About the band: Japan were an English New Wave / New Romantics band formed in 1974 and broken up in 1982, with the members (most notably lead singer David Sylvian) pursuing different careers (a brief reunion occurred in 1991 under the name Rain Tree Crow). They released five studio albums, of which the latter three are among my favourites. Japan currently have three songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.
About the song: their final album Tin drum from 1981 marked the artistic peak as well as the untimely end of Japan. The most important song on the album is Ghosts, a superb ballad and a strong contender for the title of best single ever. Right from the first out-of-this-world sounds, this songs weaves a spell like no other. A surprise UK top 10 hit, it is notable for its utterly minimal arrangement, almost entirely eschewing beats for Barbieri's textures and Jansens work on marimba. David Sylvian has never sounded better in his life - and that is quite a statement giving my admiration for his work. Run time 4:34.
