‘As the Wind Stirred the Ashes, Little Gems Remained’: Haruomi Hosono by Laurent Brancowitz, Guitarist of Phoenix

Among the most famous French bands globally, Phoenix stands as one of the last torchbearers of the French Touch. This wave of electronic music artists, including Daft Punk, Air, and Justice, emerged in France in the 1990s and 2000s, gaining international acclaim. This legacy of French music was celebrated recently during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Phoenix and Air performed on stage.

A band with remarkable longevity, Phoenix continues to enjoy widespread popularity. Their latest album, Alpha Zulu (Loyauté/Glassnote Records, 2022), recorded in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the heart of the Louvre, was met with critical acclaim. Guitarist Laurent Brancowitz shares how he drew inspiration from the soundscapes of 1970s Japan, with one prominent figure from that era being the legendary Haruomi Hosono. For Pen, Phoenix’s guitarist reflects on his admiration for this iconic figure.

Pen: When did you first encounter the music of Haruomi Hosono?

Laurent Brancowitz: Each encounter with Hosono has its own story. I first came across him through the song ‘Kaze Wo Atsumete’ by his band Happy End, which was featured on the soundtrack of Lost in Translation (note: Sofia Coppola, who directed the film, is married to Thomas Mars, Phoenix’s lead singer, who also contributed a song to the soundtrack).

Later, I bought Hosono House and discovered from the liner notes that he recorded it at home; you could see him on a tatami mat floor in the photos. It fascinated me so much that I even tried to find where that famous Hosono House was. I recently bought another copy in Tokyo because my original was getting worn out.

A few years ago, while visiting the Found Muji store in Omotesando, I heard a track on their playlist that piqued my curiosity. It was a piece Hosono had composed specifically for Muji. I hadn’t known this ambient side of his work, which I also really enjoy.

Pen: You are referring to the track ‘TALKING’, produced in 1984. It gained international fame when it was uploaded to YouTube in 2017, sparking a passionate subculture among fans. What drew you to this piece? 

Laurent Brancowitz: I was captivated by its ambient tones, reminiscent of Brian Eno, but infused with Hosono’s unique sensibility, which resonates more with me. The harmonic choices and timbres he favors are the same ones that speak to me.

Pen: Phoenix intended to sample this track, before Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend did so on his song ‘2021’ (Columbia Records, 2019). Although that track didn’t make it onto ‘Alpha Zulu’, you say you were inspired by Japanese music from the 1970s while recording it. How do you decide whether to incorporate a sample into your music, and what makes a good sample in your view?

Laurent Brancowitz: Within the band, I’m mainly the one who brings in samples. I gather sounds as I go: if something catches my ear, I set it aside. I then create a kind of sound palette that we can use in the studio. When I go to Japan, I come back with bags full of samples because there’s a huge wealth of musical material overlooked there.

Japanese music from the 1970s has inspired us from the beginning. One of our first successful tracks, ‘If I Ever Feel Better,’ included a sample from the piece ‘Lament’ by jazz flutist Honda Toshiyuki. A good sample is one you can transform, allowing it to convey something entirely different. This was the case with ‘If I Ever Feel Better,’ where we handled the sample with respect, even getting it cleared by the original author, who later admitted he couldn’t recognize his work in our song.

We also use Japanese synthesizers from Roland and Yamaha, which have had an enormous influence on global pop culture. From Stevie Wonder to Kraftwerk, across genres, Japanese electronic circuits have left their mark. I think it’s wonderful that Japanese engineers have had this impact on popular music.

Pen: Coming back to Haruomi Hosono, do you feel a connection with his musical approach?

Laurent Brancowitz: He and we share a similar attitude. We’ve listened to the same records, even though he’s from another generation, and we face the same challenge: taking musical material from abroad, especially from the English-speaking world, and reworking it to make it uniquely our own. We, Phoenix, as French artists, and he as a Japanese artist.

Pen: You mentioned that you were struck by the fact that Hosono recorded ‘Hosono House’ at home. For ‘Alpha Zulu’, recorded in the heart of the Louvre in Paris, you even installed a tatami floor!

Laurent Brancowitz: In the room at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs where we were recording, there was a beautiful circular window overlooking the Tuileries Garden. That’s where we thought of installing a tatami floor, so we ordered one from an artisan in Kyoto. I’m personally obsessed with acoustics and the role a tatami floor can play. I’d love to have such a room myself to listen to records.

Pen: Haruomi Hosono’s musical legacy is immense in Japan and has now crossed borders. How do you explain this phenomenon?

Laurent Brancowitz: Some artists have the stature to stand among the greatest in pop music, like David Bowie or Bob Dylan. I think of Serge Gainsbourg for France or Lucio Battisti for Italy. It’s certainly harder for these figures because they’re on the periphery of a field dominated by English-speaking countries. But when they reach that level, it’s only natural that the world recognizes their talent. Often, they aren’t there to enjoy it themselves, but there’s always a sort of celestial justice that grants them their due. That’s the case for Haruomi Hosono. When the wind stirred the ashes, the little gems remained. His work is so vast and his genius so great that much remains to be discovered.

Alpha Zulu (2022), an album by Phoenix, released by Loyauté/Glassnote Records.