Team Doyobi

Team Doyobi ~ Biography TEAM DOYOBI are an English Electronic Music duo signed to the influencial SKAM (www.skam.co.uk ) records. They specialise in a form of Electronic audio cross breeding various influences and cross referencing music genres including; TECHNO, ELECTRO, ACID HOUSE, PROGRESSIVE ROCK, ITALO DISCO, ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC, AMBIENT, BASS MUSIC and NOISE. Most critics have simply labelled their sound as IDM (Intelligent Dance Music), GLITCH or “8-BIT” due to their experimental and pioneering use of the Amiga Computer as a serious musical instrument. Their individual and continually difficult to categorise sound has garnered the attentions of a diversity of established labels and well known musicians across the globe, as well as a cult following of underground and loyal fans. Alex Peverett and Chris Gladwin met whilst attending school in the Linconshire Wolds, a culturally remote area on the east coast of England, and immediately began their creative partnership. Originally working together to produce analogue VIDEO ART and SCRATCH VIDEO their first joint expeditions into computer music began by producing their own soundtracks to these video pieces. Having grown up during the home computer boom of the 1980s they didnt have to look far to begin utilizing cheap and accessible technologies. Using Commodore Amiga home computers running public domain software they began fashioning collages of electronic beats and melodies with 8-bit samplers, car- boot sourced electronics, creative thinking and meticulous programming. For well over a decade of on-going collaboration they have developed a unique sound full of invention and are often described as one of UK electronica’s hidden gems and most overlooked innovating acts, unintentionally preceding the nostalgia of the CHIPTUNES scene. After producing several home made cassette releases under the name “Doyobi”, (picked at random out of an inherited Japanese phrase book) they shifted their focus to performing live. Their live shows brought their lo-fi, glitch addled yet soulful brand of electronic dance music to life and they quickly gained a reputation as “those guys with the old computers”. Following a record studio launch party in the UK’s “techno city” Sheffield, their live show caught the attention of Brighton’s FAT-CAT (www.fat-cat.co.uk ) records who quickly released the newly titled “TEAM” DOYOBI’s first record as a split 12” with “REQ” (WARP) in 1999. One of their early cassette releases had also found its way to Manchester’s SKAM records who were keen to add them to their growing roster, alongside seminal acts BOARDS OF CANADA, BOLA, GESCOM and JEGA. In 2000 Skam released their first full EP “UNTITLED (AKA. PUSHCHAIRS FOR GROWNUPS)” to much interest in the electronica scene and the Team began regularly performing in the UK and throughout Europe as a part of the larger SKAM crew. 2001 was an important year with the release of TEAM DOYOBI’s first full length album for SKAM “CRYPTOBURNERS” and a very successful support slot with AUTECHRE throughout the European leg of their “CONFIELD” Tour. There was a long pause between this and the release of their second album on SKAM whilst the Team were holed up in their studio developing their sound and also working on solo audio projects and multimedia art works. Continuing individual interests in video art and computer music which had preceded their initial collaboration. Their solo work continues to develop as do their many collaborations with musicians and artists across the globe. Prolific producers, they have appeared on a multitude of compilations on labels such as WARP (UK), KID606’s TIGERBEAT (USA) imprint, SPEZIALMATERIAL (Switzerland), ALKU (Spain) and ACTIVE SUSPENSION (France). A track submitted for the Japanese noise label ALEIN8 went to press unnoticed using a corrupted audio file of the original piece, the original version was later released. TEAM DOYOBI continue to be a highly sought after remixing duo requested by peers and influences alike. Reworking tracks for SKETCH SHOW (EX-YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA), N.W.A, EMILLIANA TORRINI, LAURIE ANDERSON, GOODIEPAL, MACHINEDRUM, C64 ORCHESTRA, MARCO PASSARANI, BOGGER and many others. By the time of their second long player “CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE” (SKAM, 2004) TEAM DOYOBI's sound had evolved to absorb some of their more outré influences of PROGRESSIVE ROCK, 1970’s HORROR SOUNDTRACKS, NEW WAVE SCIENCE FICTION, AMBIENT MUSIC OF THE 1970s and FREE JAZZ although strangely the resulting compositions sounded more “DOYOBI” than ever. Due to extended studio time the programming had become more intense with kaleidoscopic assemblages of electronic debris cramming each track full of ideas, catchy hooks and beats forming out of chaotic algorithms and rapidly mutating synthesis. This release received often confused yet rave reviews from most critics demanding the listener to repeat listens to fully “appreciate” the LP in all its hidden beauty. The teams agenda was more isolated and determined than ever before and their self designed sleeve sported retina scorching primitive computer art that reflected their optimistic electro- psychedelic direction and clothed their audio appropriately. Shortly before the release of CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE they showcased a range of new material at the AUTECHRE curated ALL TOMMORROWS PARTIES, as a part of a truly eclectic festival that included fellow electronic musicians APHEX TWIN, DREXCIYA and A GUY CALLED GERALD alongside CAPTAIN BEEFHEARTS MAGIC BAND, SUNN, KOOL KIETH, YASUNAO TONE and PUBLIC ENEMY, to name but a few. Other notable live appearances include the LOVEBYTES DIGITAL ARTS FESTIVAL (Sheffield, UK), WARP’s NESH night and their legendary INCREDIBLE WARP LIGHTHOUSE PARTY (London, UK), BIOS (Athens, Greece) and a second ALL TOMMORROWS PARTIES appearance in 2005 by invitation from JAKE & DINOS CHAPMAN, although under other guises their ATP performances have now numbered 5 times. After the main bulk of TEAM DOYOBI’s third full length album had been written Alex relocated to Japan and the material was finalized negating their geographical separation using the power of the internet, a practice that has not hampered the Team’s creative process. It is perhaps fitting that their collaboration continues through technology. “The Kphanapic Fragments : Observing Spacial Anomalies in the Dynaflow, an amateur field guide (Heavy Light Cylinders CSR8-II through to MNN9-78 {vormathrom index}.”, finally appeared in 2006. The tracks had a more developed feel to them; extended workouts of hybridized analogue/digital synthesis, dsp vandalism, sample wrangling and kinetic mantras. The first two tracks were smooth 15minute epics that eschewed the usual Doyobi hyperactivity for a more spaced-out approach allowing each idea to breathe and be explored more fully. This more relaxed and possibly more mature approach did not affect their fans and the album received great reviews, citing it on occasion as the electronica album of the year. BBC RADIO 1’s MARY ANN HOBS invited the Team to do a special 30 minute session, marking the third BBC RADIO 1 show to support the team following repeated airplay from JOHN PEEL and a shorter session for the BREEZEBLOCK. It has been a while since TEAM DOYOBI have surfaced from their pan-dimensional virtual studio but the collaboration continues and their hard-drives are bursting at the seams with new work. Things are stirring in the dynaflow, rumors abound of an epic remix project mysteriously numbered “64”, a new SKAM release "ORCH V" and the launch TEAM DOYOBI’s own record label "ICASEA" with UK artist SKEKSI. ================================================