About the Organizers:

JOSH CHILD

Josh Child has always been interested in musical rythms and sounds. Growing up in Canada, he began promoting events after meeting several influential local artists. Rotation Fridays was the first series of events he organized, which was geared towards showcasing the local crop of talent from the surrounding areas from Toronto and Detroit. After relocating to Japan in 2000, real grooves was born soon after. Since its inception in 2003, the real grooves series has prided itself on showcasing some of the most exciting artists from all over the world including－ Kevin Yost, Mark Grant, Jesper Dahlback, Jori Hullkonen, Sieg Uber Die Sonne, Dandy Jack and the Junction SM, Pink Elln, Steve Bug, Akufen, Mike Shannon, Johnny Fiasco, James Curd, Jeff Samuel, Martin Landsky, Antonelli Electr., John Tejada, Im Not a Gun, Takeshi Nishimoto, Vincent Lemieux, Pier Bucci, Mathew Jonson and Roman Flugel. The main goal has been to create events that provide music that has a lasting effect and memorable experience. Who said the musical experience cant be incredible every time?

PATRICK OANCIA

Patrick has been based in Tokyo for 18 years working as a producer, musician, dj, designer, and yoga teacher. Patrick is the director of Para Impacto Company (YogaJaya, Jaya Productions, JayaJaya). Patrick's inspiration for life and work is based on interconnected diversity in lifestyle, creation, and cultivating higher conscious state of being. His drive has been influenced by music, art, design, travel and sustainable & alternative lifestyles. He has been known by many to push the limits from every facet, and advocates that anyone can manifest their true dreams!

Workshops

Edward Clark (London)
Tripsichore Vinyasa Yoga Workshop

Tripsichore's Artistic Director, Edward Clark will share some of the secrets of their technique. Sequestered in their studio in London, the company has worked daily for the past 15 years to devise and refine yoga techniques of asana, pranayama, pratayahara, dharana, and dhyana.making excursions out to perform their creations to audiences worldwide. Until now, their techniques have only been taught to a very few.

Tripsichore began in 1979 as a company devoted to creating full length dance narratives. The Company explored a variety of stylistic forms including punk ballet, conventional modern dance and strict neo-classical technique. They used masks, performed with rock bands and did pop videos. While yoga was always a part of their training, it wasn't until 1992 that they realised the expressive potential and choreographic viability of yoga postures. Once they began to devise works using yoga asanas, their extraordinary artistic logic became evident. Surprisingly, it would seem that there has been no orthodox tradition for using yoga technique to create dances in the 5000 year history of the discipline. The postures intrinsically possess a sumptuous beauty and fluidity. The postures are the ideal vehicle to express the themes of harmony, balance, spirituality, ecstasy, bliss and mysticism because they are exactlyabout these subjects in and of themselves. They are now 14 years into this experiment and each day brings new discoveries.

Emil Wendel (Switzerland, Nepal)
Pranayama/Yoga Workshop

Emil Wendel was born in Switzerland and has been living in Asia since the mid-seventies, studying Sanskrit and Indian Dharma on the Subcontinent, as well as Chinese Philosophy and Taoism in East Asia.

Emil advocates and teaches Hatha-Kundalini Yoga, a method of merging asanas, pranayama and dhyana to develop and deepen a yoga practice beyond the mere physical experience.

The many years of residency in Nepal and India have allowed him an exceptional insight into the depth of Indian civilization and its underlying philosophical current. Apart from being fluent in some of the modern Asian languages, he has been involved with Sanskrit studies for more than 15 years.

Mishaal (Tokyo)
Belly Dance Workshop

Mishall has been a performing as a belly dance artist for 20 years. She has performed in Turkey, Germany, Maldive Island, Las Vegas, and Korea as well as several performances in Japan. She has participated in international dance festivals, and also produced Kervan Serai events. In Japan, she has performed on various occasions for brands, such as Louis Vuitton. KENZO. FENDI. and Hermes as well as performing at various electronic music festivals. She is recognized as one of the top belly dancers in Tokyo. She calls her dance“the Sacred Earth Belly Dance", which opens up a new world, awakening one’s body and mind through movement called Shakti Flow. Her dance focuses on personal transformation by encouraging self-awareness and actively living one’s life beyond ones own limitations. Her inspiration from Belly Dancing, comes from ancient feminin wisdom. It awakens natural female creative energy, and transmits pure beauty. Her dance is about a celebration of life.

Mishaal is the director of SAMANYOLU Oriental Dance Ensemble, Yildiz Tribe, Raqs Chandra, and Devadasi Studio.
Mishaal sees the recent global popularity of bellydance directly related to our planetary need for balance, and deep feminine expression. 'Relax your mind, awaken body, and soul.' - Mishaal

Installations

The Illuminated Experience (Canada, USA)
Android Jones - Apocalyptic Art Shaman
Live Digital Art Manifestation

Andrew Joneshas been heralded as "the apocalyptic art shaman." His work is a hybrid of academic training, emerging technology and the mystical experience, bringing together a mixture of archetypical mythology and spirituality. Beginning his career working with George Lucas at INDUSTRIAL LIGHT and MAGIC, he went on to start and serve as the Creative Director of Massive Black.

In 2002, Andrew created a non-profit online art community called conceptart.org, which has attracted nearly 70,000 registered users and receives over 1,000,000 unique visitors / month. Andrew has used this internet portal to launch a series of highly acclaimed art workshops, and has traveled the world teaching art to students from Berlin, Romania, Amsterdam, Paris, Montreal, Texas, Florida, Seattle, San Francisco and beyond.

With work featured on the box cover of the newly released Corel Painter X, he is a leader in the digital fine art community, and works closely with the developers of emerging digital technology to create software that gives artists new tools to create their dreams.

Most recently, Andrew began performing live on-stage as a digital painter, touring with underground DJs and bands (such as Bassnectar and Zilla), and now with the ILLUMINATED EXPERIENCE (for which he served as Lead Concept Artist). A master of the digital art medium, Andrew continues to push the limits of what’s possible with the manipulation of light and energy and is on the front line of “innovention” as he creates masterpieces live, onstage, before our eyes.

The Illuminated Experience (Canada, USA)
Illuminated Anima Series World Premiere
DJ/VJ Animation

ILLUMINATED is a stunning new serialized animé series being launched by the people behind Guerrilla News Network (gnn.tv), Phong (Phong.com & Eminem's “Mosh”), Pod Collective, Broken Saints, Massive Black Studios and Concept Art.

The animated show will be deployed online at Illuminated.com, and on mobile platforms, and will be released in the Summer of 2007, accompanied by a DJ/VJ club tour that will kick off in Japan at Crossroads on June 23, 2007. Shot and animated in true High Definition, Illuminated’s pioneering animation style will give it a look and feel that transcends anything ever seen onscreen before.

illuminated
Merging the sensibilities of hand-painted backdrops and character design with the precision of 3D modeling and rendering techniques, Illuminated draws inspiration from Roger Dean, Alex Grey and Haoto Miyazaki. Scored by IDM DJ wizard, Bluetech, Illuminated will be branded by its deeply organic and highly danceable soundscapes that blend down-tempo, chill, idm, dub and psyhop into a fluid sound that heals the spirit as it washes over the visual tapestry of the animation.

The sound of Bluetech will be consciously used to invoke subtle emotions that activate the chakras and open the heart, evoking enchanted realms that will define the Illuminated experience.

The club tour will premiere the first episode of Illuminated in select cities around the world with a hypnotic audio-visual (DJ/VJ) performance set that marries the magic of Bluetech with a spiritualized Illuminated video experience. The Illuminated club tour will be a catalytic event in the lives of those who experience it as it unifies clubgoers with a deeply resonant message that touches their soul with finely architected beats and visuals.

Interstella (Tokyo, London)

Interstella are Richie and Mari. Interstella started when they met in 2002 and is an collage of analogue visuals made using macro lenses, prisms and crystals. Interstella's unique vj style includes live analogue visual interaction without the use of computers and real time refraction and projections. This is where the magic happens, as sounds waves create light waves from the micro to the macro cosmos, fusing colors and melting textures in synch with the music. Interstella displayed a kaleidoscope installation and premiere their new slide show at first Crossroads event.

Richie came to Japan as Dj R1 in 1993 and played at some of the most colorful parties when the trance/techno scene was just beginning. Those early parties include The Twilight Zone, Key Energy, Odyssey, Horizon, Geoid, Vitamin-Q, Dakini and Anoyo. Nowadays Richie works as a freelance carpenter / furniture maker and builds huge kaleidoscopes and other objects in his spare time.

Mari first become interested in visuals and decoration whilst assisting with the deco, lighting and visuals at "Lifeforce" party in 1989. Her father who co-produced these parties is well known PA Engineer Mr Asada. Mari from then went on to participate in other underground parties such as Vitamin-Q, Dakini, The Loft and then to vj at various festivals including Labyrinth, Utage, Hikari Matsuri and ecology events such as BeGood Cafe and Earth Day. Mari also works as a 3DCG artist and is an art director of Photon inc., a media art group with which she helped develop the "RhythmEngine", a spatial music session software which have got good reaction worldwide.

We hope you will enjoy Interstella's unique and spacey visual display.

GEN (Tokyo)
Spece Concepts, Visuals

GEN is creating plastic arts, producing stage concepts and doing decoration & direction at indoor and outdoor music events. He is also pursues photography inspired by human body portrait design, as well as projecting photographs and video onto sculpted objects inspired by the flowing continuity of space and time.

Andy Thomas (aka Android) (Australia)
Art Exhibition

With a successful graphic design and illustration business venture firmly established over the past 9 years and progressively involved in ever more significant projects Andy is undoubtedly at the forefront of contemporary graphic art applications. Always interested in painting and drawing from a young age, Andy began his career with his involvement in Melbourne's early rave scene back in 1993 creating UV murals for parties. His love of electronic music and all things digital lead him into the realm of computers in 1997 after finishing a graphic design course at Monash University Melbourne.
Over the past 9 years Andy has created a cult following with his unique style of "techno-organic" artwork inspired by the fusion of nature and technology.

illuminated
His greatest influence coming from nature documentaries and science fiction films. He integrates photography and computer generated imagery to create alien worlds and atmospheric montages based on the visual representation of Trance and other Electronic music genres.

Performances

Samanyolu (Tokyo)
Belly Dance performance

Samanyolu Oriental Danse Ensemble- Highly acclaimed professional ensemble featuring some of Tokyo's most popular bellydancers, performing both traditional and fusion styles, with direction from Mishaal. Samanyolu are: Sali, Nourah, Tanishq, Azarah, Hayati, Melika, Myiesha,Yaleli, and Yildiz.

Tripsichore (London)
Dance Performance

Tripsichore began in 1979 as a company devoted to creating full length dance narratives. The Company explored a variety of stylistic forms including punk ballet, conventional modern dance and strict neo-classical technique. They used masks, performed with rock bands and did pop videos. While yoga was always a part of their training, it wasn't until 1992 that they realised the expressive potential and choreographic viability of yoga postures. Once they began to devise works using yoga asanas, their extraordinary artistic logic became evident. Surprisingly, it would seem that there has been no orthodox tradition for using yoga technique to create dances in the 5000 year history of the discipline. The postures intrinsically possess a sumptuous beauty and fluidity. The postures are the ideal vehicle to express the themes of harmony, balance, spirituality, ecstasy, bliss and mysticism because they are exactly about these subjects in and of themselves. They are now 14 years into this experiment and each day brings new discoveries.

Sound

Function-One (UK)

Funktion-Oneunderstand sound to be the most important of our human senses and in fact, the root of the structure of the entire Universe. As such, the company tries to pay the amazing acuity of human hearing the respect it deserves by producing products that deliver as much resolution and detail as is possible. They also pay considerable attention to the emotional effect of not just music, but the sound itself, what you might call its 'quality'. In a world where everything is 'dumbing down' and finesse and subtlety are rapidly disappearing, it is a source of pride to Funktion-One that they are continually going in the opposite direction, expanding the envelope. On a spiritual level, good music and good sound has the effect of opening peoples' minds and deepening their consciousness which can only be good for the planet!

There will be Funktion-One sound systems installed on both floors at Crossroads! Watch out!

Music: Respekt Line-Up

Bluetech (Oregon, USA)
Live

Coming from a classical background, internationally known, Bluetech explores the edges of contemporary music, and has cultivated a sound that blends down-tempo, chill, idm, dub and psyhop. Fluid, deep, beautiful and highly danceable, he has an uncanny ability to solidify ethereal concepts into crystalline digital sounds. Known for his high level of technical skill, versatility, improvisation and evocative compositions, his gift for musical storytelling spins a magical web of deep, organic, enchanted realms ideally suited to the Illuminated experience. In addition to working as an electronic music producer, a commercial composer and improvisational pianist, he has written music for live performances, video games and television commercials. Prior to founding Native State Records, which has enjoyed critical acclaim from NPR affiliates like Morning Becomes Eclectic, he served as the Director of the Electronic Music Division of MP3.com. Bluetech was voted 'artist of the year' in 2006 by Echoes, the largest syndicated ambient music radio show in North America, beating out such luminaries as Brian Eno and Banco de Gaia.

Saya Projects (London)
Live

Currently based in the UK, Kaya Project is the newest musical incarnation of Seb Taylor who has also achieved notable success with his other projects over the past 10 years including Digitalis, Angel Tears, and Shakta. As a proficient and skilled musician Seb also plays guitar, cello and flute on many of his tracks as well as adeptly handling the programming and production. Along with additional acoustic support from his partner Natasha Chamberlain, Momi Ochon and a wide variety of accompanying musicians scattered across the planet, Kaya Project is decidedly one of the more collaborative and innovative acts on the cutting edge of the world electronic scene.

DJ Naasko (Nelson, Canada)

Naasko is a DJ, label manager, music designer and event producer based in the mountains of south central BC. Canada. Holding a degree in Communication and Cultural Studies he is also a multi-media presenter and freelance writer.

As a DJ he’s played under the names The Nomad, Rezin and Naasko at a wide variety of events along the West Coast and internationally for the past 11 years. Covering abroad range of musical styles from ambient, dub and chilled world grooves to tribal progressive psy. he’s been apart of such events as:

Boom Festival (Portugal),Exodus (Australia),Rainbow Serpent Festival (Australia),Sunrise Gathering (UK),Ypyparty (Brazil),Universo Parallelo (Brazil) - 2002Orion (Brazil),Shambhala Music Festival (Canada),In Vision Festival (Canada),Mindstates Conference (US),Avatar (US),Symbiosis Gathering (US),Synergenesis (US), andOracle Gatherings (US).

He is currently label manager of the renowned downtempo label Interchill Records and also works with Evan Bluetech on the newly formed Native State Records as DJ/A&R. He has compiled albums for both labels including ‘Sanctuary’, ‘Arcana’, ‘Left Coast Liquid’, ‘Beneath the Surface’ and has recently put together the latest Native State album 'Bioluminescence'.

In the studio Naasko has worked with Melbourne producer Don Peyote on two entheo-ambient titles. ‘Between Worlds’ and ‘Dreamcatcher’, both which were released by the Monroe Institute’s Hemi-sync : Metamusic Series in late 2005. Working with Noah Pred, their Sympath project has released tracks on Native State and Green Samurai Clan compilations.

In 2002 he founded Invisible Productions which has gained international recognition for conceptualizing and producing the Liminal Village zone at the Boom Festival (Portugal). Over the years Invisible Productions has also collaborated on a number of events and festivals along the West Coast and abroad.

Naasko also works for Soundtrax Music Services, a music licensing company based in Nelson, BC.

DJ Hiyoshi (Tokyo)

Hiyoshi has started as a DJ 1999, mixing ambient, dub, breakbeats and world music. He writes for “Posivision” magazine and disc guide book "songs from the space, songs to the space " (Rittor Music). He has collaborated with percussionists, OCHI BROTHERS (Dakini/Foa/Ultimate), and released tracks on Dakini Records. Hiyoshi Presently works for Global Chilage.

https://dakinirecords.com/

DJ Patrick Oancia (Tokyo)

Patrick Oancia comes from a long history of music and has been producing and Djing for over 20 years. His music influences range from downtempo grooves, classic rock, punk rock, jazz and funk to all genre electronica. Patrick has held residencies and played at night clubs and monthly events in Tokyo and abroad, performing at clubs including The Ritz New York, Foufoune Electrique,Yellow,Womb, Fai, Loop, On Air West, Club Citta, and Seco. Patrick is active in multi-level art/creation collaborations, and is the director of YogaJaya. He sees yoga as a lifestyle that is a vehicle to complete individual transformation.

DJ Jaybee (Tokyo)

Jaybee began DJing at 18 years of age. Not long after he was asked to play at the prestigious "Chinese Laundry" and "Globe" nightclubs in Sydney, Australia. From there he went on to hold a residency at "Slip Inn” located in The same building as Chinese Laundry quickly establishing himself as a reputable Tech House/ Deep House DJ. In 1999, Jaybee relocated to Tokyo going on to play at some of Tokyo's best night clubs.

Jaybee met and worked with many producers and label owners leading him to connections and relationships which have strengthened his relationship within the electronic music world and also inspiring his interest in Japan culture.

Jaybee has worked closely with DJ Jun (Capricious Records) and has showcased in clubs and held residencies at major events over the past 6 years. Jaybee draws on inspiration from Deep House and downtempo rythems. His love for skateboarding, graphic design, and travel, have inspired him to live a full experiential life connected with musical flavor and artistic juice.

Music: Seco Line-Up

Mike Shannon (Berlin)
Live

Over the last ten years Mike Shannon has been at the vanguard his craft using a lurid sense of personal aesthetic that has made him a luminary in the Canadian electronic music scene.

Raised in Kitchener Ontario, Mike began mixing records at fifteen with incisive extrapolations of acid house and techno before branching off to other elements of the electronic genre that manifest as diamond-edged production skills.
Using the vehicles of techno/house, and emotive elements that transcend and subvert the periodic table of known musical genres, he began to network with other artists and founded Cynosure recordings a label designed to serve as a platform for like-minded producers and artists adept at eliciting the emotional response of the listener by virtue of their　uncompromising ethic towards a high artistic, yet accessible standard.

In its 7 years of existence, Cynosure has released singles from Latino/euro- tronic stalwarts like Pier and Andres Bucci and Sieg uber die Sonne a long side Canadian artists as Adam Marshall, Mossa and Deadbeat. Plus a few singles and of his own under the John Shananigans guise and collaborating with J.Hunsberger as the Sunaj Assassins.

By 2000, with Cynosure quickly gaining a reputation for cutting the throat of the mundane sound that has been prevalent in the auditory landscapes both at home and overseas, Shannon embarked on his first European tour with Jeff Milligan. The pair's highly individualized mixing and sonic presentation left a favorable impression on European audiences and by 2001, Shannon caught the attention of the Force Inc. Music Works imprint, which signed his full-length debut, "Slight of hand”.

That year Mike and Jeff would formally partner on the operation of Jeff’s imprint Revolver Canada. Mike and Jeff both relocated in Montreal to begin working closer with the core of the prolific Cynosure and Revolver artist roster.

In 2003 he relocated to Santiago, Chile for a six months tour/production adventure. He began to work on a down-tempo project that later blossomed into an album called “possible conclusions to stories that never end” in 2005 was signed to Berlin’s infamous Scape records. Fusing minimal techno’s finely honed finely honed rhythmic instincts with classic downbeat’s braoder tonal palette.
After 6 months of touring South America, and working with other music pioneers as well as firing off a volley of new releases Mike then returned to Montreal to continue studio work on other forthcoming emanations that would appear on Logistic, Wagon Repair and Dumb-unit.

Currently located between Valencia, Spain and Berlin Germany mike continues seeking only to undermine the mediocre mindset that afflicts music, life and spirit.

Evan Parc (aka Bluetech) (Oregon, USA)
Live

Evan Marc is the uptempo/tech house alias of established downtempo producer Bluetech. His dancefloor style is deep, atmospheric, technical, and emotionally charged, functioning equally as kinetic body music and soulful listening music. Spurred forward by his association with tech house maetro Noah Pred, Evan Marc as released a number of EP's on his own netlabel Silent Auction, as well as releases on Interchill, and Sentient Sound. 2007 will see the release of his first full length album "Emotional Ecology" on San Francisco based Psybooty Records, finding and aesthetic space that spans genres while establishing his own identity in forward thinking electronic dance music.

DJ Audio Werner (Berlin)

Andreas Werner is one of today's most prolific figures in the incredible techno universe of Cologne. He encapsulates a delicate rhythmic sound and expression that is best exemplified in his 12” 'Zwrtshak Drive'―a favourite among artists such as Guido Schneider, Richie Hawtin or Ricardo Villalobos. It was also a #1 selection in the German publication Groove Magazine. Supported over the last few months by Triple R (head of the Traum label) under his pseudonym Audio Werner, Andreas has developed a sound that has renewed and continued the refined techno tradition in Cologne―the flagship European city for electronic music over the last decade.

Audio Werner has had releases on Traum, Trapez, Moon Harbour, Hartchef Discos and Ware, disseminating his meticulous works that today still reveal many fresh nuances.

His sound is part of a genre that the Germans gravitate to consistently and not without palpable success, especially considering the adversity towards decadent raves in recent memory. Both contemplative and functional, his musical style is a voice for artistic minimalism in Cologne and serves as a reference for the entire international scene.

DJ Matt.B (Tokyo)

Originally from Italy, Matt.B started his music career touring Europe with his punk band Psychotic Reactions in the late 80s playing along side of bands including the UK SUBS, D.O.A. , Dinosaur Jr and releasing material on the seminal italian punk label "BluBus".

Graduating with a degree in Sound Engineering at SAE in Holland, he then moved to London where he started producing and djing electronic music since from the mid 90s. Many of his tracks have been featured in TV ads worldwide (Yamaha, Mitsubishi, World Cup Soccer 2006)

While encompassing musical touches from differentparts of the globe, he presents a total blend, crossing genres and borders. His influences range from Dub, Dub-step, IDM,Techno, ambient, electro.

Label DJ for the Sonic Dragon family,his latest compilation "Future Sound Theory" released in november 2006 on Celestial Dragon records has gained rekognition worldwide and was awarded the 2007 Best Various Artists Morpheous Award.

He played in some of the most famous clubs in both UK (Ministry of Sounds,Mass,Herbal,Fabric,333,etc....) and Japan (Ageha, Womb, UNIT, Air and LaFabrique,etc...) as well as outdoor parties worldwide.

His latest Electro-dub project RaNDom has been releasing tracks on Em:t, Interchill, Native State, System Recordings, Celestial Dragons, and a new full album will be out in May 2007 on Celestial Dragon.

DJ Momo (Sapporo/Tokyo)

Originally from Sapporo, Momo became motivated to produce music and DJ after attending several Detroit Techno inspired parties at Preicous hall in Sapporo. Now she is involved in the organization of synapse parties in Sapporo, inviting artists whcih have included: James Holden, Steve Bug, and Mathew Jonson to name a few. Her influences range from minimal techno and house, mixing with deep, dark and acidy edge on the decks. She is currently based in Tokyo, playing out at clubs continuing to cultivate vibes in connecting with fellow music lovers.

DJ Sammy (Tokyo)

Spending 2 years in Manchester, UK, in the early 90s, SAMMY worked in the music scene in Hacienda at rave parties and Neo Psychedelia. He started his career as a dj from 2000. His sound could be described as noizy, dynamic but sensitive groove by mixing dub, shogazer, metal core, and noise, with many types of dance music. He has played with Akufen, Evil Nine, Jennifer Cardini, John Neltran, Kirk Degiorgio, and etc. not only at clubs but Sammy has also played for Lenny Kravitz's unplugged live event and some fashion shows too.

DJ Sisi (Tokyo)

Vinyl junkie, collecting freaky acid records in the late 90s, Sisi started djing in 2000. By distorted and acidic sense of music, his sound caught many peoples ear, and he was picked up as one of the resident djs of Real Grooves, a new exciing event at club Yellow. As the A&R of the label "Timothy Really", Sisi has build up relationships with both local and international artists. Especially, Steve Bug has chosen Timothy as the label to for releasing his Poker Flat materials in Japan.

DJ Yone-ko (Tokyo)

Yone-ko started his career in 1995, as a Hip Hop DJ learning from his brother. After visiting Love Parade in 2000, he shifted his style to minimallistc house and played in Nagoya, Shizuoka, Osaka, Tokyo and all around Japan. His groove oriented style has been recognized by many people including the groove master Daniel "DBX Bell".
In 2005, Yone-ko started producing as “the suffragettes” with Soinagawa(Telegraph Records),Sackrai (Fenou Records), Keisuke Kondo (Nacht Frequent Records, 9Volt Records) and has realeased from Milnor Modern Records, rrygular, unfoundsound, goosehound.

Food 

Dive into culinary art expression! As food also plays a very important role in the next crossroads, RESPEKT has created the following health conscious menu served from the afternoon right through the night!