Bio

Jacob Arntson ジェイコブ ・アーントソン

[from Seattle, USA] (vocals, guitar, synth, bass, trumpet…)

Craig Exton クレイグ・エクストン 

[from Melbourne, Australia] (bass, synth, vocals…)

Grant McGaheran グラント・マガラン

[from Sheffield, England] (drums, samples, vocals, synth, melodica…)

Tatsumi Ochiai タツミ・オチアイ 

[from Chiba, Japan] (synth, sampler, guitar, devices, vocals…)

Abikyokan formed in 2004 as a vehicle for the founding members, Jacob, Tatsumi and Grant to bring together and make sense of their differing musical backgrounds and influences. For its first two years, in a four-piece, a five-piece, and then another four-piece configuration the band experimented with a number of styles and drinks, and brought forth two EPs, the album Delayer and performed in a whirlwind of eclectic, volatile and wildly unpredictable live shows.

In 2006 Abikyokan settled down and settled back to the core trio to create their most honest and exploratory work to date, the album Zuper, inspired by their surroundings in east Tokyo.

In 2009, the trio released the Novaya Zemlya album, an otherwordly compilation of sampledelic blues, bass-heavy electro disco, sinister enka and psychedelic, jazzy ambience, recorded over four years and sounding like it.

In 2010 bassist Craig Exton joined, and Grant started to play drums. Live, Abikyokan has been rocking a fusion of psychedelia, avant-pop, kosmische and new wave, while in the studio a return to synths, dance music and sample-based sounds has been gleefully embraced.

The Fear EP was released in June 2012 and Abikyokan continue their release of singles from the Star Panic project.

Ex-members:

Andrew Blanch (drums) – 1/05 to 4/06

Keitaro Endo (bass, guitar) – 7/04 to 11/05

Ben Frost (vocals) – 1/04 to 9/04

Beloved guest musicians:

Murata Sawako (vocals)

Makino Eri (vocals, keys)

TropeN (vocals, guitar)

Naoe Miki (short wave radio)