Audio Active (Japanese experimental dub band)

Audio Active were a Japanese reggae fusion band who released several albums between the early 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century. Audio Active were one of the most successful reggae fusion bands to come out of Japan, and were formed in 1987, originally being a solo project of singer Masa. It later stretched out to be a full band in 1991, when 2DD, Shigemoto Nanao and bassist Takeshi Akimoto all joined. Masa had listened to reggae since he was a teenager, and had played (with 2DD) in the ska band Vital Connection, before taking his love of roots reggae and dub music and forming Audio Active, named after an album by Dennis Bovell. Adrian Sherwood began working with the band in 1992, and produced many of their recordings. The band's debut album The Way Out is the Way In, was recorded with zither player Laraaji, and Sherwood produced their Happy Shopper in Europe album, released on his On-U Sound label in 1995. Their 1997 album Apollo Choco was described by Allmusic as "an example of new and exciting dub, which shows Audio Active's true capabilities". Further albums followed on On-U Sound, Warner Music Group, and Gyroscope, the last, Back To The Stoned Age, released in 2003. The band were strongly influenced by Lee "Scratch" Perry, with elements of hip hop. Original member Akimoto left, to be replaced by Kasai. Akimoto, along with Nanao, formed the lovers-rock influenced band Dry & Heavy. Audio Active (1993) Alfa We are Audio Active (Tokyo Space Cowboys) (1994) On-U Sound/Musidisc We are Experienced (1994) Beat Happy Happer (1995) On-U Sound More Tokyo Space Cowboys (1995) Beat The Way Out is the Way In (1995) Gyroscope/All Saints (Audio Active & Laraaji) Apollo Choco (1997) On-U Sound/Beat Apollo Choco Remixed (1997) On-U Sound Return of the Red I (1999) Warner Music/Dream Machine aLteRED I (1999) Warner Music/Dream Machine Spaced Dolls (2001) Dream Machine/Warner Music/East West/Beat Back To The Stoned Age (2003) Beat Sound Crash: Slash & Mix - Adrian Sherwood (2006) Beat "Free the Marijuana" (1994) On-U Sound (featuring Bim Sherman) "Wanna-Na" (1994) Beat "Electric Bombardment" (1995) On-U Sound "Happy Shopper" (1995) On-U Sound Happy Shopper in Europe EP (1995) On-U Sound The Way Out/The Way In EP (1995) Gyroscope "24 Hours Exploration" (1996) The Massive Recording Co. Startrec EP (1996) On-U Sound Audio Active EP (1997) Beat/Plus Minus "Robot War" (1997) Beat "Weed Specialist" (1997) Beat Spawn EP (1998) Polystar (Air & Audio Active) "What's Inside Your Afro?" (1998) Green Tea (Audio Active/Universe Crew) "Bag Filled With Emptiness" (1999) Dream Machine/Warner Music "Idle Dragon" (1999) Beat "Kick The Bong Around" (1999) Beat "Psycho Buds" (1999) Beat Bong EP (2000) Birdman Happers EP (2000) Beat "You're No Good" (2001) Dream Machine Melt 1 EP (2002) Beat "Frozen Head" (2003) Beat Stoned EP (2003) Beat Melt 2 EP (2004) Beat Bush, John "Audio Active Biography", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation "Audio Active Bio", On-U Sound Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p.16 Couture, Francoise "The Way Out is the Way In Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation Whalley, Matt "Apollo Choco Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation