Cibo Matto

Cibo Matto is a New York-based group formed in 1994 by Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda, both Japanese musicians who first work together in the noise rock band Leitoh Lychee. The group is active from 1994 to 2017 and its line-up includes Hatori, Honda, Timo Ellis, Duma Love, Sean Ono Lennon and あらきゆうこ. Its name is an Italian phrase meaning “crazy food”.

Style and early releases

The group combines electronic music, rock and trip hop, and its recordings also make strong use of Latin and South American musical elements. Its early work includes the album Viva! La Woman, released in 1996, which features strong hip-hop and trip-hop influences. During the recording period for that album, Hatori and Honda also work with Russell Simmons of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and others on the side project Butter 08.

Later work and line-up changes

Cibo Matto later brings in Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis and Duma Love to record the Super Relax EP and its final full-length album, Stereo Type A. That album moves further towards the group’s rock, pop and Latin side. The band continues to play live until it breaks up near the end of 2001.

Related projects and appearances

After the split, Yuka Honda releases solo albums and continues to collaborate with Sean Lennon. Miho Hatori moves into bossa nova, forms Smokey & Miho with guitarist Smokey Hormel, joins Gorillaz for its first self-titled album, and later releases a solo album. In 1997, Cibo Matto guest-performs in the second-season premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at the fictional club The Bronze, playing “Spoon” and “Sugar Water”. Their songs also appear elsewhere, including the video game Jet Set Radio Future and the film Brain Candy, which features “Birthday Cake”.

Reunion and later activity

The group reunites in 2011 for a benefit concert for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, with performances in New York and later at the Hollywood Bowl. This leads to a formal US reunion tour titled “Yeah Basically Cibo Matto”, with dates in several North American cities. Cibo Matto later releases Hotel Valentine through Chimera Music, the label founded by Sean Lennon.