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Boom Boom Satellites
Michiyuki Kawashima
Masayuki Nakano
Vocals, Guitars
Bass, Drums, DJ
Profile
Integrating electronica, rock, and jazz elements, Boom Boom Satellites are one of Japan's most experimental and acclaimed bands. With exciting and challenging albums, and live shows that would put most dance artists to shame, Boom Boom Satellites are a band for those looking for something different.

Michiyuki Kawashima (vocals, guitar, lyricist) and Masayuki Nakano (bass, drums, DJ) formed Boom Boom Satellites while attending college in Tokyo, taking their name from a Sigue Sigue Sputnik song.

In 1995 their debut single "Dub Me Crazy" was included on DJ Fumiya Tanaka's 'Abstract Set One' compilation, and they were signed by Belgium's R&S Records. Following the European releases of "Dub Me Crazy" and "For A Moment Of Silence" the UK music press started singing their praises, and Boom Boom Satellites were signed by Sony Music Entertainment Japan.

Over the next couple of years the band played a number of festivals, and toured Europe, before returning home in 1998 to release their first full album, "Out Loud", to critical and popular acclaim. The unique blend of jazz-influenced electronica, combined with the heavy use of guitars, earned them many fans, and drew comparisons to the Chemical Brothers.

In 2001 their second album, "Umbra", was released. This was a more polished effort, with a smoother, more coherent sound. This time the guitars were still there, but the flowing keyboards and jazz influences were stepped up - resulting in an album that was less techno, more soundscape. The album was less favourably received than the first, but the collaboration with Public Enemy's Chuck D on "Your Reality's A Fantasy But Your Fantasy Is Killing Me" helped keep their profile high.

"Photon", the Boom Boom Satellites' third album, was released in 2002. The band built on everything they had done previously, but this time added spoken word lyrics, repeated textures, and inspired moments of manic jazz-fusion. A darker, menacing sound, but one that the fans loved.

A tour of the UK followed in 2003, before the band started work on the soundtrack for the 2004 anime film, "Appleseed", for which they contributed four songs. This was followed in 2005 by the release of their fourth album, "Full Of Elevating Pleasures". A positively more mainstream album, the jazz-influences of previous albums were toned down and a more guitar-based rock sound emerged.

"On", the duo's fifth album, was released in May 2006. This continued in a similar pop vein to it's predecessor, but with an even greater guitar presence, and added techno beats - resulting in a much faster frantic vibe.

Boom Boom Satellites are the perfect example of what makes Japanese music so exciting - they are unafraid to mix genres and experiment; are keen to progress their sound with each album they release; and are serious about giving it their all for the live shows.

- Rich Dodgin (published 2005.12.03, updated 2006.06.02)
Links
Artist homepage
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
Samples
Keikaku Content
Review - On
Discography list
Albums
SRCP401 On
SRCP-386 Full Of Elevating Pleasures
SRCL-5386 Photon
SRCL-4997 Umbra
AICT-35 Out Loud

Singles
SRCL-5851 Spine / Dive For You
SRCL-5375 Blink
SRCL-5128 Soliloquy
SRCL-4996 Sloughin' Blue
AICT-139 Fogbound
AICT-53 On The Painted Desert - Rampant Colors
AICT-26 Push Eject
SRCS-8468 Joyride

Compilations
SRCP-371 Appleseed (compilation soundtrack)
MUSH01747.2 Push It (single by UK band Garbage)
Discography
cover image On (Album)

Released: 2006.05.17 (SRCP401)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Kick It Out 2. 9 Doors Empire 3. Girl 4. id 5. Play 6. She's So High 7. Pill 8. Generator 9. Beat It 10. Porcupine 11. Nothing 12. Loaded
cover image Full Of Elevating Pleasures (Album)

Released: 2005.03.24 (SRCP-386)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Rise And Fall 2. Let It All Come Down 3. Moment I Count 4. Ride On 5. Spine 6. Route For Exile 7. Back In The Night 8. Propeller 9. Dive For You 10. Anthem -Reprise- 11. Echo Tail 12. Stride
cover image Spine / Dive For You (Single)

Released: 2004.12.01 (SRCL-5851)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Spine 2. Dive For You
cover image Appleseed (compilation soundtrack) (Compilation)

Released: 2004.03.24 (SRCP-371)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Dive For You 5. Bump Over Hills 10. Anthem 11. Under Dog
cover image Photon (Album)

Released: 2002.07.24 (SRCL-5386)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Inception 2. Light My Fire 3. Beluga 4. Dress Like An Angel 5. Piper 6. 40-Forty- 7. Blink 8. Amber 9. Let It Lift 10. I.A.I.T. (Intercity Dub)
cover image Blink (Single)

Released: 2002.06.26 (SRCL-5375)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Blink 2. Blink DJ Tasaka Remix 3. Blink Koji Nakamura (Supercar) PS Remix
cover image Soliloquy (Single)

Released: 2001.07.18 (SRCL-5128)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Soliloquy 2. Soliloquy_Dazzle-T's Headroc RMX 3. Sloughin' Blue Jamscape 4. Your Realitys' A Fantasy But Your Fantasy Is Killing Me (featuring Chuck D) Coldcut v. Steinski-Going Under Mix
cover image Umbra (Album)

Released: 2001.02.07 (SRCL-4997)
Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Tracklist
1. Sloughin' Blue 2. Ingrained 3. Brandnew Battering Ram 4. Your Realitys' A Fantasy But Your Fantasy Is Killing Me (featuring Chuck D) 5. Ego 6. Looking Glass 7. Fogbound -Flit Through- 8. Sinker 9. Soliloquy 10. Panacea
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