BGM: 1980-2000 cover

BGM: 1980-2000

Released

Despite Muji’s minimalist posturing, their stuff is still way too expensive. The Japanese general store prides itself on a lack of branding and an emphasis on quality products, but their posturing as an intelligent alternative to thoughtless consumerism has (maybe inadvertently, maybe intentionally) also positioned them as a sort of lifestyle brand. Whatever you think of their products, something that can’t be disputed is that they’ve commissioned great music to play in their stores. Before their numbered BGM series of discs based on various countries around the world, they released a compilation of balearic new age, fusion, and ambient noodling—and it’s all at worst pleasant, though some of it genuinely fantastic. Among the music herein are two original Haruomi Hosono tracks (versions of which appear on Watering a Flower) that would become motifs he would iterate upon in later releases.

Shy Clara Thompson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Morning Picture cover

Morning Picture

Yoshio Suzuki
Lisa cover

Lisa

Masahide Sakuma
Pure Gabby cover

Pure Gabby

Gabby Pahinui
彩 Colours cover

彩 Colours

Hideki Mitsumori
Music for a Cosmic Garden cover

Music for a Cosmic Garden

Andrea Esperti, Takashi Kokubo
Retinae cover

Retinae

Dip in the Pool
The Singing Places cover

The Singing Places

Virginia Astley
Twins! cover

Twins!

Bob Ostertag, Otomo Yoshihide
Belle de Nuit cover

Belle de Nuit

Satsuki Shibano, Yoshio Ojima
Seigén cover

Seigén

Seigen Ono