“Serious Garden” is composer Nozawa Mica’s sole physical release - a CD composed for the dance performance "Innocent" by butoh dancer Kumiko Yamaguchi in 1996. The works make full use of electronics, recalling the MIDI experiments of Ryuichi Sakamoto & Jun Chikuma, while combining the organic and airy sounds of woodwind instruments and percussion. The deep percussive sounds of a marimba-like instrument and the brushy hits of snare combine with rhythmic woodwind lines and electronic sequencing on album opener “Oxygenator”. The album’s closer “Velvet Riot” begins with minimal piano and vocal samples which disintegrate into a stunning movement of minimalist percussion and collaged electronics. An absolute hidden gem in the world of avant-garde ambient minimalism from 1990s Japan.

Nozawa Mica studied composition under Yoshiro Irino and Yoriaki Matsudaira - their work freely crosses musical borders with various styles based on contemporary minimalist music. Nozawa has produced works for movies, TV dramas, commercials, games, as music director of a dance company, cassette magazine CM 4, participated in Masumi Hara’s album, and works with intermedia artists from various fields such as music / butoh / performance. Mica has developed a wide range of activities, including the presidency of the collected event series "Performance Tokyo".