Junko Yagami -- Matenro no Hurricane（摩天楼のハリケーン）

Junko Yagami（八神純子）had quite a busy 1985 with 2 original albums coming out: "Communication" in February and then "Jun"（純）later in November.

The major reason that I've remained a huge fan of hers all these years is how she's been able to come up with these really kakkoii hooks in her music. Case in point: from "Jun", came "Matenro no Hurricane" (Skyscraper Hurricane) which Yagami wrote and composed. The song has nothing to do with those annoying wind tunnels created from the huge towering buildings all set close to each other (I...I...was almost blown away one winter storm at university because of the effect). Instead, it's all about some big and dangerous spy intrigue in the metropolis.

However, lyrics aside, my attraction to "Matenro no Hurricane" is through Yagami's melody which starts off sounding as if she had gone Kraftwerk on me before the music goes into a warmer simmer although the "dan, dan, dan" synth thumps keep hovering throughout the song. Another zippy synth comes into play so that I've even categorized the cool number as a technopop tune. Furthermore, another play on the keyboard has a soft but relentless hum coursing through the song so that there is a cold breeze (instead of that titular hurricane, although it might be the calm before the storm) blowing while the actors are driving on the highway or walking on the lonely streets of Tokyo. Of course, I also love the line "In the eye of a hurricane, in the eye of a hurricane".

It must have been a good year for Junko fans. Incidentally, "Jun" peaked at No. 22 on the album charts.