Slowly Minute

Slowly Minute's whimsical electronic music is the product of Takahiro Chiba, a resident of Sapporo, Japan who also works as a fashion designer. Chiba began making music in the late '90s, while still in his teens. The playful mix of live and electronic elements in Chiba's arrangements and the innocent, almost childlike feel of his music caught the ear of Nobukazu Takemura, who signed Chiba to his Childisc label and released the debut album Farmer's Cafe in 2001. Although several Slowly Minute releases came out over the next few years, including the full-lengths Tomorrow World and Somewhere in Recollections as well as the single Wish a Happiness, Chiba also kept busy with another one-man band, the dream pop inspired Lopops. Tomorrow World was released in the U.S. by Bubble Core in fall 2004; a full-length Lopops record was also expected by the end of that year.