P-Model

Japanese new wave band P-Model started up in 1979, formed by central member Hirasawa Susumu out of the remains of his previous band, the progressive rock group Mandrake. Often credited, together with their contemporaries the Plastics and Hikashu, as co-founders of Japanese techno-pop, P-Model's influence has been felt over several generations of Japanese music. P-Model's 1979 debut album, 'In a Model Room', was produced by Sakuma Masahide of the Plastics, cementing the early connection between the two groups. Like the Plastics', the sound is heavily influenced by new wave and techno-pop, although P-Model's approach is more influenced by the edgy post-punk sound of British groups like XTC than the more conceptual style of Sakuma's own band. 1980's 'Landsale' continued in a similar vein, but 1981's 'Potpourri' was a far darker album, with multi-layered synthesizers and a greater use of distortion and guitar effects. The songs are more experimental in nature, with elements of dub and industrial music. This more experimental style continued with 1982's 'Perspective', which resembles efforts by groups like Magazine, with its heavy, echoing synth rock sound. P-Model continued their intensive schedule of releases until 1986's 'One Pattern', by which time Hirasawa was the only original member left. After this, Hirasawa worked on solo material and the band's releases dried up for a while; P-Model re-emerged in 1992 with a new lineup and a self-titled album that made greater use of sequencers and dance beats. This album and its follow-up, 1993's 'Big Body', introduced the style that would define Hirasawa's music, drawing on techno music as well as sounds and melodies influenced by his time spent in Thailand. The 1990s also saw Hirasawa working in closer collaboration with new bandmate Konishi Kenji, whose influence was strongly felt on 1995's 'Fune'. In the late 1990s, a number of bands in Tokyo and nearby Chiba appeared, championing the influence of the '80s new wave generation, and P-Model found themselves at the center of a new wave of popularity, with the band Polysics in particular emulating large parts of the early P-Model sound and even going as far as wearing the same identical "P" badges on their chests while performing. Despite this, the group disbanded at the end of 1999 with Hirasawa concentrating on his solo projects and working on several soundtracks to animated films. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]