About

Perhaps one of Japan’s most prolific composers, Yuji Ohno’s unique blend of cool jazz, funk, and cosmic disco is best known worldwide for soundtracking the adventures of Lupin the Third, the stylish and mischievous thief who leads the anime of the same name. Ohno has been a musical staple of the series since 1977 and, while his vast discography is dominated by Lupin-adjacent music, he has several releases under his own name and various pseudonyms and has lent his writing and arrangement skills to a number of singers, other animes, and live-action movies.

French label WeWantSounds attempts to create a more cohesive vision of Ohno’s career with Touch – The Sublime Sound of Yuji Ohno. Most of the music is pulled from his mid-‘70s to mid-’80s heyday and bears his unmistakably signature take on jazzy funk: crisp and finely polished with a grand, wide-screen cinematic feel, all while retaining a zoned-out, space-age vibe. While the compilation offers little surprise to those familiar with Ohno’s music, it stands as a compelling if somewhat restricted representation of it. - Spectrum Culture