Cornelius | Beep It

'Beep it' / from album 'Sensuous' / directed by Koichiro Tsujikawa
(also check the video for 'Fit Song')

One of the few Japanese artists to make a significant impact overseas, Cornelius a.k.a. Keigo Oyamada has played a leading role in the development of Japanese music, art, and fashion since the early 1990s. Oyamada started his professional music career in the late 1980s when he was still in high school as guitarist for the short lived Lollypop Sonic. The band soon changed its name to Flipper's Guitar. Flipper's Guitar hijacked elements of swinging 60s London, Brian Wilson, French movies, psychedelia, and myriad other sources, refracting them back as something wholly original and fresh. Now is one of Japan’s most innovative and respected musicians. Live performances are an extension of Cornelius recordings, incorporating trippy lightshows, karate apes, and other elements that both complement and are complemented by his music. In addition to his own music, Oyamada’s list of collaborators reads like a who’s who of modern music, including Beck, Blur, and The Avalanches. He is also involved in the design and marketing of cutting-edge merchandise, including a limited edition cardboard turntable, unique watches, action figures, and headphones.