Kodo

The world's best-known Japanese Taiko drumming ensemble, Kodo produce a range of sounds from near-silent clattering to full-blown percussive thunder. Together since the 1980s, they've released several more-or-less traditional recordings in addition to venturing into Western-influenced crossover territory. Their collaborators have included DJ Krush, Bill Laswell (who produced their popular 1997 CD Ibuki), and Thrash Metal heroes Sepultura. Their music is more than capable of speaking for itself, however, as it communicates with a hypnotically violent power that transcends cultural barriers.