Isao Tomita

Planet Zero contains reworked versions of several compositions released by Isao Tomita’s in the seventies, mainly from the 1976 album "The Planets".

Space Fantasy was released internationally under the title 'Kosmos' in 1978, and also as Cosmos in Japan, although each version had different tracks and artwork. This new version in addition features tracks from The Bermuda Triangle and Firebird. Comes with bonus CD of unreleased/rare tracks.

Originally released in 2000, expanded version with Japanese traditional instruments, synthesizers and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Yoshiko Sakata's narration of the famous old Japanese tale, translated into modern Kyoto dialect.

This hybrid SACD contains stereo and 4.0 multi-channel audio and I think it's fantastic!
For this album TOMITA created some of the most unusual, high quality electronic sounds ever heard. Then he used these sounds very effectively in some amazing orchestrations. The listening is as enjoyable as it is bizarre, quite an accomplishment in itself.

This hybrid SACD contains stereo and 4.1 multi-channel audio and I think it's fantastic!
Many of us Tomita fans wondered why he put a mono recording of an old cartoon on the OKHOTSK FANTASY album, instead of doing a DAPHNIS AND CHLOE - ULTIMATE EDITION in discrete 4.1 channel Quadraphonic sound… Now it is clear, the OKHOTSK FANTASY album was his last. It was released in March 2016, and he passed away two months later. So he probably wasn’t able to finish it. Knowing this, we can wish that he had started putting his Quadraphonic albums on SACD sooner, but we can’t blame him for the last two SACDs, because he was 83 and 84 when he did them.

This hybrid SACD contains stereo and 4.0 multi-channel audio and I think it's fantastic!
Planet Zero contains reworked versions of several compositions released by Isao Tomita’s in the seventies, mainly from the 1976 album “The Planets”.

This hybrid SACD contains stereo and 4.0 multi-channel audio and I think it's fantastic!
Tomita was 83 when he re-arranged and re-mixed his Kosmos album for SACD. I think it’s remarkable that he was still working, but I feel I must reluctantly share why you may want to skip this one…

In 1916, Gustav Holst, a composer of music and self-admitted mystic, wrote a brilliant orchestral suite entitled "The Planets." Sixty years later, internationally renowned keyboard artist and composer Isao Tomita created a highly popular electronic version of the Holst suite. Now, award-winning director Don Barrett has chosen "The Tomita Planets" for the soundtrack of this musical video grand tour of the Solar System…

The creative music woven out of the synthesizer by the composer Isao Tomita for the past five years has been a wonder of a glorious new development in music. In Japan his name has almost become synonomous with synthesizer music, and he has also become a hero to those young people who wish to listen to a sound coming from over the horizon. Even more vigorous attention has been given to Tomita's synthesizer music in America, and every album he has released through RCA Records has reached a top-ranking position on the charts.

One of the more satisfying classical/synthesizer debuts, Snowflakes Are Dancing works on its own terms as a piece of music. As well, the album succeeds as an interpretation of several Debussy compositions (including “Clair de Lune” and “Arabesque No. 1″). Debussy’s atmospheric compositions are naturals to receive the Tomita treatment and despite a few moments of interstellar cheesiness worthy of Star Hustler, Tomita’s debut is an intriguing proto-synthesizer-pop record.
The sonics of the SACD are unquestionably outstanding. Well worth re-purchasing these versions.