Boom Boom Satellites

Japanese duo Boom Boom Satellites fused arena-ready rock with high-energy electronic styles, showing their country how opposing worlds could easily come together to create something thrilling. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima and bassist/programmer Masayuki Nakano, the Tokyo-born outfit formed in 1990 while both members were still in university. They gained momentum for their fusion of scorching guitar playing, machine beats and synthesiser melodies, resulting in their 1998 debut album, Out Loud. Already known as pioneers of bringing rock and dance music together in their home nation, Boom Boom Satellites fit well with groups that explored similar sonic terrain, like Underworld and The Chemical Brothers, and led to touring with Moby. They continued experimenting on hits such as 2006’s “Kick It Out” and 2012’s “Broken Mirror”. The project ended after Kawashima was diagnosed with a brain tumour that he would eventually die from, but before calling it quits they offered one more scream-along classic with 2016’s surging sendoff, “Lay Your Hands on Me”.