“They discovered afterward that “ar” is often used as an abbreviation of such words as “artificial reality,” “Augmented Reality,” “air life,” and that makes them happy about having chosen this name.” – ar

As a name for a Japanese band “ar” probably rises to the top as one of the most improbable we’ve come across. Composed of Atsushi Kubo on vocals, Yoshitaka Fujimoto on bass and Tsubasa Ohta on guitar, this group plays a laidback style of music with a distinctly melancholy mood. Their latest album “LOVE LU LE LO” was released last year through Thistime Records.

So if you’re in the mood for some contemplative tunes come take a listen to the band with the inexplicable name and, should you find yourself in the Nagano area, be sure to check out Atsushi’s club “9k jikan”.

On April 28, 2010 the members of ar were kind enough to give an interview to J-Pop World. ar Interview.