B-2 DEP'T related

compiled by Nicholas D. Kent
email: ndkent "at" optonline.net

Last updated 03.3.28

(*) means I've never listened to this album

(@) means I've listened to this album but don't own a copy

Thanks to Ron Kane, Buggle

Special thanks to Mikio Kato!

Mikio Kato (keyboards) and Shigeru Nakamura (drums) have worked on quite a number of projects. Sometimes other artists join them.
They also do quite a bit of their own graphic design work.

Official site (in English):

http://www.polyrhythm.com/

**Some tracks are downloadable in mp3 above and albums are available for order**

 

various artists

Trojan Horse

1993 ¡Por supuesto! cd: STAP-0312

02. B-2 Dep't: Swimming Pool
14. B-2 Dep't: Trance Pacific 00

Two tracks on this compilation. (out of print)

 

Some other compilation and tribute albums are out there (there are some more I've not listed or heard)-

(*) WHO'S YMO (YMO Tribute) 1993 ALFA ALCA533
B-2 Dep't track 7.THE END OF ASIA

(@) SUN SUN SUN Hajime Tachibana Tribute
B-2 Dep't track 8.TAIYO-SUN

B-2 DEP'T

Ascending

1994 ¡POR SUPUESTO! STAP-0317

B-2 DEP'T is a technopop bandwho's members are Mikio Kato and Shigeru Nakamura. They made several albums though this and a v.a. compilation (Trojan Horse) are the only ones I have yet. They are of definite interest to fans of YMO, Logic System, early Denki Groove, though they are usually working on a less grandiose scale. This is a marvelous short album produced by Yoshinori Sunahara (then a mamber of Denki Groove). It seems to be out of print.


B-2 Dep't

LOOKBACK

(*) 1994 cd: OMNIDATA OMNICD01

early works on CD


Mikio Kato

AIKIDO

(*)1995 cd: OMNIDATA OMNICD02

solo album

B-2 Dep't

PETMUSIC

1996 cd: OMINIDATA OMINICD03

On this one the packaging seems to make one expect the music would be extremely cute and perhaps simple and game-like. It actually only sounds a touch like that description. Its is full length with a variety of styles ranging from old style technopop-ish works to 1996 current electronica. A few tracks are a little minimal or fragmentary but then others are very appealing.


B-2 Dep't

DE LUXE

(*) 1997 md: OMNI DATA omnimd04

I would guess its no longer available now because this was only released on minidisc (those little recordable cartridges). Some of the tracks seem to be from other releases.

Ongaku

Asian Polyrhythm Dance

2000 Omni Data Producte OMNICD08

A solo project of Mikio Kato.This is lite technopop with sound collages. It's like a technologocal age version of those "sounds of Japan" type albums western tourists would buy in the 50s and 60s. Shigeru Nakamura is credited with drums on the final remix track. It includes a cover version of "Prototype B-2" composed by Sakamoto (catch the previous band's name connection?) Sometimes its too repetitive for me but there are a lot of technopop era sounds and many parts that are clever, catchy and interesting listening, probably closest to Sakamoto's earlier synth tracks than say YMO if a comparison must be made.

a nick story:

I saw the Asian Polyrhythm Dance album in a shop in Shimokitazawa, Time to Galaxy. Didn't know what it was so I passed on it, but I thought that I ought to get it out of curiosity, so I thought Tower in
Osaka where I was at the time would have it -nope ... then I went back to Tokyo to pick up Tomoe Shinohara musical play tickets and thought for sure Tower Shibuya would have it...nope. So I was mad by the time I didn't see it at Tower Shibuya and took the train to Shimo-Kiatzawa and fortunately I found the place, so at least that was settled, then went back to Osaka.
Then I found out Zakka, the graphic designers bookshop in NYC had the CD as one of a total of only like 2 or 3 Music CDs they stock, but it was kind of behind the counter or they just got it so I never saw it there. Normally they stock design publications like IDN and Gasbook -- I suspect they had the CD because Henmaru Machino did the cover illustration (he did that fairly well known illustration of the lolita caterpillar that was in some big exhibitions and pop culture books. Gee what an ordeal.

 

 

2000-1 P-Vine cd: PCD-5808, PCD-5815

Y-Setsu-O are a parody band of YMO. I guess as "YMO" is the shortened version of "Yellow Magic Orchestra" these guys are the Ero Magic Orchestra and are doing presumably erotic cover versions versions of entire YMO albums. These albums are credited with phoney names but it's well known the guys behind the act are Hisahi Saito, Mikio Kato and Shigeru Nakamura. A big claim to fame was the real YMO "4th member" Hideki Matsutake joined them for a live concert. I'm uncertain if he appears on CD or not. I know there is a multimedia section on the live CD that I've not played yet.

I guess one can't avoid comparisons with the "other" YMO parody band, OMY. To me Oriental Magnetic Yellow doesn't have the Ero content and most striking musically, OMY does sound alike tracks that are not actual YMO compositions while Y-Setsu-O does tight cover versions.

I'm certain that understanding or not understanding Japanese is a huge factor with these albums. Since I can't really understand the changed lyrics its hard for me to say much except acknowlege the cover versions are very tight so musically its mostly a "wow" thats very close or "umm, thats not exactly the same"

They are also on the 2001 Futuretron compilation (with profanity in English)

Y-Setsu-O Home Page (in Japanese)

Honey Mannie

Honey Mannie

HAJIMETE KIT

I understand this to be a demo/mini-album

mp3 excerppts can be downloaded here anlong with more info


They are a new and current act with Yukiko Sawada joining on lead vocals for a synth pop with lead vocals sort of thing.

 

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