In 1989, pianist and composer Yumiko Morioka put together a group of diverse street musicians and semi-professional players for a project that would come to be called the Synergetic Voice Orchestra. Inspired by Yumiko's love of different musical cultures from around the globe, the band drew on influences from India, Ethiopia, Mali, Korea and China to create an album that merged these sonic identities with more traditional sounds from the southern Japanese city of Okinawa. Having released her solo piano record Resonance a couple of years earlier, Yumiko was thrilled when offered the chance to make an album of 'any kind of music she wanted'. She pulled together artists she knew or had seen playing from in and around Tokyo, many of whom were self-taught and could not read music. It wasn't always easy for Yumiko, a classically taught musician, to work with others who lacked her formal training. But by employing the synergetic principles of American architect and theorist Buckminster Fuller, she fostered an environment where the results of the group had a larger impact than that of the individual. This approach brought a real energy to her compositions and the resulting recording sessions produced MIOS, an exploratory, creative work that felt alive with free-wheeling creativity. Nothing was off limits. The drummer, who ran a vegetable stall by day and practiced in a cemetery at night as to not disturb his neighbours, utilised old washing machine parts for some of the percussive elements.  Although Synergetic Voice Orchestra would eventually morph into a new band, leaving MIOS to exist as a singular moment in time, the album remains as one of Japan's true hidden treasures. Originally a CD only release, MIOS now comes to vinyl for the very first time, complete with brand new artwork by Elvis Barlow-Smith.
Release date:
September 3, 2021
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
HumminGuru: Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner
Advanced ultrasonic technology with customizable cleaning cycles and a large tank capacity to thoroughly remove dust, dirt, and contaminants
-
Vinyl Care - Top Picks
A selection of accesories to keep your turntable equipment & vinyl records in the best shape
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Bush I Beat Loneliness [2xLP]
Earmusic
July 18, 2025 -
Ryo Fukui Ryo Fukui Trio At The Slowboat 2004 [2xLP]
Lawson Ent
June 6, 2025 -
Francis Rossi The Way We Were Vol. 1 [2xLP]
Earmusic
July 18, 2025 -
Joe Jonas Music For People Who Believe In Love (Cloudy White)
Republic Records
May 23, 2025 -
Grateful Dead LIve At The Cow Palace-New Years Eve 1976 Audiophile [5xLP]
Friday Music Two
May 9, 2025 -
AVRALIZE Freaks (Marbled Violet, White)
Arising Empire (Edel)
May 9, 2025 -
Lukas Nelson American Romance
Sony Music Nashville
June 20, 2025 -
Entrails Raging Death
Reissued Sounds
May 16, 2025 -
Mark Stewart The Fateful Symmetry
Mute
July 11, 2025 -
Ken Boothe & Jah Wobble Old Fashioned Ways
Cleopatra Records
June 27, 2025 -
Slung In Ways (Orange)
Universal UK
May 9, 2025 -
Das Koolies Pando (Orange)
Universal UK
May 23, 2025 -
Chepang Jhyappa
Relapse
May 23, 2025 -
Rick Springfield Big Hits: Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 [4xLP]
Sing
May 16, 2025