YMCK
Encyclopedia
YMCK is a Japan
ese Chiptune
band. The band members are as follows; Midori (vocals), Yokemura (music, lyrics, arrangement), and Nakamura (music video).
Their work has not been confined to Japan, having released albums in Korea, Thailand and the USA as well as appearing at various events around in East Asia and Europe.
YMCK's name is derived from Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black (known as CMYK
), a subtractive color
model.
In 2004, YMCK appeared at Microdisko http://www.microdisko.net/ in Stockholm, Sweden
. In the same year they released their first full album, "Family Music".
In 2005, YMCK made another appearance outside of Japan, this time at the FORMOZ FESTIVAL http://www.formoz.com/ in Taipei, Taiwan
and at the FAT FESTIVAL http://back.thisisclick.com/hff5/main_th.htm in Bangkok, Thailand
. They also released their second full album, "FAMILY RACING".
In 2006, they returned to Taiwan to appear at the FORMOZ FESTIVAL for the second time.
In January 2009, they appeared in Sweden once again, and this time at UppCon http://09.uppcon.se in Uppsala.
In January 2009, they played in the opening ceremonies for Katsucon 15 in Arlington Virginia (DC).
In 2009, YMCK remixed the #1 hit song Days
by Japanese mega-star Ayumi Hamasaki
.
In 2009, YMCK released their third album "FAMILY GENESIS", made available for the first time on the iTunes store in the U.S.A.
Family Music (2004, Usagi-Chang(JP
)/Pastel(SKR
)/Records of the Damned(USA))
Family Racing (2005, Usagi-Chang(JP
)/Pastel(SKR
)/smallroom(TH
)
Single NemesisYMCK (2007)
spread for free at http://deathrockstar.info/sajama-cut-nemesis-ep/
Family Genesis (2008, avex Group(JP
)/Records of the Damned(USA))
YMCK SONGBOOK: songs before 8bit (2008, avex Group (JP
) - Covers album; original artists listed in parentheses
Family Cooking (2009, Avex Group (JP
)
, which features 8-bit music from Nintendo
games.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Chiptune
Chiptune
A chiptune, also known as chip music, is synthesized electronic music often produced with the sound chips of vintage computers and video game consoles, as well as with other methods such as emulation. In the early 1980s, personal computers became cheaper and more accessible than they had previously...
band. The band members are as follows; Midori (vocals), Yokemura (music, lyrics, arrangement), and Nakamura (music video).
Their work has not been confined to Japan, having released albums in Korea, Thailand and the USA as well as appearing at various events around in East Asia and Europe.
YMCK's name is derived from Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black (known as CMYK
CMYK color model
The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself. CMYK refers to the four inks used in some color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key...
), a subtractive color
Subtractive color
A subtractive color model explains the mixing of paints, dyes, inks, and natural colorants to create a full range of colors, each caused by subtracting some wavelengths of light and reflecting the others...
model.
History
YMCK was formed in May 2003 when Midori joined Yokemura and Nakamura. They soon released their first work; a CD-R containing 6 tracks.In 2004, YMCK appeared at Microdisko http://www.microdisko.net/ in Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. In the same year they released their first full album, "Family Music".
In 2005, YMCK made another appearance outside of Japan, this time at the FORMOZ FESTIVAL http://www.formoz.com/ in Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and at the FAT FESTIVAL http://back.thisisclick.com/hff5/main_th.htm in Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. They also released their second full album, "FAMILY RACING".
In 2006, they returned to Taiwan to appear at the FORMOZ FESTIVAL for the second time.
In January 2009, they appeared in Sweden once again, and this time at UppCon http://09.uppcon.se in Uppsala.
In January 2009, they played in the opening ceremonies for Katsucon 15 in Arlington Virginia (DC).
In 2009, YMCK remixed the #1 hit song Days
Days/Green
"Days/Green" is the forty-fourth single by Ayumi Hamasaki, released on December 17, 2008. In addition to the A-sides "Days" and "Green", the single contains re-recorded versions of Hamasaki's songs "Love: Destiny" and "To Be"...
by Japanese mega-star Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
.
In 2009, YMCK released their third album "FAMILY GENESIS", made available for the first time on the iTunes store in the U.S.A.
Discography
Note: The English is not necessarily a direct translation of the Japanese. The English titles are taken from the English version of the website. For example, track one on "FAMILY RACING" was actually titled "FAMILY RACING" instead of "Opening" on the Japanese release.Studio albums
FAMILY MUSIC (CD-R edition) (2003, self-released)- Opening
- Pastel Colored Candy [パステル・キャンディーは悪魔のささやき]
- Darling
- Pow * Pow
- Does John Coltrane Dream of a Merry-go-round? [ジョン・コルトレーンは回転木馬の夢を見るか]
- Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black [Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black(YMCKのテーマ)]
Family Music (2004, Usagi-Chang(JP
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
)/Pastel(SKR
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
)/Records of the Damned(USA))
- Fanfare [ファンファーレ]
- Magical 8bit Tour
- Pastel Colored Candy [パステル・キャンディーは悪魔のささやき]
- Darling
- POW * POW
- Interlude
- SOCOPOGOGO (YMCK Version)
- Synchronicity
- Tetrominon -From Russia with Blocks-
- Does John Coltrane Dream of a Merry-go-round? [ジョン・コルトレーンは回転木馬の夢を見るか]
- Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black (Theme from YMCK) [Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black (YMCKのテーマ)]
- Your Quest is Over
Family Racing (2005, Usagi-Chang(JP
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
)/Pastel(SKR
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
)/smallroom(TH
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
)
- Opening [ファミリーレーシング]
- Panic Racer 005 [パニックレーサー005]
- Go YMCK, Go!
- Come on! Swing all stars. [カモン！スウィングオールスターズ]
- Rock'n Roll rendezvous feat. Takahashi Meijin [ロッケンロール･ランデブー featuring 高橋名人]
- Sakana no Mabataki [魚のまばたき]
- Milky Blue -Riddle In Wonderland- [Milky Blue ～不思議の国のリドル～]
- Kira * Kira [キラ＊キラ]
Single NemesisYMCK (2007)
spread for free at http://deathrockstar.info/sajama-cut-nemesis-ep/
Family Genesis (2008, avex Group(JP
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
)/Records of the Damned(USA))
- Prologue [プロローグ]
- Sabita Tobira no Dai 8 Tengoku [錆びた扉の第8天国]
- Pleiades [プレアデス]
- Starlight
- Izukata no Fue [何方（いずかた）の笛]
- Carving the Rock
- Future Invasion [フューチャー・インヴェージョン]
- Rain
- System Reboot [システム・リブート]
- Floor 99
- Major Swing
- 8 Ban me no Niji [8番目の虹]
- Jidai Okure no Sora [時代遅れの空]
- Finale ~Welcome to the 8-bit World~ [フィナーレ ～Welcome to the 8bit world～]
YMCK SONGBOOK: songs before 8bit (2008, avex Group (JP
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) - Covers album; original artists listed in parentheses
- Yume no Naka e (Inoue Yosui)
- Bokutachi no Shippai (Morita DojiMorita Dojiis a Japanese psychedelic folk singer-songwriter.-Background:She was 20 years old when a friend's death inspired her first album.She ended her career as musician in 1983, after giving a final concert in Tokyo....
) - Ningen Nante (Yoshida Takuro)
- Kasa ga Nai (Inoue Yosui)
- Shunkashuto (Izumiya Shigeru)
- Manzoku Dekirukana (Endo Kenji)
- Kotoba ni Dekinai (Oda KazumasaKazumasa Odais a Japanese singer-songwriter, composer and is also known as the leader of the folk rock band Off Course.As a vocalist and leader of Off Course, Oda wrote many Japanese standard numbers in the 70s and 80s. He and Yasuhiro Suzuki were important composers in the band...
) - Jinsei o Katarazu (Yoshida Takuro)
- Marude Shojikimono no Yoni (Tomobe Masato)
Family Cooking (2009, Avex Group (JP
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
)
- Omocha no Heitai no Ma-chi [おもちゃの兵隊のマーチ]
- Curry da yo! [カレーだよ！]
- Sarada Shabadaba [サラダ・シャバダバ]
- Mitsuboshi Chef no Uta [三ツ星シェフの歌]
- Gourmet na Aitsu [グルメなアイツ]
- Fuwafuwa Tamago no Omuraisu [ふわふわ卵のオムライス]
- Kaerimichi, Bangohan [帰り道、晩ご飯]
- Wonderful Chocolate [ワン！ダブル・チョコレート]
- Ban Ban Cooking [バンバンクッキング]
PiCTOBiTS
YMCK composed the music for the DSiWare downloadable puzzle game PiCTOBiTSPicopict
PiCOPiCT, known as PiCTOBiTS in North America and as PiCTOPiCT in Australia, is a falling block/match three puzzle video game developed by skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DSi's DSiWare digital distribution service. It is one of seven games released for the DSi's Art Style...
, which features 8-bit music from Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
games.