Capsule

Capsule are the electronic and neo-shibuya kei music duo producer Nakata Yasutaka and singer Koshijima Toshiko and where formed in 1997.
 Their first album was released in 2001 and their music has been used on numerous tv programs such as Hello! Morning, and Utawara Hot Hit 10. They have been quite prolific released a dozen albums up to 2010
Here is their dancefloor hit from 2008 "Jumper"


Discography:

2001 Haikara Girl
2002 Cutie Cinema Replay
2003 Phony Phonic
2004 S.F. Sound Furniture
2005 Nexus-2060
2005 L.D.K. Lounge Designers Killer
2006 Fruits Clipper
2007 Sugarless Girl
2007 Capsule RMX
2007 Flashback
2008 More! More! More!
2010 Player

Links:
wikipedia
official site
last fm

Pizzicato Five

Over 16 years or so of existence Pizzicato Five where one of the driving forces of the Shibuya-Kei movement, which incorporated influences of jazz, lounge and 60s pop brought in to a 90s pop and electropop context.
 Formed in 1985 by Yasuhiro Konishi, Keitarō Takanami, Ryō Kamomiya, Mamiko Sasaki, and Shigeo Miyata, Their first single was "Audrey Hepburn Complex" Which was produced by YMO's Haruomi Hosono. Soon after they signed to CBS Sony , but their initial releases where not commercially successful.
 In 1990 vocalist Maki Nomiya joined the group and it was at this time they really developed a sound which fit into the emerging Shibuya-kei movement.
They gained exposure through work on tv themes and their 1993 album Bossa Nova 2001 became a top ten hit.
 In 1994 they had their first releases in America an Ep and album compilation Made in America.

By 1995 the group was simply the duo of Konishi and Nomiya and in February they toured Europe and America
Here's their hit from 1996 "Baby Portable Rock"

In 1997 they had formed their own label called Readymade and released the album Happy end of the World worldwide.
Readymade continued to release material up to 2001 when the group disbanded

Selected Discography:
1987 Pizzicatomania!
1987 Couples
1988 Belissima!
1989 On Her Majesty's Request
1990 Soft Landing on the Moon
1991 Hi Guys! Let Me Teach You
1991 This Year's Girl
1991 Free Soul 2001
1992 Sweet Pizzicato Five
1993 Instant Replay
1993 Expo 2001
1993 Bossanova 2001
1994 Overdose
1994 Made in USA (compilation)
1995 Romantique 96
1995 A Quiet Couple
1997 Happy End of the World
1998 Happy End of You
1999 Pizzicato Five
1999 Playboy & Playgirl
2000 Remixes 2000
2000 The Fifth Release from Matador
2001 Çà et là du Japon
2001 In the Mix

Links
wikipedia
Official Site
Fan Site (Japanese)
discogs
Rate your Music

Sandii (and the Sunsetz)

Sandii (born Sandra O'Neale) first recorded in the mid 70s under the name Sandra Ai. In 1975 she worked as for NHK TV and performed at the World Popular Song Festival and the following year at Yamaha World Popular Song Festival and released her first solo lp.
 In 1976 she met Makoto Kubota and joined his band Sunset Gang as a backup vocalist. She also continued her solo career and released an Lp under the name Sandy O'Neil.
 In 1979 Sandii appeared on YMO's Solid State Survivor album, and recorded her LP Eating Pleasure. At the same time Makoto Kubota cahnged the Sunset Gang to Sandii and the Sunsetz. In 1981 they released the album Heat Scale and followed it up in 1982 with Immigrants
 In 1983 Sandii and the Sunsetz had a top 20 hit in Australia "Sticky Music" and toured there including aa a support act for INXS

In 1985 they released the album La La La La Love. known as Banzai Baby outside Japan, but where unhappy with the lack of foreign promotion. Their Subsequent LPs included and Jamaican Dancehall and reggae influence among other things
After 1990 the band became just known as Sandii as if promoting Sandii as a solo artists. The relases since have been an eclectic range of pop, world music and later Hawaiian songs and Sandii has become involved in Hawaiian Hula culture, even running two schools in Japan on Hula dance and doing a tv show on Hula.

Sandii and the Sunsetz Discography:
1981 Heat Scale
1982 Immigrants
1983 Viva Lava Liva (Compilation)
1986 La La La La Love / Banzai Baby
1987 Rhythm Chemistry
1988 One Love

Links
Sandii official site
Wikipedia
Nippop
Life in Tokyo

YMO - Yellow Magic Orchestra

Yellow Magic Orchestra or YMO is an Electronic / Synthesizer group formed in 1978. They are regarded as pioneers in the field of electronic music much in the same regard as Kraftwerk from Germany is. The nucleus of the group being the trio of Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Their popularity in Japan lead to an advertising deal with Fuji Cassette

The group was also possibly the first to incorporate video game music in their repertoire such as this track which has been sampled by a number of artists most notably Jennifer Lopez

The band broke up in 1984 but have worked together on their various solo project, and Hosono and Takahasi as the duo Sketch Show. Sakamoto has also appeared with them in live performances. Since the group broke up Hosono has also enjoyed cntinued success as a producer and founded the label Daisyworld,  Takahashi outside of Sketch Show has had an extensive solo career and Sakamoto has become highly reknown in the area of film music as well as his many solo works. Perhaps most well remembered outside of Japan for his music for the film "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" which he also co-starred in alongside David Bowie and Tom conti
That work produced this hit single with David Sylvian

Selected Ymo Album
Discography:
1978: Yellow Magic Orchestra
1979: Solid State Survivor
1980: X∞Multiplies
1981: Bgm
1981: Technodelic
1983: Naughty Boys
1983: Naughty Boys Instrumental
1983: Service
1993: Technodon

Also numerous live LPs and singles

Links:
wikipedia
my space
last fm

Hello.

Welcome to my blog. This is designed for a TAFE assignment so please excuse the amateurish feel to it.
This blog is to showcase some of my favourite music artists from Japan (and maybe other parts of Asia) .I hope you like it :)