Hi-Fi Set was a Japanese vocal trio, formed in 1974 from the folk group Red Bird, whose polished harmonies on songs written by Yumi Arai made them one of the bridges from folk to city pop.[1] Their “Sky Restaurant” has since been sampled by J. Cole and Chris Brown.[2]
History
Junko Yamamoto, Toshihiko Yamamoto and Shigeru Okawa formed Hi-Fi Set after Red Bird split in 1974.[1] Their 1975 debut single “Graduation Photo” was written by Yumi Arai (later Matsutoya), and their cover of Morris Albert’s “Feelings” (1977) was an instant hit; they appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen that year.[1] The group recorded for Alfa, Toshiba EMI and CBS/Sony before disbanding in 1994.[1]
Samples
J. Cole sampled “Sky Restaurant” on “January 28th” (2014), and Chris Brown used it on “Moonlight” (2023).[2]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Graduation Photo | Alfa |
| 1976 | Fashionable Lover | Alfa |
| 1977 | Love Collection | Alfa |
| 1977 | The Diary | Alfa |
| 1978 | Swing | — |
| 1978 | Coming Up | Toshiba EMI |
| 1979 | Flash | Toshiba EMI |
| 1979 | Quarter Rest | Toshiba EMI |
| 1981 | 3 Notes | Toshiba EMI |
| 1982 | 1 & 2 | Toshiba EMI |
| 1983 | I Miss You | Toshiba EMI |
| 1984 | Pasadena Park | CBS/Sony |
| 1985 | Indigo | CBS/Sony |
| 1986 | Sweet Locomotion | CBS/Sony |
| 1987 | Gibraltar | CBS/Sony |
| 1988 | Eyebrow | CBS/Sony |
Notable songs
- “Sky Restaurant” ↗1975
- “Feelings” ↗1977
References
- “Hi-Fi Set”. Wikipedia. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
- “Iconic City Pop Songs Covered or Sampled by Overseas Artists”. Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
In the catalogue · 14
夢うつつ (Completely)
1975 · ETP-20141
The Diary
1977 · ETP-72268
Coming Up
1978 · ETP-80049
閃光 = Flash
1979 · ETP-80082
Quarter Rest
1979 · ETP-80124
Fashionable Lover
1980 · ALR-4011
卒業写真
1980 · ALR-4012
Love Collection
1980 · ALR-4010
3 Notes
1981 · ETP-90079
1&2
1982 · ETP-90157
I Miss You
1983 · ETP-90216
Pasadena Park = パサディナ・パーク
1984 · 32AH 1626
Indigo
1985 · 28AH 1833
Sweet Locomotion
1986 · 28AH 2018
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