Makyo

Formed in 1993, Makyo (a term used in Zen Buddhism to refer to a world of confusing and seemingly mystical hallucinations that one can fall into during deep meditation) came about from a fascination with the exploration if inner space and the nature of our society.  Incorporating Eastern philosophies of sound and spirituality into the whole spectrum of 90's electronica.  One of the first &zen dub& projects and still one of the best.
 
At the heart of Makyo is founding member Gio, who writes all the music and plays most of it.  Before Makyo, Gio spent the early 80's in Kyoto, Japan studying Zen and playing in hardcore punk bands.  Gio moved to Taipei and then Boston where he joined the experimental noise cassette trading underground (alongside many other early Silent Records artists).  It was during this time that Kim Cascone may have stumbled across the name Gio for the first time.  During this period Gio played in &psychedelic Branca-influenced guitar ensembles” and DJed a free-style radio show on WZBC.
 
Makyo was formed in 1993 and released their first track on the Planet Dog Records compilation &Feed Your Head&.  After a series of compilation appearances, Makyo released their first full-length album on Silent Records in 1996 (Rasa Bhava, SR9606).  According to the liner notes for Rasa Bhava, Makyo was Gio and Ikeda with Kamigashima on guitar for onetrack.  An important contribution to this album came in the form of a remix by Bill Laswell.  
 
Kim had already been familiar with Makyo and, after a visit to San Francisco by Gio, decided to release a full length.  Unfortunately, this was during the time that the label was being sold, and by the time the CD came out, Raul had control of Silent Records.  Many feel that, even though this album was released after the transfer of ownership, this is still a Kim Cascone release.  Rod Modell's Waveform Transmission CD is the other release that fits this category.
 
Makyo released 3 more full-length albums and has appeared on such labels as Planet Dog, Law and Auder, East-West, Interchill, Transient, Six Degrees, Return to the Source, and Dakini Records as well as recording with Natacha Atlas!  Gio became a regular on Tokyo's club scene doing mostly chill-out rooms.  He has appeared with the likes of Mixmaster Morris, The Orb's Alex Patterson, Ken Ishii, Haruomi Hosono, Tsuyoshi, Underworld, Solar Quest, and more.  He is currently running the popular Dakini Nights nightclub and Dakini Records label in Japan and spends his days writing as a film critic.  He still DJs and Makyo is still active.