| YMCK | |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genre: | Chiptune, electropop |
| Years Active: | 2003 – present |
| Label: | Self-release (2003) Usagi-Chang Records (Japan, 2004-2008) Avex Group (Japan, 2008-2013) not records (Japan, 2013-present) Hyperwave (UK, 2017-present) Pastel Music (Korea) (Thailand) Records of the Damned (United States) Bishi Bishi (France) |
| Website: | Official Website |
| Current Members: | Midori Kurihara (vocals) Takeshi Yokemura (music, lyrics, arrangement) Tomoyuki Nakamura (composition, music video) |
YMCK is a Japanese chiptune band, composed of Midori Kurihara (vocals), Takeshi Yokemura (music, lyrics, arrangement), and Tomoyuki Nakamura (composition, music video).
Their work has not been confined to Japan, having released albums in Korea, Thailand and the United States as well as appearing at various events around East Asia and Europe.
YMCK's name is derived from the CMYK subtractive color model.
YMCK was formed in May 2003 when Kurihara joined Yokemura and Nakamura. They soon released their first work; a CD-R containing 6 tracks.
In 2004, YMCK appeared at Microdisko in Stockholm, Sweden. In the same year they released their first full album, Family Music.
In 2005, YMCK again appeared outside Japan, this time at the Formoz Festival in Taipei, Taiwan and at the Fat Festival in Bangkok, Thailand. This year also marks the first release of the Magical 8bit Plug, a synthesizer developed by Yokemura himself, motivated by frustration with the quality of game sounds available in the synthesizers used for Family Music.[1] Now making use of the Magical 8bit Plug, they released their second album: Family Racing.
In 2006, they again appeared at the Formoz Festival in Taiwan.
In 2008, YMCK released their third album Family Genesis, now under pop label Avex Trax, made available for the first time on the iTunes Store in the United States. Later that year and under the same label, they would release their first cover album, the YMCK Songbook, a collection of covers of Japanese music from the era before the NES.
In January 2009, they appeared in Sweden once again, this time at UppCon in Uppsala, and also played in the opening ceremonies for Katsucon 15 in Arlington, Virginia (DC). In that same month they also released Family Cooking. In 2009, YMCK also remixed the No. 1 hit song Days by Japanese mega-star Ayumi Hamasaki.
During 2013, YMCK released Family Days, this time through not records. The theme of this album was said to be YMCK describing their own ordinary lives.[2]
In 2015, they released Family Dancing.
In 2017, Family Swing was released, and for the first time they also released through Bandcamp, under U.K. chiptune label Hyperwave.
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.
FAMILY MUSIC (CD-R edition) (2003, self-released)
Family Music (2004, Usagi-Chang (Japan)/Pastel (South Korea)/Records of the Damned (United States))
Family Racing (2005, Usagi-Chang (Japan)/Pastel (South Korea)/smallroom (Thailand)
Family Genesis (2008, avex Group (Japan)/Records of the Damned (United States))
YMCK SONGBOOK: songs before 8bit (2008, avex Group (Japan) - Covers album; original artists listed in parentheses)
Family Cooking (2009, Avex Group (Japan))
Family Days (2013, not records (Japan))
Family Dancing (2015, not records (Japan))
Family Swing (2017, not records (Japan))
Family Circus (2019, not records (Japan))
[''Note: Some of the names listed are a direct translation as the official English Names couldn't be found. Those with a directly translated name will be marked with an asterisk (*) and have the original name beside it in parentheses separated by a line.'']
YMCK composed the music for the DSiWare downloadable puzzle game PiCTOBiTS, which features 8-bit music from Nintendo games.