Yoshiko Sai holds a singular place in Japanese music history. Since her 1975 debut Mangekyou, the Japanese singer-songwriter has captivated listeners with her ethereal voice, poetic lyrics, and enigmatic presence, earning a devoted cult following that endures decades later.
Building on the highly acclaimed reissue of her debut Mangekyou, Wewantsounds is pleased to present Mikkou, Sai’s second album, originally released in 1976 on Black Records. Produced by Isamu Haruna and featuring some of Japan’s finest session musicians, including the cult guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka, the record showcases Sai’s signature blend of poetic songwriting and ethereal vocals, carried by subtly funky arrangements. Yet Mikkou represents a bold broadening of her artistic palette, drawing inspiration from the Silk Road and the rich cultural heritage of her native Nara.
Sai’s compositions on Mikkou explore themes of femininity, freedom, and the passage of generations. Tracks such as “Kaasama no Uta” (“Mother’s Song”) and “Tenshi no Youni” (“Like an Angel”) blend blues, jazz, and folk sensibilities with evocative instrumentation including tabla, sitar, and dulcimer, reflecting the album’s Silk Road influences. The title track, “Mikkou” (“Secret Passage”), captures the sense of a hidden journey — both literal and imaginative — mirroring the adventurous spirit threaded throughout the record. Sai also created the album’s artwork, inspired by her reflections on historical Persian travellers and the interconnected flow of cultures along the Silk Road. As Sai remarked in conversation with Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha about the title track, “That idea of sneaking off somewhere felt exactly right for the mood at the time… it was like approaching everything in life as if you were stowing away along every path.”
This Wewantsounds release marks the first time Mikkou is available outside Japan, newly remastered and presented with its original artwork, offering a rare glimpse into the fragile, dreamlike universe of Yoshiko Sai.
