Fantasma (Cornelius album)

The tracks on Fantasma were written and recorded in the same order they appear on the album, and were produced on magnetic digital reel tape recorders.[5] Cornelius's goal in creating the album was to "take the listener on a personal trip, to be a one-on-one experience between the music and the listener. ... It starts with you entering into the journey and ends with you returning back to reality."[5] Almost all of the tracks were named after existing bands,[9] including Count Five, the Clash, and Microdisney.[10] Buffalo Daughter's Moog Yamamoto appeared on "Mic Check" and "2010".[11] The Apples in Stereo's Robert Schneider and Hilarie Sidney co-wrote and performed on "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –",[9][11] while the High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan (formerly of Microdisney) appeared on "Thank You for the Music".[11]

In Japan, the limited edition of Fantasma, which was packaged with stereo earphones, was released via Cornelius' own label Trattoria Records on August 6, 1997.[12][13] The standard edition of the album was released on September 3, 1997.[14][15] Fantasma peaked at number six on the Oricon Albums Chart.[4] On March 24, 1998, Fantasma was released in North America and Europe via Matador Records.[7] Due to sample clearance issues, "Monkey" was retitled "Magoo Opening", the same title as the sampled song, and relisted as a cover version.[5] Fantasma peaked at number 37 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.[6] As of 2006, the album had sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide.[16]

Two companion remix albums, FM and CM, were released on November 26, 1998.[17][18] The former is composed of remixes of Fantasma tracks by Money Mark, the High Llamas, Buffalo Daughter, the Pastels, Damon Albarn of Blur, Unkle, and Coldcut.[19] The latter is composed of remixes by Cornelius of tracks by most of the artists that contributed to FM.[20] The former reached number 39 and the latter reached number 40 on the Oricon Albums Chart.[4]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[21]
The Baltimore Sun	[22]
Exclaim!	9/10[23]
Pitchfork	8.8/10[9]
Rolling Stone	[24]
Select	4/5[25]
Spin	6/10[26]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised Fantasma as "one of those rare records where you can't tell what's going to happen next, and it leaves you hungry for more."[21] Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club said, "Fantasma is a crisp, dynamic, mostly pleasant construction that sounds like the product of one inventive man whose sounds are created and manipulated strictly within the confines of a studio setting."[27] Steve McClure of Billboard called it "a wonderful example of how some of Japan's best pop musicians assimilate Western musical influences and combine them in original, quirky ways."[28]

In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan placed Fantasma at number 10 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".[8] In 2011, it was included in LA Weekly's "beginner's guide" to the Shibuya-kei genre.[29] Tokyo Weekender writer Ed Cunningham cited it in 2020 as "a pinnacle" of the genre, and "one of the best-known Shibuya-kei records outside of Japan – if anyone has heard a Shibuya-kei release, it's probably Fantasma."[30] Reviewing the album's 2016 re-issue, Patrick St. Michel of Pitchfork said that Fantasma "distills the spirit and process of Shibuya-kei down to its purest essence".[9] Daniel Sylvester of Exclaim! wrote that "Cornelius used entire genre motifs wholesale to deliver one of the most exploratory releases of all time."[23]

On November 3, 2010, a remastered version of Fantasma was released via Warner Music Japan.[31] It was remastered by Yoshinori Sunahara (a former member of Denki Groove[32]). The limited edition includes a bonus CD and a bonus DVD.[33]

On June 10, 2016, Fantasma was reissued in the United States, coinciding with a tour in August, including a date performing at the Eaux Claires festival. The album was released as a limited edition remastered double vinyl LP via Lefse Records and digitally released via Post Modern.[34]

All tracks are written by Keigo Oyamada, except where noted.

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[11]

• Keigo Oyamada (also credited as "The Ape") – performance, writing, production, mixing

Musicians

• Toyoaki Mishima – keyboards
• Kazumichi Fujiwara – vocals (on "Mic Check", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", and "2010")
• Moog Yamamoto – scratching (on "Mic Check" and "2010")
• Kinbara Strings – strings (on "The Micro Disneycal World Tour", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", and "God Only Knows")
• Yano Yuki – theremin (on "The Micro Disneycal World Tour")
• Yoshié Hiragakura – drums (on "Count Five or Six", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", and "Free Fall")
• Robert Schneider – vocals, bass (on "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –")
• Hilarie Sidney – vocals, drums (on "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –")
• Sean O'Hagan – banjo, sampler, chorus (on "Thank You for the Music")

Production

• Toyoaki Mishima – hard disk manipulation
• Nakai-kun – mixing, engineering (assistant)
• Toru Takayama – mixing, engineering

Artwork

• Hiroshi Nomura – photography
• Masakazu Kitayama – artwork
• Mitsuo Shindō – artwork

• Fantasma at Discogs (list of releases)
• Fantasma at MusicBrainz (list of releases)