UCHU

Virtual trip ambient unit consisting of Kawabata Makoto, Higashi Hiroshi, and Ayano. All the music is played on voice and electric guitar. Because the concept of the group is to create a kind of "human techno" from improvised cut-up lyrics (single words, actually) and repeating guitar patterns, we use no samplers, sequencers, or synthesizers whatsoever.

The group evolved out of a guitar duo called Surfing UFO, which was formed in 1996. The name was changed to Uchu (Cosmos) when Ayano joined in 1998. There have been several different variations on the group, including a line-up with drums and bass called Dai-uchu (Macrocosm), a joint group with Uchu's all female equivalent COA that was called U-COA-CHU, and another joint project with the prolific Boredoms guitarist Yamamoto Seiichi's unit The Enban (The Saucer) which we called Enban to Uchu (Saucer & Cosmos). Uchu is currently taking a break.