Computer Soup

Computer Soup (sometimes stylized as Coms) 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 Satoru Hori 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 "cosmic jazz" fusion sound. In 1997, the band's debut eponymous CD album came out on a Japanese label Soup-Disk. The follow-up Toizarasi CD in 1999 was published via Soup-Disk's imprint Sun Out Recordings. Despite domestic-only distribution in Japan, both albums gained international recognition, with [a19957]'s favorable review in the Wire Magazine, active support from Markus Popp of Oval, who played live with Computer Soup during his visit to Japan in November '98, and praise from Andrew Pekler and Stefan Betke (Pole) among a few notable musicians and publishers. The US label Plug Research released two tracks from "Toizarasi" CD on 244296 10" split single with Chessie. In 2000, Computer Soup presented a limited-edition CD-R trilogy 425193 / 425244 / 425942 via 360° Records/Radio label in Japan. The same year, musicians also released their first live album recorded at Nude Lounge and realized several collaborative projects, including an album with Japanese turntablist ensemble BusRatch and 330927 CD on Lastrum/Ze-Koo — ambient album with [a428779]'s artwork and eight short stories written for each composition by Yamatsuka Eye of Boredoms, renowned composer Takehisa Kosugi, illustrator Shinro Ohtake, Butoh dancer and performer [a1265295], photographer/writer Kyoichi Tsuzuki, and other Japanese artists. In summer 2002, Computer Soup, which at this point became a trio of Satoru Hori (trumpet) with Kei Ikeda and Osamu Okubo on various toys and electronics, released one of its best-known and most popular albums, Improvisations And Edits Tokyo, 09/26/2001, recorded with German electronic musician Jan Jelinek during his first Japanese concert. The CD album was released by Soup-Disk in Japan and as part of the Audiosphere series by Quatermass/Sub Rosa in Belgium. In 2010, Computer Soup's last release to date came out, 8222146 digital/cassette album, which featured archival improvisations recorded five years prior with the band's original members, Daisuke Oishi (computer/electronics) and Shusaku Hariya (keyboards). In May 2018, Jan Jelinek re-released "Improvisations & Edits" on digital/LP via his Faitiche label.