The forerunners in Japanese nu-jazz, Kyoto Jazz Massive initially began in the early '90s when brothers Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino decided to start DJing together. After a number of singles were released, the group signed to German label Compost, who released Kyoto Jazz Massive's debut, Spirit of the Sun, in 2002. The next year, the brothers remixed tracks from the Compost, Jazzanova, and Sonar Kollectiv catalogs on Fueled for the Future, and in 2006 the label celebrated their decade in the game by issuing 10th Anniversary. In between Kyoto Jazz Massive releases, however, the group has also remixed tracks for Soul Bossa Trio, Nicola Conte, Mondo Grosso, and Jazzanova, among others, and both Shuya and Yoshihiro started their own labels, Quality! Records and Especial Records, respectively.