Koenji Hyakkei

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高円寺百景
Origin	Tokyo Japan
Years active	1992?–present
Genres	Zeuhl, Progressive Rock
Labels	Magaibutsu (Japan) Skin Graft Records (North America)
Members	Yoshida Tatsuya (drums, vocals) Sakamoto Kengo (bass, vocals) Kanazawa Miyako (keyboards, vocals) Yamamoto Kyoko (vocals) Komori Keiko (reeds, vocals)
Past members	Masada Ryuichi Kubota Aki Kuwahara Shigekazu Harada Jin Oguchi Kenichi Sagara Nami
Website(s)	Koenji Hyakkei's Official Site (English)

Koenji Hyakkei (高円寺百景 - "Hundred Sights of Koenji") is a Japanese Zeuhl band led by Yoshida Tatsuya of Ruins fame. The band released their first (self-titled) album in 1994 with Aki Kubota from Bondage Fruit on vocals and keyboard. Though rhythmically not as complex as Ruins, Koenji Hyakkei still evokes a feeling of unfamiliarity due to non-standard modes and chanting in a nonsensical language.

Although Yoshida is the only consistent member of the band, Sakamoto Kengo has been on bass from their second album onwards. With new members, the band changes sounds completely, shifting from folky Prog rock to minimalism to Jazz fusion with the inclusion of Komori Keiko on reeds (usually soprano saxophone) on their album Angherr Shisspa.

Contents 1 History 2 Romanization 3 Language 4 Discography 4.1 高円寺百景 (Koenji Hyakkei, Hundred Sights of Koenji) - 1994 4.2 弐(II) (also known as Viva Koenji!) - 1997 4.3 Nivraym - 2001 4.4 Angherr Shisspa - 2005

[edit] History

Very little is known about the history of Koenji Hyakkei. Some have speculated that Yoshida keeps biographical information to a minimum in order to sustain a mystique. Former vocalist Aki Kubota is originally from the Koenji area of Tokyo, which is the only real lead on the origin of the name.

[edit] Romanization

There is no standard way of romanizing the name 高円寺百景. Official sources write it as Koenji Hyakkei, koenjihyakkei, KoenjiHyakkei, Koenji-Hyakkei, and others. The first two of the previous list tend to be the most common.

[edit] Language

There is no official word regarding the language that Koenji Hyakkei songs are sung in. For the most part, lyrics are reminiscent of Christian Vander's Kobaïan language (a notable exception is the song Zoltan from their self-titled album, which is a Kyrie). It is unlikely, though, that there is any meaning in the words. There are very few words shorter than four letters, and almost no instances of words repeated in more than one phrase. Additionally, spelling conventions and pronunciation vary between albums or songs, making it unlikely that the entire set of lyrics are meant to represent a single language.

[edit] Discography

[edit] 高円寺百景 (Koenji Hyakkei, Hundred Sights of Koenji) - 1994

1. Ioss
2. Doi Doi
3. Molavena
4. Gepek
5. Yagonahh
6. Ozone Fall
7. Zhess
8. Zoltan (dedicated to Zoltan)
10. Sunna Zarioki

Ryuichi Masuda - guitar, vocals
Tatsuya Yoshida - drums, vocals
Aki Kubota - keyboards, vocals
Shigekazu Kuwahara - bass, vocals

[edit] 弐(II) (also known as Viva Koenji!) - 1997

1. Grembo Zavia
2. Graddinoba Revoss
3. Sllina Vezom
4. Quidom
5. Aramidda Horva
6. Cembell Rotta
7. Brahggo
8. Rissenddo Rraimb
9. Guoth Dahha
10. Pamillazze

Aki Kubota - vocals, keyboards
Tatsuya Yoshida - drums, vocals, keyboards
Jin Harada - vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Kengo Sakamoto - vocals, bass

[edit] Nivraym - 2001

1. Nivraym
2. Becttem Pollt
3. Lussesoggi Zomn
4. Vissqaguell
5. Mederro Passquirr
6. Axall Hasck
7. Maschtervoz
8. Gassttrumm
9. Vallczeremdoss

Oguchi Kenichi / keyboards
Nami Sagara - vocals
Tatsuya Yoshida - drums, vocals, keyboards
Jin Harada - vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar Kengo Sakamoto - vocals, bass

[edit] Angherr Shisspa - 2005

1. Tziidall Raszhisst
2. Rattims Friezz
3. Grahbem Jorgazz
4. Fettim Paillu
5. Quivem Vrastorr
6. Mibingvahre
7. Angherr Shisspa
8. Wammilica Iffirom

Yoshida Tatsuya - drums, vocals
Sakamoto Kengo - bass, vocals
Kanazawa Miyako - keyboards, vocals
Yamamoto Kyoko - vocals
Komori Keiko - reeds, vocals