Artist
Eiichi Ohtaki
Producer and musician who shaped city pop's sonic architecture through his work with Sugar Babe and Yamashita, bringing perfectionist attention to arrangement and mix. A member of Happy End alongside Haruomi Hosono, he was instrumental in legitimizing Japanese-language rock before moving into production work. His production on Sugar Babe's Songs (1975) established the template that would define the genre, emphasizing clarity, harmonic density, and meticulous craft. The sessions were characterized by careful plotting of every harmony and guitar voicing, chasing a sound that felt both international and intimate.