Hiroshi Watanabe aka KAITO

Hiroshi Watanabe, also known as KAITO, is the only Japanese artist on Kompakt, Germany's largest electronic music label, where he releases works under the KAITO moniker. He also releases music on Klik Records in Greece. "Intension," from KAITO's first album, *Special Life*, released in 2002, was included on a Francois K. mix CD, creating an immediate sensation and becoming a timeless masterpiece that is still talked about today. He then released his second album, *Hundred Million Light Years*, including the title track which was also featured on Kompakt's compilation albums. These two albums catapulted the name KAITO to international recognition, leading to live performances at major events such as the Sonar Festival in Barcelona. KAITO's original albums are always accompanied by beatless albums, with delicate and beautiful melodies that appeal to a wide range of music fans. *Trust Less*, a response to his third album *Trust*, incorporated even more acoustic elements, enhancing its listening experience. Under his real name, Hiroshi Watanabe, he released his first album, *Genesis*, which became his biggest selling album, followed by *Sync Positive* in 2011. As the title suggests, it is a powerful work that inspires listeners. In addition, his unique collaboration album with Keiichi Sokabe, *Life, Love*, which came about through remixes and deepening their relationship, broke new ground with a lyrical sound that blended melancholic soundscapes and vocals. On the other hand, Tread, a downtempo project with graphic designer Takehiko Kitahara, whom he met while living in New York, established a perfect balance between simple, soft overtones and dry beats, attracting attention from various genres, including house, techno, and hip-hop. The five limited-edition albums and four EPs are known as timeless masterpieces. In 2013, he released *Recontact*, a 2-CD DJ mix created to commemorate Kompakt's 20th anniversary, and *Until the End of Time*, his first album as KAITO in four years. It depicts a grand soundscape that can be described as a reborn KAITO. In early 2016, he released the EP *Multiverse* on Transmat, the Detroit label that has left a great mark on techno history. Derrick May's discerning eye means that only extremely pure songs are numbered, so releases themselves have been limited in recent years, making this a significant event. The album of the same name as the EP is a work in which sounds like galaxies shining brilliantly in the universe are brought to life. Hiroshi Watanabe continues to deliver his work to the world from numerous labels that have created history. He can be described as a rare musician who is advancing into unprecedented territory as a Japanese artist.