ACO

The Profile

ACO is a Japanese singer known for radical stylistic shifts across J-pop, trip hop, and experimental electronica. Notable albums include Absolute Ego (1999), Material (2001), Irony (2003), and the mini-album Mask (2006). Her collaborations span Aoki Takamasa, Taeji Sawai, Yoshinori Sunahara, KJ (Dragon Ash), and DAT politics.

Japanese solo artist active since 1995; explored Bristol-style trip hop on Absolute Ego, jazz/pop-electronica hybrids on Material, and sparse experimental soundscapes on Irony (2003). Mask (2006) followed a period living in Berlin and features collaborators Aoki Takamasa, Taeji Sawai, KJ (Dragon Ash), Yoshinori Sunahara, and DAT politics. Reviews note affinities with Björk, Radiohead, Goldfrapp, and that ACO has cited Kate Bush as an influence.

Three DeBaser reviews chart ACO’s sharp turns from jazz/pop and trip hop to fragile, experimental electronica. Irony is praised as a strange, beautiful 2003 statement; Material refines her pop/electronic blend; Mask, a mini-album, pivots again after time in Berlin, packed with notable collaborators. Expect references to Björk, Radiohead, Goldfrapp, and Kate Bush, and plenty of love for ACO’s subtle voice.