Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids (VG+/VG+) – LP, AU 1980

Gentlemen Take Polaroids is an LP by Japan from 1980 released on the Virgin label.

About this album

Gentlemen Take Polaroids is a poised and finely detailed art-pop statement that helped define Japan’s move from glam-leaning beginnings towards sleek, modern new wave. Released in 1980, the album pairs David Sylvian’s detached vocal style with the band’s refined use of synthesiser colour, supple bass and restrained guitar, creating a sound that feels both stylish and unsettled. The title track, “Swing” and the reflective “Nightporter” show their growing command of atmosphere and tension, while the record’s icy elegance made it one of the group’s most admired releases. It remains a key bridge between late-’70s art rock and the cooler, more sophisticated end of synth-pop.

Genre: Pop & Rock

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