JINSAI is a psychedelic electronic rock band that writes songs with guitars, synthesizers, electronic beats, noise, horns, and whatever else fits. They like to manipulate conventional sound and song structures. Many songs are dark, abrasive, and industrial while others are atmospheric and pretty. The songs range from piano ballads to ambient dirges to sound collage experiments, while others are pop songs in disguise. Lyrically, the music can be personally affecting but the words also function as another instrument, constructing images through random association. Live, the band performs as a three piece. They don’t have a drummer.
The band took form in the spring of 2002. James Cumberland (electronics, programming, synthesizers, piano, vocals) and John Dowling (guitars, vocals) started working on improvised music with a drum machine, synthesizer, and six-string bass. As the songs progressed, John began to play guitar and Michael Harpel joined on bass. Phil Rodriguez (trumpet, piano, synthesizers) entered the group as ideas were solidifying into what would eventually become JINSAI’s self-produced first record, Three and a Half Seasons (2004).
After performing in support of Three and a Half Seasons, the band took a brief hiatus before heading back into the home studio to write and record their new album, Parallel Policy (2010). The band opted to make Parallel Policy and Three and a Half Seasons available for free in digital format here and not-so-free on double-vinyl, CD, and iTunes. Hard copies can currently be purchased at live shows, Origami Vinyl in Echo Park , Poo-Bah in Pasadena , and many more independent record stores to come.
JINSAI are currently performing in and around the Los Angeles area, always writing and recording new material, while promoting both self-released albums.
