Pretender - Joe Hisaishi - 1989 - Free Audiobook

Now famous for his iconic symphony scores for Studio Ghibli movies, back in the 1980s Joe Hisaishi was making a very different kind of music. 'Pretender' covers the end of a curious chapter in Joe Hisaishi's heyday of more raw synth music- one in which he returned to creating pop albums, like 1982's Information (under the pseudonym Wonder City Orchestra). Following 1988's city pop treasure 'Illusion', 'Pretender' opts for English lyrics, and takes on a different, but related flavor. Perhaps largely forgotten now, and out of print, 'Pretender' has a lot going for it- there's an alternate version of Wonder City (which originally appears on 1982's Information), some magical synth work on Holly's Island which is reminiscent of his work for Tonari no Totoro, and some jazzy flavor in Midnight Cruising and Manhattan Story. Unfortunately it has fallen from the radar, and like much of the '80s Joe Hisaishi catalouge, it is not available from any reputable streaming services or music platforms.