Kyoka

Experimental electronic musician Kyoka began taking piano lessons as a preschooler and continued until she was a teenager.. During this time, she experimented with tape recorders and itched to improvise and make music of her own. After she left her home to study economics in Tokyo, she purchased a Roland MC-505 — a drum machine, sequencer, and MIDI controller — and recorded tracks that led to her first releases for the Onpa label. Ufunfunfufu (2008) and 2 Ufunfunfufu (2009) brought about an association with Raster-Noton, during which she released the EP ISH (2012) and album Is (Is Superpowered) (2014). A refined set that switched from gentle electronic pop to lean industrial techno, Is (Is Superpowered) preceded an appearance on CI, from Raster-Noton leaders Byetone and Alva Noto's Diamond Version project.