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Mikado \ Biography

Chic synthpop duo Mikado formed in Paris in 1982, taking their name from a popular Japanese stick game. Pascale Borel wrote the lyrics and sang; instrumentalist Gregori Czerkinsky composed and arranged the music. Their first single, Par Hasard (By Chance), was issued by Les Disques du Crépuscule in October 1982, with an English language version released on sister label Operation Twilight soon afterwards. After a short Crépuscule package tour of Japan in 1984 (where their name means 'emperor') the duo acquired a strong fan base and quickly returned as headline artists. Debut album Mikado was released in 1985 on Non-Standard, the label founded by Haruomi Hosono of Yellow Magic Orchestra, and in Europe appeared on Disques Vogue.

Melodic and minimalist, tender and bittersweet, the analog froideur of Czerkinsky's simple keyboard equipment (Wilson Condor T organ and rhythm box, Jen Pianotone J-600, and later a Micro-Moog) belied a warmth and sense of humour rarely heard in electronic music. Another single, Un Naufrage en Hiver (Castaway in Winter), found success in France in 1986, and was followed by Carnaval. With the exception of Par Hasard, all of Mikado's retro-kitsch covers were designed by renowned artists Pierre et Gilles, who also directed their colourful videos, and collaborated with the duo on several commercials and short films.

After another hit single in France, La Fille du Soleil, in 1988, Borel and Czerkinsky set about recording demos for a second album, but parted company in 1991 before work could be completed. Both have since pursued solo careers.


Mikado
Mikado
Mikado