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Computer Soup

[b]Computer Soup[/b] (sometimes stylized as [b]Coms[/b]) was a Japanese abstract jazz/experimental electronic music group from Tokyo, established in 1993 and active until the mid-2000s. The band started as an acoustic jazz quintet, led by [a1306455] on a trumpet and typically performing on Aoyama or Shibuya streetcorners. Computer Soup eventually began to incorporate various synthesizers, toy instruments, glitch, granular synthesis, and elements of microtonal music to evolve its distinctive "[i]cosmic jazz[/i]" fusion sound. In 1997, the band's debut [url=https://www.discogs.com/release/433160]eponymous CD album[/url] came out on a Japanese label [l5423]. The follow-up [i][m=801685][/i] CD in 1999 was published via Soup-Disk's imprint [l39783]. Despite domestic-only distribution in Japan, both albums gained international recognition, with [a19957]'s favorable review in the [l9575], active support from [a=Markus Popp] of [a=Oval], who played live with Computer Soup during his visit to Japan in November '98, and praise from [a=Andrew Pekler] and [a=Stefan Betke] ([a=Pole]) among a few notable musicians and publishers. The US label [l=Plug Research] released two tracks from "Toizarasi" CD on [i][r=244296][/i] 10" split single with [a9987]. In 2000, Computer Soup presented a limited-edition CD-R trilogy [i][r=425193][/i] / [i][r=425244][/i] / [i][r=425942][/i] via [l29893]/[l=Radio] label in Japan. The same year, musicians also released their first [url=https://discogs.com/release/437164]live album[/url] recorded at Nude Lounge and realized several collaborative projects, including an album with Japanese turntablist ensemble [a302039] and [i][r=330927][/i] CD on [l=Lastrum]/[l51235] — ambient album with [a428779]'s artwork and eight short stories written for each composition by [a=Yamatsuka Eye] of [a=Boredoms], renowned composer [a=Takehisa Kosugi], illustrator [a=Shinro Ohtake], Butoh dancer and performer [a1265295], photographer/writer [a1088202], and other Japanese artists. In summer 2002, Computer Soup, which at this point became a trio of [a1306455] (trumpet) with [a1306459] and [a1306456] on various toys and electronics, released one of its best-known and most popular albums, [i][r=322081][/i], recorded with German electronic musician [a=Jan Jelinek] during his first Japanese concert. The CD album was released by [l=Soup-Disk] in Japan and as part of the [l=Audiosphere] series by [l=Quatermass]/[l=Sub Rosa] in Belgium. In 2010, Computer Soup's last release to date came out, [i][r=8222146][/i] digital/cassette album, which featured archival improvisations recorded five years prior with the band's original members, [a=Daisuke Oishi] (computer/electronics) and [a=Shusaku Hariya] (keyboards). In May 2018, Jan Jelinek re-released "Improvisations & Edits" on digital/LP via his [l=Faitiche] label.

Members: Satoru Hori, Osamu Okubo, Shusaku Hariya, Daisuke Oishi, and Kei Ikeda

Releases