RESIDENT DJ 051: Cornelius

Cornelius is the brainchild of Japanese multi-instrumentalist Keigo Oyamada. A performing musician since his teens, Oyamada's international breakthrough came with the release of Fantasma in 1997. He quickly became a sought-after producer/remixer for Blur, Beck, Bloc Party, James Brown, and k.d. lang, among many others. As a musician, Oyamada became the backbone of Yoko Ono's reformed Plastic Ono Band and played in the final configuration of Yellow Magic Orchestra. Oyamada continues to write and produce as Cornelius, in addition to composing for soundtracks including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Ghost In The Shell: Arise. Cornelius joins KCRW as our Resident DJ for September 2026. This is his fourth mix in the series.

1. Spark — Phew Phew emerged from the Kansai punk and New Wave band Aunt Sally in the late 1970s. As a solo artist she collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Conny Plank, and CAN members Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit, developing an experimental approach centered on voice and electronics. "Spark" comes from her home-recording period, using analog electronics and voice in a sparse, highly focused composition.

2. Riot in Lagos — Ryuichi Sakamoto Recorded while Sakamoto was a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, "Riot in Lagos" combines African rhythmic ideas, dub, synthesizers, and machine-like sequencing. Afrika Bambaataa and Kurtis Mantronik have both cited it as an influence, and the recording has since become associated with the early development of electro, hip-hop, and later Detroit techno.

3. Watashi no Shonen — Evelyne / Masao Recorded in Tokyo around 1984–85 by Evelyne and Masao Hiruma, this home recording combines simple drum machines, synthesizers, guitar, and voice. It reflects the DIY post-punk and minimal synth culture developing at the time. Although recorded in the mid-1980s, it remained unreleased until appearing on *Testpattern* in 2025.

4. Kaiko — Yukihiro Takahashi Written by Ryuichi Sakamoto and sung by Yukihiro Takahashi, "Kaiko" is a technopop song that balances electronic textures with lyrical melody. The album *What, Me Worry?* also features Haruomi Hosono, Bill Nelson, and Tony Mansfield, reflecting Takahashi's close connections with both Japanese and British New Wave musicians.

5. Handle wo Hanasu Mae ni — OGRE YOU ASSHOLE OGRE YOU ASSHOLE gradually moved from guitar rock toward a style built on repetition, sustained textures, and subtle musical change. "Handle wo Hanasu Mae ni" absorbs influences from krautrock and psychedelia into understated Japanese lyrics and restrained ensemble playing.

6. Mr. Tax — The Spiders The Spiders were one of the leading bands of Japan's 1960s Group Sounds movement, which adapted the post-Beatles beat-band phenomenon into a distinctly Japanese form of pop culture through television, film, and Japanese-language songwriting. Unlike most Group Sounds recordings, "Mr. Tax" is largely a one-man multitrack recording by Hiroshi Kamayatsu, who overdubbed nearly all of the vocals and instruments himself, anticipating the experimental studio approach of his later solo work.

7. Lost — Takuro Okada Following his work with Mori wa Ikiteiru, Takuro Okada has worked as a guitarist, composer, and producer. "Lost" gently combines folk, ambient music, improvisation, and jazz, treating recorded space and reverberation as essential elements of the composition.

8. Rhapsodia — Seiichi Yamamoto Seiichi Yamamoto has participated in numerous projects including Boredoms, Omoide Hatoba, and ROVO. "Rhapsodia" reveals another side of his work, focusing on melody, guitar tone, and quiet space rather than the noise and improvisation often associated with his earlier projects.

9. O'Oh — Yoko Ono "O'Oh" was recorded in 1974 for the previously unreleased album *A Story*, and first became widely available through *Onobox* in 1992. Against a backdrop of 1970s rock and funk, the recording highlights Ono's distinctive vocal style and her unconventional use of language.

10. mr. cloud — Eiko Ishibashi Eiko Ishibashi works across piano, flute, electronics, improvisation, songwriting, and film music. "mr. cloud" moves naturally between chamber music, pop, and spacious sound design, anticipating the compositional approach that would later appear in her film scores and collaborations with Jim O'Rourke.

11. On Retinae (West Version) — dip in the pool dip in the pool is the duo of composer Tatsuji Kimura and singer Mayako Koda, who also worked as one of Japan's leading fashion models during the 1980s. After releasing music through Rough Trade in the UK, they established direct connections with the European New Wave scene. "On Retinae" combines Koda's restrained vocals with synthesizers, ambient textures, and chamber-like arrangements.

12. Meet Me in the Sheep Meadow — Yoshio Suzuki After performing with Sadao Watanabe and Masabumi Kikuchi, Yoshio Suzuki moved to New York, where he also worked with Stan Getz and Art Blakey. On "Meet Me in the Sheep Meadow," he expands beyond the bass, incorporating synthesizers and drum machines while moving from jazz toward ambient and environmental music.

13. PLEOCENE — Haruomi Hosono Through Happy End, Tin Pan Alley, Yellow Magic Orchestra, and his solo work, Haruomi Hosono has continually moved between folk, pop, electronic music, ambient music, and traditional musical cultures. As a producer, label founder, and collaborator, he has also played an important role in supporting younger generations of musicians. "PLEOCENE," developed from music originally written for the film *Night on the Galactic Railroad*, brings together electronics, imagined folk traditions, and a sense of prehistoric time.