Kitaro – 天界 = Ten Kai / Astral Trip

Wonderful album! And a remarkable piece of information for you, listeners: If you wonder what the colored picture on the insert is trying to convey, look at it while listening to the first song. You will see that the image is actually a visual representation of the first part of the music. At least, that's what i see, and i can explain it as well.

I actually found this for $6 at a local record shop where I live. To preface, I have never heard of Kitaro up to this point, but when I saw the title "Astral Voyage" it peeked my interest. As I'm listening right now, I've gotten chills already. This is super cool!!

When I first listened to this I thought of bladerunner soundtrack by Vangelis. Only to realize it was made years before . lol Even the album cover looks like something out of the film Bladerunner. Did anyone else feel this way ?

Debut album by Japanese new age mastermind composer Kitaro, and it's everything you would expect from the origin of this man's incredible career. Originally released in 1978 in Japan and other territories as Ten Kai, but released in the US in 1985 along with a bunch of his other records upon signing with this label. This album is dark and dramatic, and really something. Different from what came after, and worth a listen for sure! This particular pressing is also highly impressive from a sonic perspective...extremely dynamic and clear. If you get one in good condition you'll be treated to a really great aural experience!

To think just a year earlier he was recording psychedelic cosmic rock with Akira Ito, Fumio and Far East Family Band and then.....this gem!
Really Kitaro's got a bad rap at least his later year albums tended to be so so to really watered down, but the early music especially Astral Trip is superior to alot of crap that came out during the late 1970s regarding electronic music( crap like disco laced stuff ie Giorgio f'in Moroder was making!).
This was deeper more involved and carried a very far eastern sound with....a little Pink Floyd-ish touch here and there. For the most part you get a arsenal of synthesizers, trad Japanese acoustic instruments and some guitar thrown on for good measure. The music is very atmospheric and carries an earthiness to it but doesnt sound like anything of its time i.e. berlin-school sequencer stuff from Schulze or Tangerine Dream. Kitaro was searching for his own sound and you can hear "his" sound on the next two or three albums. By Oasis and Silk Road he hit his stride and refined his niche.

Great, weird record. Wouldn't surprise me if this became sought-after but I don't think it's been figured out yet. Pick this one up if you see it.

Very obscure but impressive record from 1978. Blending of world sounds and intricate synth work. Ambient, earthy, psychedelic, and f-ing cool! The best way I can describe it in summary would be to imagine the musical parents of Dj Krush or Six Degrees Records artists (ie Cheb i Sabbah, Karsh Kale, et al).