Koto

The birth of this project was in the early '80s. Koto was an italian synth group, with tracks conducted and arranged by Anfrando Maiola and produced by Stefano Cundari and published by Memory Records, Italy. Together they have created some great tracks like: "Chinese Revenge", "Japanese War Game", "Visitors", "Jabdah", and "Dragon's Legend". 

In 1989, a German record label ZYX has bought rights to all Memory Records catalogue, allegedly including the rights to Koto music and name. They asked the Dutch producer Michiel van der Kuy to re-record and remix some of old Koto tracks. In 1990 original Koto member Anfrando Maiola came back with 'Champion's Cue', but the single didn't gather much popularity. In 2003 Maiola produce the single 'Planet X'. 

Lately, Anfrando Maiola has won back the rights to Koto name, but the music he produces in 2003 is far from synthdance genre, it's rather in Techno and Dance style. Currently he is working with Alex Cundari and Roberto Bisca for new synth songs. [SOURCE: DISCOGS]

(More info on WIKIPEDIA]