Fantasma (Cornelius album)

Fantasma is the third studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius, released on August 6, 1997 on his label Trattoria.[2] Oyamada envisioned the album as "a one-on-one experience between the music and the listener. ... It starts with you entering into the journey and ends with you returning back to reality."[3] It peaked at number 6 on the Oricon Albums Chart[2] and number 37 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.[4] Three singles were issued from the album: "Star Fruits Surf Rider", "Free Fall", and "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –".[5]

Fantasma
Studio album by
Cornelius
ReleasedAugust 6, 1997 (1997-08-06)
GenreShibuya-kei[1]
Length50:04
LabelTrattoria
ProducerKeigo Oyamada
Cornelius chronology
96/69
(1996)		 Fantasma
(1997)		 Point
(2001)
Singles from Fantasma
  1. "Star Fruits Surf Rider"
    Released: 1997
  2. "Free Fall"
    Released: 1998
  3. "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –"
    Released: 1998

Fantasma was initially received with mixed reviews, but drew more praise in later years as one of the defining works of Shibuya-kei.[1] Critic W. David Marx described Fantasma as "an important textbook for an alternative musical history where Bach, Bacharach, and the Beach Boys stands as the great triumvirate."[1]

The Japanese edition of Rolling Stone ranked Fantasma number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums".[6]

Production and release

The tracks on Fantasma were written and recorded in the same order they appear on the album, and were produced on magnetic digital reel tape recorders.[3] Cornelius's goal in creating the album was to "take the listener on a personal trip, to be a one-on-one experience between the music and the listener. ... It starts with you entering into the journey and ends with you returning back to reality."[3] Almost all of the tracks were named after existing music bands,[7] including references to Count Five, the Clash, and Microdisney.[8] Buffalo Daughter's Moog Yamamoto appeared on "Mic Check" and "2010".[9] The Apples in Stereo's Robert Schneider and Hilarie Sidney performed on "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –" (co-written by Schneider),[7] while the High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan (formerly of Microdisney) appeared on "Thank You for the Music".[9]

In Japan, the limited edition of Fantasma which comes with stereo earphones was released via Trattoria Records on August 6, 1997.[10] The standard edition of the album was released on September 3, 1997.[11] On March 24, 1998, Fantasma was released in North America and Europe via Matador Records.[5] Due to sample clearance issues, "Monkey" was retitled to "Magoo Opening", the same as the title of the sampled song, and it was counted as a cover.[3] As of 2006, Fantasma had sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide.[12]

Two companion remix albums, FM and CM, were released on November 26, 1998.[13][14] The former is composed of remixed Fantasma tracks by Money Mark, the High Llamas, Buffalo Daughter, the Pastels, Damon Albarn of Blur, Unkle, and Coldcut.[15] The latter is composed of remixes by Cornelius of most of the artists that contributed to FM.[16] The former reached number 39 and the latter reached number 40 on the Oricon Albums Chart.[2]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
The Baltimore Sun[18]
Exclaim!9/10[19]
Pitchfork8.8/10[7]
Rolling Stone[20]
Select4/5[21]
Spin6/10[22]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised Fantasma as "one of those rare records where you can't tell what's going to happen next, and it leaves you hungry for more."[17] Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club said, "Fantasma is a crisp, dynamic, mostly pleasant construction that sounds like the product of one inventive man whose sounds are created and manipulated strictly within the confines of a studio setting."[23] Steve McClure of Billboard called it "a wonderful example of how some of Japan's best pop musicians assimilate Western musical influences and combine them in original, quirky ways."[24]

In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan placed Fantasma at number 10 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".[6] In 2011, it was included in LA Weekly's "beginner's guide" to Shibuya-kei.[25] Reviewing the album's 2016 re-issue, Daniel Sylvester of Exclaim! wrote that "Cornelius used entire genre motifs wholesale to deliver one of the most exploratory releases of all time."[19] Patrick St. Michel of Pitchfork said "it feels like an act of grateful tribute rather than a hip name-check."[7]

Reissue history

On November 3, 2010, the remastered version of Fantasma was released via Warner Music Japan. It was remastered by Yoshinori Sunahara (a former member of Denki Groove[26]). The limited edition includes a bonus CD and a bonus DVD.[27]

On June 10, 2016, Fantasma was reissued in the United States, accompanied by a tour in August including a date performing at the Eaux Claires festival. The album was released as a limited edition remastered double vinyl LP via Lefse Records and digitally released via Post Modern.[28]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Keigo Oyamada, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mic Check" 3:01
2."The Micro Disneycal World Tour" 3:37
3."New Music Machine" 3:53
4."Clash" 5:37
5."Count Five or Six" 3:03
6."Magoo Opening" (originally titled "Monkey")Dennis Famon2:08
7."Star Fruits Surf Rider" 5:42
8."Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –"
3:25
9."Free Fall" 4:07
10."2010" 2:04
11."God Only Knows" 7:39
12."Thank You for the Music" 4:53
13."Fantasma" 0:55
Total length:50:04
1997 standard edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Fantasma Spot"4:40
15."Fantasma" (Alternate Version)0:58
16."Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –" (Demo)2:59
17."Typewrite Lesson" (Demo)12:23
Total length:71:04
2010 reissue limited edition bonus CD
No.TitleLength
1."Taylor"2:51
2."The Fight"1:56
3."Lazy"5:25
4."Ball in Kick Off"5:18
5."Typewrite Lesson"5:46
6."The Micro Disneycal World Tour" (High Llamas Remix)5:53
7."Clash" (The Pastels Remix)5:41
8."Count 5, 6, 7, 8" (Yasuharu Konishi Remix)4:00
9."Star Fruits Surf Rider" (Damon Albarn Remix)3:19
10."E 1/2 at Glastonbury Festival 1999/06/17"2:42
11."Lazy" (BBC Live Version)5:46
12."Ball in Kick Off" (BBC Live Version)4:57
13."Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –" (Demo)2:59
14."Fantasma Spot"4:10
15."Fantasma" (Alternate Version)0:55
16."Fantasma Spot B by Hibiki Tokiwa"2:46
Total length:64:24
2010 reissue limited edition bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Opening" (Live at Budokan) 
2."Mic Check" (Live at Budokan) 
3."The Micro Disneycal World Tour" (Live at Budokan) 
4."New Music Machine" (Live at Budokan) 
5."Clash" (Live at Budokan) 
6."Star Fruits Surf Rider" (Live at Budokan) 
7."Free Fall" (Live at Budokan) 
8."Opening" (EUS) 
9."Count Five or Six" (EUS) 
10."E" (EUS) 
11."Ape Shall Never Kill Ape" (EUS) 
12."Star Fruits Surf Rider" (EUS) 
13."Fantasma TV Spot" (EUS) 
2016 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Taylor"2:52
15."Lazy"5:25
16."Ball in Kick Off"5:19
17."Typewrite Lesson"5:46
Total length:69:26

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[9]

  • Keigo Oyamada (also credited as The Ape) – production, performing, writing, mixing

Musicians

  • Toyoaki Mishima – keyboards
  • Kazumichi Fujiwara – vocals (on "Mic Check", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", and "2010")
  • Moog Yamamoto – scratches (on "Mic Check" and "2010")
  • Kinbara Strings – strings (on "The Micro Disneycal World Tour", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", and "God Only Knows")
  • Yano Yuki – theremin (on "The Micro Disneycal World Tour")
  • Yoshié Hiragakura – drums (on "Count Five or Six", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", and "Free Fall")
  • Robert Schneider – vocals, bass (on "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –")
  • Hilarie Sidney – vocals, drums (on "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –")
  • Sean O'Hagan – banjo, sampler, chorus (on "Thank You for the Music")

Production

  • Toyoaki Mishima – hard-disk manipulations
  • Nakai-kun – mixing, engineering assistant
  • Toru Takayama – mixing, engineering

Artwork

  • Hiroshi Nomura – photos
  • Masakazu Kitayama – artwork
  • Mitsuo Shindo – artwork

Charts
Chart (1997–98) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[2] 6
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[4] 37
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References
  1. Hadfield, James (July 24, 2016). "Keigo Oyamada sees U.S. 'Fantasma' tour as a good warm-up to new Cornelius material". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  2. "CORNELIUSのアルバム売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  3. Lindsay, Cam (August 4, 2016). "Return to the Planet of Cornelius". Noisey. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  4. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  5. McClure, Steve (March 14, 1998). "Up From The Japanese Underground: Cornelius, Buffalo Daughter Offer Pop With An Edge". Billboard. 110 (11): 9, 144.
  6. Lindsay, Cam (November 14, 2007). "Finally! "The 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time" Listed". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  7. St. Michel, Patrick (June 11, 2016). "Cornelius: Fantasma". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  8. Lamm, Olivier (May 17, 2016). "Lefse Records réédite en grande pompe Fantasma de Cornelius, le Sgt Pepper's des années 90". Le Drone (in French). Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  9. Fantasma (CD liner). Cornelius. Matador Records. 1998. OLE 300-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. "Cornelius / Fantasma (限定)". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  11. "コーネリアス / ファンタズマ". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  12. Robson, Daniel (October 19, 2006). "Cornelius pops back with touching sounds". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  13. "コーネリアス / FM". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  14. "コーネリアス / CM". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  15. Schreiber, Ryan (March 9, 1999). "Cornelius: FM (Fantasma reMixes)". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  16. Tartan, Suzannah (March 19, 1999). "Journey to the center of Cornelius". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  17. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Fantasma – Cornelius". AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  18. Considine, J. D. (March 26, 1998). "Cornelius: Fantasma (Matador OLE 300)". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  19. Sylvester, Daniel (June 8, 2016). "Cornelius: Fantasma (Reissue)". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  20. Salamon, Jeff (March 23, 1998). "Cornelius: Fantasma". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 25, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  21. Barnes, Mike (August 1998). "Cornelius: Fantasma". Select (98): 90.
  22. Michel, Sia (May 1998). "Cornelius: Fantasma / Dimitri from Paris: Sacrebleu". Spin. 14 (5): 134. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  23. Thompson, Stephen (April 19, 2002). "Cornelius: Fantasma". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  24. McClure, Steve (September 26, 1998). "Critic's Choice". Billboard. 110 (39): 118.
  25. Ohanesian, Liz (April 13, 2011). "Japanese Indie Pop: The Beginner's Guide to Shibuya-Kei". LA Weekly. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  26. "コーネリアス『Fantasma』が砂原良徳のリマスターで復活". OKMusic (in Japanese). September 6, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  27. "コーネリアス「FANTASMA」砂原リマスターの詳細明らかに". Natalie (in Japanese). October 6, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  28. Pearce, Sheldon (April 27, 2016). "Cornelius Announces Fantasma Reissue". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
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