Shinichi Osawa
| Shinichi Osawa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | February 7, 1967 |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Electronica, house, alternative rock, big beat |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | For Life Records, Avex Trax, Sony Music Japan, Southern Fried, Data, Dim Mak |
| Associated acts | Mondo Grosso, Africanism, Ravex, Paul Chambers |
| Website | http://www.shinichi-osawa.com |
Shinichi Osawa (大沢 伸一 Ōsawa Shin'ichi), also known as Mondo Grosso (born 7 February 1967), is an artist currently signed onto Avex Trax's "Rhythm Zone" label.[1] Previously he was signed to Sony Music Japan's FEARLESS RECORDS division and released albums under the title of 'Mondo Grosso', which is Italian for "big world". Over the course of his career he has worked in genres from acid jazz to house, with strong influences of underground club music, though his recent work has been in the genre of electro house. HMV Japan rated Mondo Grosso at #95 on their "Top 100 Japanese Pop Artists" and Shinichi Osawa is ranked as Japan's #1 electro house DJ and Japan's #3 overall DJ by TopDeejays.com.[2]
Background
Shinichi Osawa was originally the leader and bassist for the popular Japanese musical group Mondo Grosso, which formed in Kyoto in 1991 on the For Life Records label. However, in 1995, the group was disbanded, and Osawa worked more on his own, collaborating with many artists such as Monday Michiru, Amel Larrieux, UA, Chara, Dragon Ash and even Ayumi Hamasaki. In the midst of his collaborative work in 1997, he became a solo producer, releasing the R&B infused acid jazz and house album Closer.
He made a move from For Life Records to Sony Music Associated Records in 1999, where he began his own label. Throughout the years, Osawa acted as a producer for artists such as Bird and Eri Nobuchika. His 2000 album MG4 displayed the diversity of his production, fusing jazz and house. It featured the hit song 'Life', featuring Bird. In 2003 he released Next Wave, a more traditional house album.
Osawa provided the hypnotic array of techno music on the popular PlayStation Portable game Lumines in 2004. He did not reappear as a composer for its sequel.
In 2007 Osawa moved to avex trax. Feeling that, in comparison to his previous albums, the sound reflected more closely his DJ sets and performances (performed under his real name), Osawa released his electro house album The One under the moniker of 'Shinichi Osawa' rather than 'Mondo Grosso'. "Our Song" was the initial single released in Japan, followed by the Chemical Brothers cover Star Guitar. Under his real name, Osawa has received more international attention, creating acclaimed remixes of Felix da Housecat's "Radio" and Digitalism's "Pogo". He also performed at Electric Daisy Carnival, which was his first performance in America. He is also featured in Clazziquai's Robotica album in a remix for Prayers by Christina Chu.
In 2008, he remixed #1-hit song Startin' by Japanese pop sensation Ayumi Hamasaki. The mix appeared on the album Ayu-mi-x 6 -GOLD-.
In October 2008, following a release of Star Guitar as a single by Data Records, Southern Fried Records made a digital release of The One in the UK. A physical release is scheduled for January 2009.
In November 2008, "Our Song" appeared on the 16th version of Konami's DJ simulation series Beatmania IIDX, alongside several other songs by Avex's House Nation group.
Osawa is currently involved in Ravex, a collaboration with fellow Avex DJs Tomoyuki Tanaka and Taku Takahashi established to mark 20 years of Avex. Their debut album Trax was released on April 8, 2009, and follows the release of the singles I Rave U and Believe in LOVE - feat BoA.
Osawa released SO2, the second album under his given name, on June 16, 2010 digitally and June 30 on CD/DVD.
In 2009, Osawa collaborated with Takeshi Kobayashi to form the duo Bradberry Orchestra. With the lead single "LOVE CHECK," Bradberry Orchestra released their first album "Vol.0" on March 16, 2011 in Japan through avex. Songs from the album have been used to promote Sony's Xperia phone as well as SEGA's Yakuza Of the End.
Currently Osawa hosts a bi-monthly online radio show called Date Line with fellow DJ Masatoshi Uemura on block.fm.
Discography
Mini albums
| 1993 | Marble |
| 1994 | Invisible Man |
| 1995 | Pieces From the Editing Floor |
Albums as head of Mondo Grosso
| 1993 | Mondo Grosso Etc. |
| 1995 | Born Free |
Solo albums
| 1998 | Closer |
| 2000 | MG4 |
| 2003 | Next Wave |
| 2007 | The One |
| 2010 | SO2 |
Live albums
| 1995 | The European Expedition |
| 2004 | "Live on the Next Wave (1 and 2)" |
Remix albums
| 1996 | Diggin' Into The Real |
| 1998 | The Man From The Sakura Hills |
| 2000 | Mondo Grosso Best Remixes |
| 2001 | MG4R |
| 2003 | Henshin |
| 2008 | The One+ |
| 2009 | TEPPAN-YAKI - A Collection of Remixes |
Singles
| 1995 | "Oh Lord, Let Me do No Wrong" |
| 1995 | "Family" |
| 1997 | "Laughter in The Rain" |
| 1997 | "Everyday Life/Thing Keep Changin"' |
| 2000 | "Life" (feat. Bird) |
| 2000 | "Butterfly" |
| 2000 | "Now You Know Better" |
| 2001 | "Don't Let Go" |
| 2002 | "Blz" |
| 2002 | "Everything Needs Love" (feat. BoA) |
| 2003 | "Shinin'" |
| 2003 | "Hikari" (光, Light) |
| 2007 | "Our Song" |
| 2008 | "Star Guitar" (cover version of The Chemical Brothers track) |
| 2008 | "Push" |
| 2008 | "Main Street Electrical Parade" |
| 2009 | "EEAA" |
| 2009 | "Love Will Guide You" |
| 2014 | "Main Street Electrical Parade" (Extended Mix) |
Collaboration albums
| 2011 | Singapore Swing (with Paul Chambers) |
Compilations
| 2000 | Sakurahills Disco 3000 |
| 2004 | Make the Style 'drivin' slow' |
| 2009 | Teppan Yaki |
Mixes
| 2003 | Fearless"THE HOUSE" |
| 2004 | Mix the Vibe～STREET KING～ |
| 2005 | Fearless 4/4 Rockers |
| 2006 | Kitsune Udon |
Remixes
| 2000 | Jackson 5 - "Never Can Say Goodbye" |
| 2006 | Christopher & Raphael Just - "Popper" |
| 2006 | Plaid - "White's Dream" |
| 2006 | Anna Tsuchiya - "Ah Ah" |
| 2007 | Boys Noize - "Feel Good (TV = OFF)" |
| 2007 | Mighty Dub Kats - "Magic Carpet Ride 07'" |
| 2007 | 鉄コン筋クリート - "White's Dream" |
| 2007 | Digitalism - "Pogo" |
| 2007 | Clazziquai Project - "Prayers" |
| 2007 | Bunny Lake - "Strobe Love" |
| 2007 | Kap10Kurt - "Dangerseekers" |
| 2007 | Thomas Anderson - "Washing Up" |
| 2008 | Ayumi Hamasaki - "Startin" |
| 2008 | Felix Da Housecat - "Radio" |
| 2008 | Rubies - "Stand In A Line" |
| 2008 | TVMR - "Bowie In The Bronx" |
| 2008 | De De Mouse - "Light Night Dance" |
| 2008 | The Subs - "Papillon" |
| 2008 | MINMI - "Perfect Vision" |
| 2008 | Popular Computer - "Lost & Found" |
| 2008 | The Whip - "Blackout" |
| 2008 | Cazals - "Poor Innocent Boys" |
| 2008 | Alex Gopher - "Aurora" |
| 2009 | Bag Raiders - "Turbo Love" |
| 2009 | Van She - "Kelly" |
| 2009 | Girl Next Door - "情熱の代償" |
| 2009 | DJ Ozma - "Masurao" |
| 2009 | Lost Valentinos - "Thief" |
| 2009 | The Young Punx - "Rock Star" |
| 2009 | Hac Mac - "B B Girls B B Boys" |
| 2009 | Benny Benassi vs. Iggy Pop - "Electro Sixteen" |
| 2010 | globe - "DEPARTURES" |
| 2011 | Vandroid - "We Exist" |
| 2011 | Ayumi Hamasaki - "Appears" |
| 2012 | moumoon - "Sunshine Girl" |
| 2012 | moumoon - "Chu Chu" |
| 2012 | Ayumi Hamasaki - "You & Me" |
| 2013 | The M Machine - "Tiny Anthem" |
| 2013 | Duck Sauce - "It's You" |
| 2015 | Sandaime J Soul Brothers - "Summer Madness" |
| 2015 | Faint Star - "Sly" |
Works as producer and composer
| 1999 | Bird (for Bird) |
| 2000 | Mindtravel (for Bird) |
| 2005 | nobuchikaeri (for Eri Nobuchika) |
| 2012 | LADY MIND (for Nami Tamaki) |
| 2012 | PARADISE (for Nami Tamaki) |
| 2013 | Heaven (for After School) |
| 2014 | Shh (for After School) |
References
- ↑ IMO Records. "Shinichi Osawa Biography", IMO Records' Retrieved on 14 March 2011.
- ↑ Top Deejays. , DJ Database in Japan Retrieved on 27 November 2015.
External links
- Official website.
- FEARLESS RECORDS official site.
- Shinichi Osawa discography at Discogs.
- Mondo Grosso discography at Discogs.
- HMV Japan Top 100 Japanese Pop Artists. (Japanese)
- Date Line - block.fm