We just sound out the view we see at that time without changing, leaving behind what we think is not necessary at that time.
A: In addition to guest appearances by artists with whom you have had close relationships, there are also some unexpected features that caught my attention. In particular, the fourth track "Los Location" features VaVa of the Creative Drag Store.
DAICHI:Yes, I did. Actually, I had never met VaVa before, but Masato introduced me to him and said, "Surprisingly, I think we would get along well if we work together. When we started working together, it was really good. He was the type of person I had never met before. Until then, I had only worked with people I knew, so it was a new discovery for me. The process of building a relationship of trust was also fresh, as we went to a public bath together before writing songs and deepened our friendship. It was a kind of chemical change.
Let It Be" also features Kid Fresino, who has a completely different type of flow. The mix of analog and digital tracks, including auto-tune and live instruments and synths by up-and-coming beatmaker QUNIMUNE, was a perfect fusion of the two, giving the track a modern feel.
DAICHI:I had no plans to work with Kid Fresino on a song at first, but I felt that the worldview of his "ai qing", which had just been released around that time, and the direction I was aiming for in my first album were a great match, so I offered to work with him on the song. To be honest, I had a hard time deciding on the hook of the chorus until the very last minute of submission. I have a competitive nature, and the higher the quality of the guest artists' verses, the higher the bar I have to set for myself. I still think that I could have mastered my own verse a little more on this song, but as you said, the live instruments and synth track, which is QUNIMUNE's specialty, were excellent, and with the inclusion of effective auto-tune and other elements, I think this song has a strong presence throughout the album. I think it is a song with a strong presence throughout the album.
Do you work on this album as a completely different creation, not as a rapper or a singer? Also, were there any influences from the beatmakers who participated in this project?
DAICHI:Yes, that's right. I myself am not a beatmaker by profession, so the way I make music is completely different from those people, and of course I am influenced by them, but I am not that conscious of it. It is more like Frank Ocean's work. It's more like an extension of my experimental approach, and I make it with control from the singer's point of view. I think there are still some rough edges, but I am satisfied with it.
By the way, what is the meaning behind the title "Andless"?
DAICHI:This is a coined word meaning "without continuation. Originally, it was based on the word "Undress," which is similar to the feeling of "taking it off," meaning to sharpen and reduce the thickness of my own false image, which has been inflated by worrying about my external image, by expressing it in each song. I also mean to sharpen and reduce the thickness of my own pretense by expressing it in each song. In other words, I wanted to shake off all the negativity and show my naked, life-size self, or rather, the feeling of being liberated.
I see. This feeling is also strongly felt in the 12th track, "Escape". The word "Escape" is also used in the title of this article. I borrowed this word from the title of a song on the album, but it is also a word that I feel is common to the next generation of music makers. Not in a negative connotation, but also interpreted differently from an update or a challenge. It is a sense of "escaping from existing styles in pursuit of free expression. I think this is an indication of the future that DAICHI is looking forward to. In that sense, please tell us what kind of scenery spreads out ahead of your future escapes.
DAICHI:I think there are situations in the production process where everyone wants to escape. Of course, I have also been driven by such feelings. When I want to break out of a difficult situation or status quo, I think that by taking my mindset to a different place, a new perspective or idea can be born. Perhaps I subconsciously want to escape to the next world or time period. I think I will leave behind what I think is not necessary at that time, and just continue to make sounds of the scenery I see at that time without changing. As long as that thought remains unchanged, I feel that I will be able to continue making music for a long time to come.
