初めて沖縄の透明な深い海の「青」を見たとき、色の力を思いました。そして「青」と一言で言っても、人によって違うだろうな…ましてや住んでいる国や、気候が違ったら、違うイメージを持っているだろうな…そんなことをふと思いました。それがこの色彩シリーズの構想の発端です。このアルバムのカヴァー・ジャケットは沖縄の座間味の海の中で撮りました。そして、その写真を見せつつ、レコーディングを進めました。HaLoの”blue”のグラデーションを聴いてください。

ayako

The first time I saw the ‘blue’ of the deep, clear sea of Okinawa, I was struck by the power of colour. Even to say that one word ‘blue’, means different things to different people, and for someone from a different country or climate, how much more does that image change? All these things passed through my mind. And that was the starting point for the concept of this “colour” series of albums. The jacket of this album was shot underwater in the sea at Zamami in Okinawa. I kept this photograph close to me and showed it to people often as recording progressed. I hope you enjoy HaLo’s shade of blue.

ayako

This is HaLo’s album #1. recorded between Oct 1998 and March 1999

all main vocals by ayako

produced by Satoru Fujii (puff up)

recorded by Richard Preston, Jari Laasanen, Satoru Fujii
recorded at Sound Suite Studio (UK), Ridge Farm (UK), MTV Studio (Finland), Elkarlanean Studio (Basque), Digit Studio (Malaysia), Space Velio (Japan), Bunkamura Studio (Japan)

balanced and mixed by Satoru Fujii at puff up location studio
mixing treatment at Duke Joint Studio (Japan)

mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis Mastering (UK)

recording coordinate : Joey O’Keeffe (UK), Kumiko Mitashita (Malaysia)

A&R : Kenjiro Kishi (toera inc.)
artist promotion : Masao Ishikawa (toera inc.)
sales promotion : Atsushi Suemitsu (toera inc.)

ayako is published by BMG Music Publishing

management : Five D Corporation (〜2001)

photo session on Zamami Island, Okinawa, Japan Jan 1999
the underwater photographs by Koji Yoshiura
diving support by Koji Era (diving survice JOY JOY)
the photo of ayako by Ai Iwane
the photo of the Halbop Comet by Nobuyuki Hirakata
all the other photos by ayako

art direction by ayako and Fumio Siozawa (cutcloud)
logo mark design by TOMKEM
translation by Joey O’Keeffe and ayako
design by Yayoi Nomura for BBQ Graphix
printing by Post inc.

music video “やさしい光 (sweet halo)”

director : Tim Kirkby
producer : Nina Sagemoen
camera : Dominic Greyer
make-up : Deanna V’lcevska
runner/driver : Sophie Evans
runner/assistant : Mark Schoefield
underwater camera : Ben Bishop
underwater lighting : Jay Duke
offline editor : Claus Wehlisch
online editor : Lance