Trouble Over Tokyo
Encyclopedia
Trouble Over Tokyo is the solo-project of singer/producer Toph Taylor. Having released two albums to date, Trouble Over Tokyo's music has been described as "Indielectro Angst-Pop" - and is most recognized for Taylor's voice, quirky Alternative/R&B production, and hand-drawn artworks. Taylor was described by UK broadsheet newspaper The Guardian
in 2008 as "simultaneously (recalling) Thom Yorke
at his most existentially anxious and Justin Timberlake
at his most sexually rapacious.", and was listed by The Daily Telegraph
's Neil McCormick as one of ten of Music's overlooked gems of 2008.
band in 2004, comprising Taylor, Paul-Dominic Degrande, Dominic Clarkson-Decker and Paul O'Donnell, and were a gigging band on the London
Indie circuit. Whilst recording their debut album, the band dissolved and Taylor went on with the name and website, changing the concept and recording predominantly electronic music in his bedroom. The result of these sessions became Trouble Over Tokyo's debut album "1000" - a 1000 limited edition pressing that Taylor released himself through his label Tokyotron Records.
After a chance meeting at a London music venue in 2006, Taylor was invited to play a small tour in Austria
- this led to a small cult following that grew quickly. Trouble Over Tokyo was then asked to support Austrian Indie outfit Garish
and their 2007 tour, and sold nearly all of the remaining copies of "1000" at these shows. Later that year, Schoenwetter Records, an independent record label in Vienna, released Taylor's second offering "Pyramides" in Austria. Alternative radio station FM4
embraced the record and made Pyramides album of the week, playing tracks from the album on rotation, and critical acclaim from the press followed.
In 2008, Klein Records released Pyramides in all other territories, to excellent reviews, notably in the UK, Germany
and France
. Taylor then formed a live band for a one-off tour, featuring members from Velojet, Garish, and UK band The Heart Strings, which toured Austria, Switzerland
and Slovenia
.
In 2010, Taylor released his 3rd album, entitled The Hurricane, featuring some of the musicians from the 2008 live band, in Vienna
. It is Trouble Over Tokyo's first studio album.
On the 27th of April 2010 it was announced by X2 games, makers of the mobile football game X2 Football 2010 for the iPhone
/iPod Touch
, that an exclusive deal was struck with Trouble Over Tokyo for the games soundtrack.
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
in 2008 as "simultaneously (recalling) Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
at his most existentially anxious and Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
at his most sexually rapacious.", and was listed by The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
's Neil McCormick as one of ten of Music's overlooked gems of 2008.
History
Trouble Over Tokyo began as a four-piece Alternative RockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band in 2004, comprising Taylor, Paul-Dominic Degrande, Dominic Clarkson-Decker and Paul O'Donnell, and were a gigging band on the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Indie circuit. Whilst recording their debut album, the band dissolved and Taylor went on with the name and website, changing the concept and recording predominantly electronic music in his bedroom. The result of these sessions became Trouble Over Tokyo's debut album "1000" - a 1000 limited edition pressing that Taylor released himself through his label Tokyotron Records.
After a chance meeting at a London music venue in 2006, Taylor was invited to play a small tour in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
- this led to a small cult following that grew quickly. Trouble Over Tokyo was then asked to support Austrian Indie outfit Garish
Garish
garish - formed in February 1997 - is an Austrian alternative rock band. After having asserted themselves in the alternative scene inside and outside Austria's borders with their first two records "amaurose pur." and "wo die nacht erzaehlt vom tag", their third album "Absender auf Achse" gained...
and their 2007 tour, and sold nearly all of the remaining copies of "1000" at these shows. Later that year, Schoenwetter Records, an independent record label in Vienna, released Taylor's second offering "Pyramides" in Austria. Alternative radio station FM4
FM4
FM4 is an Austrian national radio station, operated by the ORF. Its main target is the youth audience, and much of the music output is characterised by an alternative rock and electronic music slant....
embraced the record and made Pyramides album of the week, playing tracks from the album on rotation, and critical acclaim from the press followed.
In 2008, Klein Records released Pyramides in all other territories, to excellent reviews, notably in the UK, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Taylor then formed a live band for a one-off tour, featuring members from Velojet, Garish, and UK band The Heart Strings, which toured Austria, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
In 2010, Taylor released his 3rd album, entitled The Hurricane, featuring some of the musicians from the 2008 live band, in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. It is Trouble Over Tokyo's first studio album.
On the 27th of April 2010 it was announced by X2 games, makers of the mobile football game X2 Football 2010 for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
/iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
, that an exclusive deal was struck with Trouble Over Tokyo for the games soundtrack.
Albums
| Title | Year | Released |
|---|---|---|
| "1000" | 2005 | Tokyotron Records |
| "Pyramides" | 2007 | Schoenwetter Records (Austrian release) |
| "Pyramides" | 2008 | Klein Records (Worldwide release) |
| "The Hurricane" | 2010 | Schoenwetter Records (Worldwide release) |