Incapacitants (インキャパシタンツ, Inkyapashitantsu) are a Japanese noise music group formed in 1981. Initially a solo project of Toshiji Mikawa, Fumio Kosakai joined upon the project's relocation to Tokyo. The duo's stated aim is to produce "pure" noise, uninfluenced by musical ideas or even human intention, using primarily feedback, vocals, and various electronics. Kosakai calls this sound "hard noise", as a nod to the jazz subgenre hard bop.[1]
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In 1981, Toshiji Mikawa formed Incapacitants in Osaka as a solo project from his other creative endeavours with improv noise group Hijokaidan. As a solo project, Mikawa collaborated with Japanese vocalist and visual artist Yamantaka Eye,[2] among others. After relocating to Tokyo, Kosakai, of Japanese noise band C.C.C.C., joined Incapacitants to form the current duo. Kosakai would later join Mikawa and become a regular member of Hijokaidan.
Incapacitants, alongside Hijokaidan, Merzbow, C.C.C.C., Solmania, Hanatarash, the Gerogerigegege, and Masonna, are counted among the more well-known Japanese noise bands formed in the 1980s.
In November 1999, Incapacitants performed their first international concert at Music Unlimited Festival '99 in Wels, Austria.[3]
Many of the group's track titles reference their professions, but because of Mikawa and Kosakai's day jobs as bank employee and government office worker, respectively, the duo have not been able to tour abroad often.
The group also recorded sessions with Vivian Slaughter of Gallhammer.[4]
