Casino Versus Japan or Casino vs. Japan (born Erik Paul Kowalski; May 5, 1973) is a United States-based musician who works in electronic music.

Influences

As a child, Erik Kowalski was originally heavily influenced by

Jan Hammer Jan Hammer () (born 17 April 1948) is a Czech-American musician, composer, and record producer. He first gained his most visible audience while playing keyboards with the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the early 1970s, as well as his film scores fo ...

's music for '' Miami Vice'', as well as Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre. Kowalski taught himself piano, guitar and

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

in the early '90s while in high school.

Early work and releases

Recording guitar-based, ambient/experimental music as Radiogate in 1996 and 1997, Kowalski matured in the underground electronic music community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He worked at Atomic Records for 14 years and also wrote for the alternative

fanzine A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...

'' Milk Magazine'' which also informed developments within many styles of innovative music. During this time he interviewed many of his favorite artists and influences. In early 1998, he approached Mike Bailey (d. 2019) of the local electronic label

Star Star Stereo Star Star Stereo was an independent record label based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The label existed from 1997–2001 and was operated by Mike Bailey. Star Star released an eclectic mix of post-rock, electronic, indie rock and Americana. The cat ...

with some demo tapes, and shortly thereafter, released his self-titled debut ''Casino Versus Japan''. This subsequently led to live performances (including several dates opening for

Low Low or LOW or lows, may refer to: People * Low (surname), listing people surnamed Low Places * Low, Quebec, Canada * Low, Utah, United States * Lo Wu station (MTR code LOW), Hong Kong; a rail station * Salzburg Airport (ICAO airport code: LO ...

) with Charles Wyatt (Charles Atlas) accompanying Kowalski on guitar, as well as a subsequent tour opening for

Deerhunter Deerhunter is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Bradford Cox (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Moses Archuleta (drums, electronics, sound treatments), Lotus Plaza, Lockett Pundt (guitar, ...

in 2010. In January 2000, ''Go Hawaii'' was released on CD by Wobblyhead (later on double-vinyl LP by

City Centre Offices City Centre Offices is a record label based in Manchester, England, with an affiliate in Berlin, Germany. The label, founded in 1998 by Shlom Sviri and De:Bug magazine writer Thaddeus Herrmann, has released music from several notable acts, in ...

, 2001). By the Summer of 2002, the track "It's Very Sunny" was used in a Hummer television commercial. His third album '' Whole Numbers Play the Basics'', followed in September, 2002 on

Carpark Records Carpark Records is an independent record label based in Washington, D.C. History Carpark Records was established by Todd Hyman in 1999 in New York City. In 2005, the label relocated to Washington, D.C. Carpark has subsidiary labels. Acute Re ...

. The song "Manic Thru Tone" was used in

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's " Choose Or Lose" campaign in the Fall of 2002. In 2012, the title track from ''Go Hawaii'' was covered by Adam Peters for use as the incidental theme music for

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...

's film ''

Savages Savages may refer to: Films * Savages (1972 film), ''Savages'' (1972 film), by James Ivory * Savages (1974 film), ''Savages'' (1974 film), an American TV film * The Savages (film), ''The Savages'' (film), a 2007 film by Tamara Jenkins * Savage ...

''.

Collections and collaborations

'' Hitori + Kaiso (1998–2001)'', a collection of unreleased tracks, appeared in 2004. The album was compiled and released by Attacknine Records from a large archive of material initially presented as a gift to Nick Huntington of Freescha, and not intended for public release. Huntington enthusiastically encouraged a release, however, which also resulted in the 2010 collection ''Night on Tape'', another batch of selected tracks from the same archive. Casino Versus Japan and Freescha released a Split EP together in 2004. Tracks by Casino Versus Japan have featured heavily during the intermissions of NPR's '' Radiolab'' podcast. In July 2011 ''Radiolab'' were licensed to allow followers to download Casino Versus Japan's ''Miano: A Pink Night For Snowmen'' from the ''Night on Tape'' album.
Online. Accessed: July 13, 2011.

Discography

Albums and collections

* ''Casino Versus Japan'', CD (1998,

) * ''Go Hawaii'', CD (2000, Wobblyhead) 2x12" LP (2001,

) * '' Whole Numbers Play the Basics'', CD and LP (2002,

) * ''Hitori + Kaiso (1998–2001)'', Double CD (2004, Attacknine) * ''Casino Versus Japan'' eissue(2010, Moodgadget) * ''Night on Tape'' (2010, Attacknine) * ''Frozen Geometry'' (2016, self-release) * ''Suicide By Sun'' (2018, self-release) *''Echo Counting'' (2020, self-release)

Singles and EPs

* Casino Versus Japan + Jessica Bailiff, split 7-inch (2000,

) * "Via", 10-inch (2001, Wobblyhead) * "Silver And Gold" b/w "64 Colors" Split 7-inch w/ Am Boy (2004, Wobblyhead) * "Casino Versus Japan + Freescha" plitCDEP/12" (2003, Wobblyhead) * "Damaged Errata", "Scenic Loop" (2015, Attacknine)

References

External links

Casino Versus Japan on BandcampCarpark RecordsWobblyheadOfficial MySpace PageAttacknine Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Casino Versus Japan 1973 births American electronic musicians Intelligent dance musicians Living people