Taku Taku, Kyoto

BATI-HOLIC is a five-piece Japanese group mixing influences such as rock, pop, rap, funk, and trance with traditional Japanese instruments such as the shamisen, gottan, flute, and taiko drums. Coming from Kyoto, the band has played recently in Asia and Europe where they received great responses. Their newest release is the recent BATI-HOLIC II album. For a taster, the band’s website carries a free download track Panorama. The band’s online profile clearly sets out their position and musical stance stating that they are “different from recent trends in the Taiko music industry, which tends to put emphasis on ‘Japanese entertainment,’ as an amusement for mass audience.” They go on to state that the important thing for them is to “pursue fascination in their music.”