Although they presumably named themselves after Roald Dahl's 1952 short story, art-pop act Dip in the Pool seem to have little else in common with bleak narratives of any form. Instead, their name is better taken at face value, as the vast majority output projects buoyancy and tranquility. The long-running duo consists of vocalist Miyako Koda and keyboardist Tatsuji Kimura, who co-write and co-arrange their material, supported by studio musicians. Formed in 1983, they released their first album three years later. It was one of their few albums -- possibly the lone one -- to be distributed outside their native Japan. Originally self-titled but retitled Silence for its U.K. issue through Rough Trade, the album offered the duo's austere yet elegant sound in fully developed form, somewhere in the realm of Kate Bush, the Blue Nile, and a Yellow Magic Orchestra solo project. Through the mid-'90s, Dip in the Pool added to their discography every couple years, recording for Moon and Epic. They took an extended break, during which Koda was part of the short-lived Love, Peace & Trance (with Haruomi Hosono), released the solo album Jupiter, and continued her sporadic acting career. Dip in the Pool resumed activity on the Bellwood label during the 2010s. In 2016, the Music from Memory label reissued the "east" and "west" versions of the duo's "On Retinae," both of which previously appeared on a promo-only 1989 12" circulated in an edition of 50. ~ Andy Kellman