Cibo Matto is a New York City-based band formed by two Japanese women, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda in 1994. Despite being based in the US rather than Japan, they have strong links with the shibuya-kei scene in their use of sampling and mixture of trip-hop and rock, but stand out amongst other such artist for their particularly strong use of Latin and South American music. Cibo Matto is an Italian phrase that means "crazy food".
Concrete Blonde is an alternative rock band dating from the early 1980s to the early 1990s (and re-formed again in the 2000s). They are best known for the poignant songwriting and vocals of Johnette Napolitano. Singer / songwriter / bassist Napolitano formed the band Dream 6 with guitarist James Mankey in Los Angeles in 1982, releasing an eponymous EP in France on the Happy Hermit label in 1983. When they signed with IRS in 1986, labelmate Michael Stipe suggested the name Concrete Blonde, describing the contrast between their hard rock music and introspective lyrics.