Phew (singer)

Last updated

Phew
Birth nameHiromi Moritani
Born12 September 1959
Osaka, Japan
Genres Electropunk
Avant-garde
Experimental
Occupation(s)Singer, composer
Instrument(s)Vocals, electronics, synthesizer
Years active1978–present
LabelsBereket
Mute Records
Pass Records
Alida
Mesh-Key
Felicity
WebsiteN/A

Phew is a Japanese singer and analogue electronics improviser working in the areas of experimental and avant-garde music.

Contents

Music career

Her career began as a member of post-punk group Aunt Sally, who released a self-titled album on Osaka’s Vanity Records in 1979. [1]

After the break-up of Aunt Sally, she released the "Finale"/"Urahara" single produced by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, followed by the Phew album recorded at Conny Plank's studio in Cologne, with Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit. [2] This was followed by a series of albums that included Our Likeness, recorded with Plank and Liebezeit, featuring Einstürzende Neubauten's Alexander Hacke and D.A.F/Liaisons Dangereuses's Chrislo Haas. [3]

After 1995's Himitsu No Knife, she remained active in various groups, including the jam rock ensemble Novo Tono featuring Otomo Yoshihide, a collaboration with electronic musician Hiroyuki Nagashima called Big Picture, and the punk group Most with Boredoms guitarist Seiichi Yamamoto. [4] In 2010, she returned to her solo career with the covers album Five Fingered Discount on her own Bereket label, featuring Jim O'Rourke. [4]

From 2012 she began to work in electronic music and home recordings which gave rise to a prolific series of records, starting with 2015's A New World and continuing with 2017's Light Sleep and 2018's Voice Hardcore. In 2018 she also released Island, a collaboration with Raincoats' Ana da Silva. [5]

By the time of 2021's New Decade, she was receiving widespread acclaim for her long career in experimental music. [6]

Discography

Solo

Aunt Sally

Most

With bands and projects

Compilations

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References

  1. Pelly, Jenn. ""New World" review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 "DeLorean: Phew - "Phew" (1981)". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  3. Pothast, Emily (June 2022). "New Day Rising". The Wire. No. 460. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Phew Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  5. Geffen, Sasha. ""Island" Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  6. Phares, Heather. ""New Decade" Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  7. ""The thing I care the most about is tone"September 1995: An interview with Phew from G-Modern #9+ 3 album reviews - BLACK EDITIONS". 1 May 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2021.