Vocaloid Essentials

Debuted in 2002, Vocaloid software gives users access to a singing synthesiser that boasts the most realistic-sounding voices yet developed. Sales were sluggish at first, but Vocaloid (“vocal plus android”) became a Japanese phenomenon with the introduction of aqua-haired avatar Hatsune Miku. Vocaloid tunes take many forms, but generally they're thumping electro-pop songs with vocals that sound like a digital chemtrail. It's become a musical revolution in Japan, birthing a genre that resembles a club night in the distant future.