kasahara – cello (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Mari Masumoto – cello (3, 5, 9)
  • Yoshiko Maeda – cello (5)

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Certifications for Yellow Dancer
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[34]
Physical sales 		Platinum 341,994[33]
Japan (RIAJ)[35]
Digital downloads 		Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Yellow Dancer release history and formats
Region Date Edition Format Label Catalogue code Ref.
Japan December 2, 2015 Standard CD Speedstar Records
  • VICL-64439
  • VIZL-899
 [36][37]
Limited
  • VIZL-897 (A)
  • VIZL-898 (B)
 [38][39]
January 20, 2016 Analog LP record VIJL-60160 [19]
Taiwan January 23, 2017 Standard CD Rock Records GUT-2523 [40]
Japan March 27, 2019 Limited Production LP record Speedstar Records VIJL-60198 [20]
Various September 30, 2019 Standard Streaming — [41][42]
South Korea J-Box Entertainment — [43]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Analog LP release swaps the crimson background with a cherry blossom pink.

References

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  1. ^ a b Kuroda, Takanori (January 14, 2017). "星野源の音楽はなぜ"キャッチーでマニアック"なのか?「ひらめき」から「恋」まで楽曲分析" [How Gen Hoshino's Music Captures a Catchy Mania — Dissecting the Discography from "Hirameki" to "Koi"]. Real Sound (in Japanese). Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "星野源の新作「YELLOW DANCER」は音楽史に残る傑作" [Gen Hoshino's Yellow Dancer is a Masterpiece That Will Go Down in Music History]. Liveland (in Japanese). December 6, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Mori, Tomoyuki (December 1, 2015). "星野源の新作『YELLOW DANCER』が心と体に響くワケーー収録曲の音楽的アプローチから分析" [Why Gen Hoshino's New Yellow Dancer Reaches the Heart and Body: A Musical Dissection of the Track Listing]. Real Sound (in Japanese). Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  4. ^ Kuroda, Takanori (December 1, 2015). "一躍お茶の間の存在となった星野源。音楽家として何がすごい?" [Gen Hoshino Became a Household Name — What Makes the Artist Great?]. Cinra (in Japanese). Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Hoshino, Gen (November 2015). "星野 源 — アルバム『YELLOW DANCER』発売決定!!" [Gen Hoshino Announces Album Yellow Dancer!]. Musica (Interview) (in Japanese). Vol. 103. Interviewed by Tomoko, Arizumi. Katsumi Omori (photographer). p. 16–33.
  6. ^ "星野 源、くも膜下出血でしばらくの間休養" [Gen Hoshino Assumes Hiatus Due to Subarachnoid Hemorrhage]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). December 22, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "星野源、くも膜下出血から快復「病気が教えてくれたこと」" [Gen Hoshino Talks About What Illnes Has Taught Him Upon Revival After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage] (in Japanese). Oricon. April 1, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Koike, Hirokazu (May 6, 2013). "ブッダ＝星野 源のシングル" [Gen Hoshino (Buddha)'s Single]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "星野源　くも膜下出血で2度の手術を経験　当時の心境は「一瞬自暴自棄に」も「絶対に大丈夫と思ってた」" [Gen Hoshino Reflects on Second Surgery for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: "A Moment of Despair But I Thought for Certain It Would Be Alright"]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). April 26, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  10. ^ "星野 源、10月にリリースする6thシングル『地獄でなぜ悪い』の詳細を発表" [Gen Hoshino Reveals Details to Sixth Single "Why Don't You Play in Hell?"]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). September 6, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  11. ^ Hoshino, Gen (July 2013). "『地獄でなぜ悪い』曲について" [About "Why Don't You Play in Hell?]. HoshinoGen.com (in Japanese). Amuse Inc. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "「幸せですね」星野源、満員の初武道館ワンマンで完全復活" [Gen Hoshino Makes Full Recovery to Packed Crowd at the Budokan]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). February 7, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  13. ^ "星野源「復活アアアアア!」念願NHKホールで無事'了'" [Gen Hoshino Concludes Fukkatsu Live Tour at the NHK Hall]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). April 11, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  14. ^ Hoshino, Gen (May 19, 2014). "新シングル『Crazy Crazy / 桜の森』で才気大爆発! 星野源、衝動とともに新たな王道を突き進む" [Gen Hoshino Pursues a New Direction with Impulse on New Single "Crazy Crazy" / "Sakura no Mori"] (Interview). Musica (Interview) (in Japanese). Vol. 86. pp. 82–89. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  15. ^ Hoshino, Gen (July 2014). "星野源 — インタビュー" [Gen Hoshino — Interview]. Skream! (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yoshiba, Saori. p. 1. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Onuki, Nobuaki. "『SUN』を紐解く。" [Unraveling "Sun"]. HoshinGen.com (in Japanese). Amuse Inc. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  17. ^ "YELLOW DANCER — 星野源のアルバム" [Yellow Dancer — Album by Gen Hoshino] (in Japanese). Apple Music Japan. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "星野 源 — YELLOW DANCER (初回限定盤A)" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (First Edition A)] (in Japanese). Victor Entertainment. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  19. ^ a b "星野源 — YELLOW DANCER <完全生産限定アナログ盤>" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (Complete Limited Analog Version)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  20. ^ a b "星野源 — YELLOW DANCER <生産限定盤>" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (Limited Production Edition)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  21. ^ Hoshino, Gen (December 2, 2015). Yellow Dancer (CD liner notes) (in Japanese). Japan: Speedstar Records. VICL-64439.
  22. ^ "星野源のアルバム売上TOP7作品" [Gen Hoshino's Top 7 Albums by Sales] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  23. ^ "星野源の合算アルバム売上Top5作品" [Gen Hoshino's Top 5 Combined Albums by Sales] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  24. ^ "Gen Hoshino Chart History (Hot Albums)". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 15, 2024. Select Hot Albums on the dropdown menu under 週間チャート
  25. ^ "G-Music Charts — Week January 20, 2017 to February 2, 2017" (in Chinese). G-Music. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  26. ^ "年間CDアルバムランキング — 2015年度" [Yearly CD Albums Ranking — 2015] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2015. p. 3. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  27. ^ "年間CDアルバムランキング — 2016年度" [Yearly CD Albums Ranking — 2016] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2016. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  28. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End — 2016年". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  29. ^ "年間CDアルバムランキング — 20167年度" [Yearly CD Albums Ranking — 2017] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2017. p. 10. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  30. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End — 2017年". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  31. ^ "G-Music 2017 Annual Sales Chart" (in Chinese). G-Music. Archived from the original on August 28, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  32. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Download Albums Year-End — 2018年". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  33. ^ "YELLOW DANCER — 星野源 (ランキングデータ)" [Yellow Dancer — Gen Hoshino (Ranking Data)] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via the You Taiju service.
  34. ^ "Japanese album certifications – 星野 源 – Yellow Dancer" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2015年12月 on the drop-down menu
  35. ^ "Japanese digital album certifications – 星野 源 – Yellow Dancer" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2018年2月 on the drop-down menu
  36. ^ "星野源 — YELLOW DANCER <通常盤>" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (Regular Edition)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  37. ^ "星野 源 — YELLOW DANCER (通常盤 初回限定仕様)" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (Regular Edition - First Limited)] (in Japanese). Victor Entertainment. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  38. ^ "星野源 — YELLOW DANCER [CD+Blu-ray+特製ブックレット] <初回限定盤A>" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (CD + Blu-ray + Special Booklet) (First Edition A)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  39. ^ "星野源 — YELLOW DANCER [CD+DVD+特製ブックレット] <初回限定盤A>" [Gen Hoshino — Yellow Dancer (CD + DVD + Special Booklet) (First Edition B)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  40. ^ "星野源 / YELLOW DANCER" [Gen Hoshino / Yellow Dancer] (in Chinese). Books.com.tw. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  41. ^ "星野源、全楽曲ストリーミング解禁" [Gen Hoshino Releases Full Discography for Streaming]. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). September 30, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  42. ^ "Yellow Dancer — Album by Gen Hoshino". Spotify. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  43. ^ "星野源 — Yellow Dancer" (in Korean). Bugs. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
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