Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shugo Tokumaru, in his own gentle and subtle way, has become somewhat of an indie sensation both at home in Japan and abroad.  With a full arsenal of sounds (he claims to be able to play over 100 instruments) and few stylistic borders, Tokumaru's music covers a wide range of genres including folk, electronic, chamber pop, psychedelic, indie pop, J-pop.  His attention to detail and seamless genre-hopping invites comparisons to such eclectic...

Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shugo Tokumaru, in his own gentle and subtle way, has become somewhat of an indie sensation both at home in Japan and abroad.  With a full arsenal of sounds (he claims to be able to play over 100 instruments) and few stylistic borders, Tokumaru's music covers a wide range of genres including folk, electronic, chamber pop, psychedelic, indie pop, J-pop.  His attention to detail and seamless genre-hopping invites comparisons to such eclectic artists as Cornelius, Sufjan Stevens, and several of the more articulate New Folk artists in the US, but his style is ultimately his own.  His first solo record, Night Piece was released in 2004 in both the US (on the Music Related label) and Japan (on the Compare Notes label).  True to its name, Night Piece is a subdued, dreamy set of stripped down yet intricate songs.  Tokumaru's second record, L.S.T., was released in 2005 in Japan, again on Compare Notes, and saw him moving into a slightly more heavily produced, psychedelic vein.  The following year saw L.S.T. release on the Active Suspension imprint in Europe, and Lil' Chief Records in New Zealand, and the record was reviewed positively in Rolling Stone and other major music publications.  His next record, Exit, was released in Japan through P-Vine Records in 2007, featuring a more structured set of songs, some of which actually approach standard pop, offset by random, angular snippets of sound between some of the songs.  Exit got international releases in 2008 in the US (Almost Gold Recordings), Northern Europe (dot.shop), and Korea (Fargo Music), and received almost universal positive reviews.  His US tour in support of the record included opening slots with The Magnetic Fields, and several tracks were used in commercials for Clarks and Otsuka Seiyaku.  Tokumaru continues to release and tour extensively in Japan and abroad, and in addition to The Magnetic Fields, has worked with such artists as Jim O'Rourke, Animal Collective, Deerhoof, Iron & Wine, and many others.