TM NETWORK — Cassette

Intro

TM Network sounds like the idealized, neon-soaked future of 1984. It is the sonic equivalent of a high-end sports car speeding through a metropolis at midnight, where every synth stab feels like a flash of light reflecting off chrome. The music is meticulously constructed, balancing Tetsuya Komuro's complex keyboard arrangements with Takashi Utsunomiya's smooth, reliable vocals and Naoto Kine's grounding guitar work.

What truly sets them apart is their 'Time Machine' concept, blending the technical precision of early digital workstations with a genuine pop heart. They moved beyond simple New Wave into something more cinematic and ambitious, often incorporating progressive rock structures into four-minute radio hits. This 'FANKS' sound (a portmanteau of Funk, Punk, and Fans) created a blueprint for the high-production J-pop that would dominate the next decade.

Start with the 1987 anthem 'Get Wild' to understand their cultural peak, then dive into the album 'Self Control' for a masterclass in 80s synth-pop. For those interested in their more experimental side, the later 'Major Turn-Round' reveals their deep-seated progressive rock influences.

TM Network is a Japanese rock/new wave/pop musical band, made up by Tetsuya Komuro (keyboardist), Takashi Utsunomiya (vocalist) and Naoto Kine (guitarist). They became popular in Japan as the "futuristic pop songs with synthesizer" after the release of their 1987 single "Get Wild". Tetsuya Komuro became a famous producer of dance-oriented J-pop singers in 1990s, and as such they are considered a prototype of the J-pop genre. However, their 2000 album Major Turn-Round was influenced by progressive rock.

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Our Catalog13 Albums · 1984 · 2023