Released in 1973, Hikōki Gumo marked the beginning of Yumi Arai’s legendary career. Backed by the powerhouse unit Caramel Mama Haruomi Hosono, Tatsuro Suzuki, Takashi Matsumoto, and Masataka Matsutoya (her future husband)the album blends soft rock, folk, and baroque pop into something uniquely Japanese.The title track “Hikōki Gumo” later resurfaced in Studio Ghibli’s 2013 film The Wind Rises, earning the song a new wave of admiration.
