Japan was one of the bands which really defined the sound of the early eighties. Paving the ground for the New Romantics, they were a good two years early when compared to the rest of the scene. This, and the stern refusal of frontman and songwriter David Sylvian to write songs which could actually become hits, assured they managed to avoid any major chart success. By the time the New Romantics had caught on with Japan, the band had already moved on, treading a line between the pop and the avant-garde, never willing to make their music easy for the listener.

Japan's music is very melancholy in nature, very quiet, with ethereal synth textures on top of a beautiful and intricate rhythm section, formed by Mick Karn's floating, fretless bass and Steve Jansen - Sylvian's brother - on drums. The lyrics, delivered by a haunting croon, are very

introspective - even spiritual - in nature and present images of exile, sorrow, loneliness and love.