VINYL: Space Adventure Cobra Original Soundtrack

There's something inherently special about Japanese animation from the 80s and 90s. Not just on a purely visual level, but musically as well, where the older productions sound fundamentally different from what we have today. Cool, punchy, and often downright dreamlike. It's like you've accidentally wandered down a dark alley and stumbled into the city's hippest watering hole. A place to drown your sorrows as well as broaden your mind.

And that's more or less the easiest way to sum up the Space Adventure Cobra Original Soundtrack. Its distinctive mix of pulp and noir, with just the right amount of jazziness sprinkled on top, makes this a singularly delightful experience. Pure bliss for the soul and for all the old-timers, it's also a trip back to the happy days of childhood. During a period where - at least in Europe - this was often described as "manga film." A somewhat unfortunate and odd term.

With that said. Cobra for sure has some very die hard fans and as such - the soundtrack has been handed with utmost care by Wayo Records. And this vinyl boxset is nothing short of exquisite. In fact, the compositions by Kentarô Haneda and Yûji Ôno have never sounded better. Punchy and dripping with personality, demanding your utmost attention.

This is pure, unadulterated retro fun. Complete with space pirates, James Bond fantasies, mutations, disco, and pulp. In a way, it's the embryo of what Cowboy Bebop would later become, and an almost perfect summary of the 1980s - overflowing with style and finesse.

Wayo Records are, of course, no rookies when it comes to this kind of luxuriously packaged nostalgia, having already established themselves as perhaps the foremost producer of Japanese cult soundtracks. Properly pressed vinyls free from invasive pops and noise, accompanied by all sorts of delightful extras that make your stomach flutter with joy - posters, booklets, and interviews. You name it.

The packaging is just as breathtaking as one would expect. An explosion of retro goodness with Cobra himself at the center of it all - the ever-confident hero with his blaster arm and mischievous smile. Inside, we find three perfectly pressed records, illustrations from the film, Japanese liner notes (translated into English), and (of course) a crystal-clear soundscape. A warm, analog hug that only vinyl can deliver.

But the real space adventure begins when we load the turntable with the first record. The main theme quickly sets the tone, a piece that could easily have been lifted straight from any Bond film. Trombones, funk bass, synths, and choral vocals sweep you away on a symphonic journey you never really want to end. Parts of it are almost shockingly contemporary - despite the music now being over 40 years old.

What makes Space Adventure Cobra even more unique is how effortlessly it comes across as cool; the music doesn't even try - it just is. Somehow, they managed to capture the spirit of the future right then and there, optimism wrapped in danger.

The highlights are many, and truth be told, it's hard to list them all. But sure, the Love Theme is damn special. That almost heart-wrenching, magnificent anime jazz that melts titanium as easily as it melts hearts. Then of course there's Psychogun Action - a pure shot of adrenaline whose pulsating bassline makes it nearly impossible to sit still. It's a stunningly precise soundtrack that blends a wide range of genres without ever losing its way or its identity, and therein lies perhaps the true strength of Kentarô Haneda and Yûji Ôno's compositions - playful but never shallow. Sensual but never cheap.

Life is rarely fair, and the fact that neither Kentarô Haneda nor Yûji Ôno has ever received the same recognition as Joe Hisaishi or Yoko Kanno is downright scandalous. Their fingerprints can still be found all over the Japanese music world, and Wayo Records has truly accomplished something very special here. They've breathed new life into a cult classic long ignored, and turned the spotlight on two of the industry's perhaps most overlooked stars.

So dim the lights, lean back, and enjoy. Let the astral synthesizers and funky brass carry you away on a journey through the asteroid belts, shimmering planets, and dimly lit space canteens.

WAYO-V021 - Space Adventure Cobra Oriignal Soundtrack