ZEROSEN was a Japanese crossover, jazz-funk, and rare groove band led by composer and arranger Katsunori Ishida during the 1970s. Originally created as a high-fidelity audio test project, the group’s album Sunrise (1977) has since been rediscovered and celebrated in Japan and internationally as a landmark of Japanese rare groove and “wa-mono” music. Led by Ishida on keyboards and arrangements, ZEROSEN brought together some of Japan’s finest musicians, including legendary drummers Ponta Murakami and Hideo Yamaki, bassist Akira Okazawa, keyboardist Mikio Masuda, guitarist Kenji Omura, and vocalist Tantant. Their exceptional musicianship, powerful sound, and deeply rhythmic arrangements gave the project a distinctive character that went far beyond its original purpose as an audiophile recording. In July 2026, two highlights from the album were selected by CHINTAM, curator of the influential Wa-mono A to Z series, for their first-ever worldwide 7-inch vinyl release on Victor Entertainment. The single features “Sunrise” on the A-side and “Son of Pin Head” on the B-side, mastered by 8ronix.
