jumper capsule player

Since I returned from Japan a mere few days ago, I felt I should write briefly about a Japanese artist this time--or two--the duo behind J-techno/trance act "capsule".

L-R: Toshiko, Yasutaka (uh... he's looking a little like Andy Samberg here?

I swear this image isn't from a digital short...)

image via xmages.net

capsule officially debuted in 2001, their latest release in March marking their 9th year working together. The mastermind behind capsule, Yasutaka Nakata, personally handles every aspect of anything the duo puts out. We can hear in capsule's music, similarities in beat arrangements to popular American and European techno artists, with a fantastical, anime-like twist. This type of feeling behind the music is only encouraged by the overly cute frontwoman Toshiko Koshijima, who we can see bouncing around in the "Jumper" video.

"Jumper" is one of my all-time favorite songs from capsule, even if Toshiko repeats
the same verses over and over with different melodies...


She can't be human, she is so cute!
image via bonkurasu.animeblogger.net

There are a few other Japanese techno/electronic acts people have recommended to me as I love capsule, but don't seem to be as unique or even similar. Even listening to their music, late at night, cruising through downtown LA, is quite the surreal experience that I rarely encounter.

I always find it amazing how techno acts can differentiate themselves from each other, and capsule is one that offers the genre a distinct, playful mood of their own.

One of their older songs, "idol fancy"