pond snail (Viviparidae spp.)Last year we started a project called yahyel, and as we were making tracks, we started to see our own colors and themes. We were able to package them well on this album. Musically speaking, it is music that we used to listen to on a regular basis. We wanted to create a platform for music that was interesting and vibrant at the moment, and to make it sound solid without making the audience aware of the unimportant gimmick of "Japan. That was the beginning of the project, so we are trying to find our own sound while producing such a sound musically. The theme of the project is to transcend all barriers, without carrying a complex of being "Japanese" or a sense of belonging. In this strange world where we only have a sense of belonging to our individual identities, there is a friction that arises from the atmosphere and atmosphere of society, which is taken for granted. Each song expresses the raw personal events that occur in this world.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). I think there are a lot of artists who are still doing well in that genre, like James Blake with his new record, and I think Bon Iver's new record could be connected to that context, although it may be a development in the future.

cedar tree. I think there is a genre that best fits as a tool for expressing our worldview. Among the various genres, post-dubstep is the format in which we can express ourselves most loudly.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). and music that has a flow amongst the on-time music. We wanted to be part of that trend. Post-dubstep as a movement certainly lasted until 2013, but I think it has since become a common and cutting-edge format in pop music. We chose this genre after analyzing the marketing factor of this trend and what our strengths are.

field of bamboo grass: To put it bluntly, "Beat Records" was the one who made the proposal to us. When I looked at Matt Colton's portfolio, I saw a complete list of what we were referring to, and I thought he was at the forefront of his time. I couldn't think of anyone in Japan who mastered this kind of work, and as a result, I thought he was the only person to do it, so I asked him to do it.

field of bamboo grass. it was totally different.

cedar tree. For example, even when the sound pressure is increased, the three-dimensional effect is not lost.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.)I feel that in Japan, the emphasis in music production is on how beautiful or smooth the sound can be, with the vocals as the main focus. But our music is more three-dimensional. It is better suited to creating a sound that shows a clear structure. I felt that he really understood what we wanted to do.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). it's only one factor, and it's not important.

field of bamboo grass. Many of the artists we refer to are neither singer-songwriters nor so-called "track-makers," but rather a combination of both qualities. When you listen to their works, of course there are parts where the songs are pushed out, but on the other hand, there are also songs where they try to make you listen with the track. . Matt Colton is the kind of person who puts out what he puts out and holds back what he holds back.

cedar tree. The beat is very effective, but at the same time, the vocalist's breath sounds very beautiful and pleasant.

field of bamboo grass. it's amazing, isn't it?

cedar tree. that's very foreign, or rather, I hate to say "foreign" again, but I think it's a way of making up that is unique to his experience.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.)I know it sounds really discriminatory to put it that way, but it's actually something we feel in our hearts. When we went to Europe and toured there, I felt that even in creating the sound for live performances, we are not bound by any format. We are very conscious of the coexistence of danceable sounds and vocals.

field of bamboo grassI feel that foreign countries are more prescient when it comes to the way bass music is presented as pop music with vocals.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). I don't think it's necessary to lump them all together so much.

cedar tree. I think there is a sense that things are spinning out of control. The media, or rather the people who capture the indie scene, are too far ahead of the curve, but the actual content is not that great as content.

field of bamboo grassHowever, my personal feeling is that it would be healthy if a renewal of the overground music format that has occurred in Japan over a span of about 20 years, such as new music in the 1970s and Shibuya-kei in the 1990s, were to take place. Not that I want to do so, but just as an objective opinion.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). To be honest, our stance is that we don't think the current state of the music scene is particularly healthy.

cedar tree. but at least I have a feeling that there are many musicians in the indie scene who think and work in the same way.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). There is no need to group them all together in a scene. There are many people who think about various things when they are making music, and it would be a waste to have a strange feeling of camaraderie.

cedar tree. and I think there's more to what you're looking at.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). We don't usually hang out with each other either, so I guess we are just friends doing something we respect each other for. So, I think the term "indie scene" is too broad and encompasses too much, and we should think about it more.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). we want it to be expanded. I think what the music scene needs now is to expand interest more. Even though CDs are still selling to some extent, the only gimmicks that attract attention in Japan today are idol-like gimmicks, and it is difficult to focus on people who are genuinely selling music. I think there is a lack of interest in expressive activities in the first place. I would like you to help us to focus on these areas and to expand the act of listening to music itself. We do what we can do, so I would like you to expand the scope of our reach rather than packaging us into a tight package. We should also think about what each of us is doing, and that packaging itself is a waste of time.

field of bamboo grass. There is no doubt about that. I think it is inevitable for the media to talk about the "◯◯ scene" as an umbrella term when talking about critical language. However, I don't think it is necessary to talk about Tokyo or other cities in that context, and I think that each artist should be given a unique explanation.

field of bamboo grass. I am a Korean XXXX.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). then Mura Masa, I guess.

field of bamboo grass. but I think that kind of awareness is very important.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.).: It's very important to extend these things little by little, isn't it?

field of bamboo grassWhen I say "surroundings," I feel that it would be a waste if only Japanese or Tokyo artists were included in our imagination. We must not forget our intention to expand what is included in "surroundings" and actively connect to various places.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). and I think that especially people who are doing what we are doing should say so.

field of bamboo grass. I can't give you specific names because we are working behind the scenes, but we are also thinking of artists and countries we would like to work with. We are not simply looking at Europe and the United States.

pond snail (Viviparidae spp.). I would like to do a variety of things. Should I say I want to work with musicians of my generation in Tokyo (laughs)?