Tin Drum

by Japan

Tin Drum cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 13 November 1981
  • Label: Virgin
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 1:01:28
  • Community rating: 3.72/5 from 8 ratings

Artists on this release: Mick Karn, Steve Jansen, Yuka Fujii, Richard Barbieri, Simon House

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Japan's final studio album completely abandons their early glam-rock affectations for a remarkably complex, highly atmospheric fusion of new wave and Eastern modalities. 'Tin Drum' heavily utilizes the Prophet-5 synthesizer to meticulously emulate traditional Chinese instruments over incredibly tight, intensely rhythmic fretless basslines, forging a uniquely sophisticated and poetic art-pop masterpiece.

Genres

Descriptors: rhythmic, progressive, conceptual, complex, atmospheric, synthesizers, bassy, percussive, vocal

Tracklist

  1. The Art of Parties - 2003 (4:12)
  2. Talking Drum (3:35)
  3. Ghosts (4:36)
  4. Canton (5:35)
  5. Still Life In Mobile Homes (5:35)
  6. Visions Of China (3:39)
  7. Sons Of Pioneers (7:09)
  8. Cantonese Boy (3:51)
  9. The Art Of Parties (6:47)
  10. Life Without Buildings (6:48)
  11. The Art Of Parties (5:36)
  12. Ghosts (4:02)

Credits

  • Japan - primary artist, producer [produced by], producer
  • David Sylvian - cover [cover concept], keyboards, programmed by [keyboard programming], tape [tapes], guitar, vocals, written-by, keyboard, programming, vocal
  • Steve Joule - design
  • Steve Jansen - drums, percussion, percussion [electronic & keyboard percussion], written-by, membranophone percussion
  • Steve Nye - engineer [engineered by], producer [produced by], engineer, producer
  • Mick Karn - fretless bass, flute [african flute], suona [dida], written-by, bass guitar flute
  • Richard Barbieri - keyboards, programmed by [keyboard programming], tape [tapes], keyboard programming
  • Fin Costello - photography by
  • Simon House - violin, guest violin
  • Yuka Fujii - vocals, background vocals guest vocal

More from Japan: full discography