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ROVO |
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Yamamoto Seiichi
Yoshigaki Yasuhiro
Masuko Tatsuki
Okabe Youichi
Harada Jin
Nakanishi Hiroshi
Katsui Yuji |
Guitar
Percussion
Synth, FX, Production
Percussion
Bass, Harmonica
Synth
Violin |
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Profile |
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Spiritual-core, trance-rock, jazz-rock, space rock, prog, krautrock, jungle music, psych. These are just a sampling of the genres foisted on ROVO, a seven-member ensemble that has arisen from the Tokyo underground scene to critical success and prominence in electronica circles. ROVO draws on considerable instrumental talent from its members, whose pedigrees include the Boredoms (Yamamoto), Ground Zero and Date Course Pentagon Royal Garden (Yoshigaki) and Bondage Fruits (Okabe) to make its self-touted "man-driven drum 'n bass" come alive.
True to its mantra, ROVO songs are typically anchored by highly complex, dynamic percussion, heavy on polyrhythms and punctuated by breakbeats, all made possible by the group's two drummers. The percussion is further spiced up by the inclusion of tribal rhythms and traditional drums. The main melody, generally improvised, can require several minutes to develop, often following two general paths. The first, more typical of ROVO's earlier work, uses synthesized instruments buried under effects to achieve a spacey, detached feel. When ROVO heads in the opposite direction, though, the melody unfurls into a lush, compelling aggregate of synth and classical instruments, though still embellished with numerous effects. Regardless of the path taken, ROVO's compositions are sprawling and epic, but backed by spontaneity and energy to keep even the shortest attention spans plugged in.
ROVO was initially formed as a small project in 1995 by Yamamoto and Katsui, with Masuko signing onboard soon after. The founding members agreed they wanted to "play something big and spacey." By 1997, ROVO's lineup had expanded to include everyone in their current roster aside from Nakanishi (who later joined in 2001). Their maiden performance was held at Tokyo's Ebisu Milk in 1997, co-hosted by DJ Force and Moochy. The following, year the group issued a 12-inch EP Vitamin!/Cisco! and mini album PICO! before delivering their spacey full-length debut Imago in 1999 with Sony. Imago received critical press internationally, and a pair of DJs at San Francisco's KUSF were so taken by a ROVO performance that they started a label, Incidental Music, to bring Imago stateside and to Europe.
In 2000, ROVO started filling out their events calendar, beginning with the Fuji Rock Festival. They also appeared with Supercar at soundohb in October, which started a relationship with the band. They collaborated later to produce "Fairway (White Speed mix)" which appeared as a b-side on Supercar's Fairway single. ROVO took their act overseas in July of 2001, playing at a few select venues in the United States, which resulted in a double-disc live recording on John Zorn's Tzadik label. Until present, ROVO has continued an ambitious release schedule, with nearly one major album of new material each year, all the while marching into more melodic territory. Their 2001 and 2002 albums Sai and Flage, respectively, are currently slated for reissue in 2005 by Universal, after the band's label change from Warner. Meanwhile, during the remainder of 2005 the band has been performing constantly, while Yamamoto Seiichi released a solo album in November.
- James Route (published 2005.05.17, updated 2005.12.20) |
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Links |
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Artist homepage
Universal Music Japan
Samples |
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Discography list |
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| Albums |
| TZ-7239 |
Tonic 2001 |
| ESCB-3228 |
PICO! |
| ESCB-3241 |
imago |
| AICT-1214 |
PYRAMID |
| WINN-82073 |
SAI |
| RVLN-001 |
LIVE at Liquid Room 2001.05.16 |
| WINN-82117 |
FLAGE |
| WRD-5 |
LIVE at Hibiya Oono 2003.05.05 ~Man Drive Trance Special~ |
| POCE-2507 |
MON |
Singles |
| ESCB-3246 |
Fairway |
| ESCL-2312 |
66db |
EPs |
| EIZJ-0007 |
VITAMIN!/CISCO! (12") |
| SYUM-0096 |
HORSES!/KMARA! |
Compilations |
| PSCR-5687 |
SHOCK CITY SHOCKERS |
| PCD-18501 |
Sino (DCPRG Split) |
| SALD-003 |
E2-E4 2001 -inspiration from Manuel Gotsching's E2-E4 |
| WRD-2 |
MAN DRIVE TRANCE COMPILATION vol.1 |
| ISCP-1008 |
Hotaka Matsuri '01'02 |
| WPC6-10231 |
Anima Mundi |
| MRBT-1 |
ELECTRIC-BRAIN feat.Astro boy |
| KSCL-646 |
FINE TIMES ~A Tribute to NEW WAVE |
| VSAC-2002 |
BOYCOTT RHYTHM MACHINE |
DVDs |
| POBE-2500 |
LIVE at Hibiya Oono 2004.05.05 ~Man Drive Trance Special~ |
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Fairway (Single)
Released: 2000.02.02 (ESCB-3246)
Label: dohb discs/Sony Music
Tracklist
4. Fairway (White Speed mix) |
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imago (Album)
Released: 1999.08.04 (ESCB-3241)
Label: dohb discs/Sony Music
Tracklist
1. N'DAM
2. HORSES
3. LARVA
4. MATTAH
5. NUMA
6. KMARA |
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HORSES!/KMARA! (EP)
Released: 1999.03.20 (SYUM-0096)
Label: dohb discs/Sony Music
Tracklist
a. HORSES!
b. KHMARA! |
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PICO! (Album)
Released: 1998.07.18 (ESCB-3228)
Label: dohb discs/Sony Music
Tracklist
1. YVMA! (original TEXT is VITAMIN!)
2. CISCO!
3. VITAMIN!
4. DAKLA! (original TEXT is CISCO!) |
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SHOCK CITY SHOCKERS (Compilation)
Released: 1998.06.10 (PSCR-5687)
Label: TRATTORIA
Tracklist
21. KNM! (feat. DJ Force) |
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VITAMIN!/CISCO! (12") (EP)
Released: 1998 (EIZJ-0007)
Label: dohb discs/Sony Music
Tracklist
a. VITAMIN!
b. CISCO! |
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Tonic 2001 (Album)
Released: Unknown (TZ-7239)
Label: Tzadik
Tracklist
(Disc 1)
1. Sukhna
2. Guiding Star
3. Horses
4. Sunspot
5. Na-X
(Disc 2)
1. Sinno
2. Cisko
3. Vitamin |
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