THE MIJO TOKYO INTERVIEW
by Fled Tokyo > Tune ouT Tokyo
MIJO is the prolific producer of Mexican techno, multi-instrumentalist, and international DJ who performed for his 1st time in Tokyo @ BONOBO / Sky Diamonds by Lucy party produced by Tune ouT Tokyo.
The interview went down in the gallery of BONOBO in Jingumae, Shibuya City just before MIJO’s 2-hour set. Endless love to SEI-SAN @ BONOBO and a big thanks to the BONOBO staff.
So far in 2023 MIJO has produced 2 tracks on his CUMBRES EP released on the DURO label, 4 remixes from labels such as Innisfallen Records to Nativo MX to Roam Recordings, and 3 single releases from labels such as Controlla to Kaput.wav to DURO. Plans for another EP release later this year, even without his studio gear!?, are in works.
MIJO is not only an unstoppable music production machine, even after the theft of his studio gear, but MIJO is an unstoppable force of positivity and humbleness. Simply put, a beautiful creative soul with a predilection for techno who was happy to perform in Tokyo for his 1st time.
FLED TOKYO: Alright, Tune ouT Tokyo presents MIJO all the way from Mexico in Tokyo.
MIJO: Hola!
Hello! Welcome to Tokyo. It’s your 1st time playing in Tokyo?
Yes, I tried to make it one time before this one and I had to change my flight, for some reason, but now I’m here and I’m with my girlfriend and everything is perfect.
Wonderful. So you’ll be playing your 2-hour set from 2:00 AM at the Sky Diamonds (by Lucy) party (at BONOBO).
Yes, let’s see what happens.
That should be fun. Lots of fun.
Right now when I came in, they were playing one of my tracks, so I cannot play that anymore.
Oh, no…
It’s okay (LOL).
So let’s see, but you’ve played in Korea. You were playing in Korea…was it Open Air in May?
The AirHouse. Yeah, it’s an open air festival in the woods, very close to the beach in Korea.
And that was one of the greatest experiences of my life because I feel now that Mexican techno and Mexican disco and all that stuff are now coming up and people in Asia are now starting to listen to it and be curious about it and to really take it in so I had a great time.
Yeah, that’s wild. Yeah, I think so. Let’s see. We had some of our Tokyo favorites, Gonno and Haruka, playing as well at that festival. Really big.
You’re talking about Mexican techno. You just released on the Duro label from Mexico. Can you tell us a little bit about that release or that remix?
Yeah, I mean, Duro is one of the few labels that are putting out constantly Mexican artists and Mexican techno and remixes for maybe some international artists. But mainly it’s like a household for Mexican sound.
And they’re very good friends of mine. We grew up together and we just released a remix for Theus Mago, which is one of the biggest Mexican techno artists out there.
And it’s cool. I really like that sound. I like Duro. I have my own label called Disque Discos.
There’s a few other labels that you guys really have to dig in because I think Mexican electronic music has a very distinct sound, and it’s very driving, it’s very minimal and punky in a way.
So it’s the kind of sound that we started developing with the guys from Duro and others.
Yeah, and you’ve released on Correspondant as well?
Yeah. Maybe eight or nine years ago, I was doing a lot of releases on Correspondant, on Turbo Recordings, on Toytonics, more like European labels.
And that’s where we started making this kind of sound. And then we came back home and started doing our own labels and doing our own thing.
And now it’s like, I think, personally, I think it’s now at the level of the biggest European labels, which is our goal, is to put out music with that level of quality and to be up there with the top artists from Europe and from Asia and all that stuff.
Definitely, you guys from Mexico are coming up. I remember that probably 2018 before COVID, you (had) your tracks in Tokyo. You had (released) on the Duro label.
I had no idea, man.
Here and there in Tokyo clubs. Yeah, it’s coming up. We need someone to represent from Mexico here in Tokyo.
I’m very happy. I’m very happy to do it.
Nice. Well, can you tell us about the Mexico scene? It’s such a big country. There’s so many beaches, but there’s also Tulum, Mexico as well. Some really big parties and it’s really, I guess, an eclectic scene. Can you tell us a little bit about the Mexican scene?
I think it’s one of the greatest scenes in Latin America, definitely. I mean, comparing it to maybe Colombia or Brazil or Argentina, which are more further south, it’s not that easy to have this interconnection of artists coming all over from everywhere, basically.
So what happens in Mexico is that it’s like a hub. So all the flights can stop there. All the artists from America, from United States, they come down there. All the artists from Europe can come down there. So it started brewing like a really complex scene. We have maybe like 25 plus cities, with nice club scenes, with nice parties.
We have Tulum, which is more like a housey and more like a deep house and these kind of stuff. But also our sound, like our Mexican dark disco, is starting to work over there (in Tulum and worldwide).
And it’s been great. I haven’t been able to leave Mexico because I’ve been always full of work. I play like a residence every month in this club called Bar Oriente in Mexico City. We’re starting to play some underground raves.
You have very small bars. You have the greatest festivals with international artists. So it’s very complete and it’s very open. It’s a very open scene. Now you can… now you can go to a rave in Mexico City and usually you will have one stage playing reggaeton and the next stage is playing techno. And then the next stage is playing trap and then the three of them do a crossover.
So it’s interesting, man. It’s a very interesting scene. It’s very like Generation Z. Everyone is just whatever. It’s fun.
Yeah, that’s beautiful. Well, here in Tokyo, everyone’s a DJ. Actually, we don’t have promoters. The DJ has to bring the people, the crowd. It’s like a cult following.
Back to basics.
Yeah, everyone’s a DJ, not too many dancers. So it’s the opposite.
Okay, okay.
You had your, was it your Korg (synthesizer) stolen not too long ago?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. No worries.
Did you get it back at all? What happened there?
No, actually, some guys broke into my house. They took all my equipment, basically. They just left me with the speakers, but they didn’t take… They didn’t leave the computers or anything.
And it’s funny because just two hours or three hours ago, I was going to this 5G Music Shop here, and it’s closed because of the Mountain Day or something. Actually, I’ve saved up to buy a new synthesizer in Japan.
I hope you find your new one.
I’m trying to buy it through Amazon. It’s funny because now I just waited and I was like, okay, I’m going to get one synthesizer, but I want the Japanese synthesizer.
How are the price differences between Mexico and here that you’ve seen so far?
No, the Japanese synthesizers like Korg, like Roland, they are half price here. Yeah. And they have the new models. So it’s better, actually. I decided to wait. So I’m getting a Korg Wavestate. Hopefully they will send it, maybe. Otherwise I will go chase it down in some shop soon.
Well, it was a sad story, but whatever, man. I was actually with my girlfriend just making music with the few equipment we have left, and it’s the same you know. Nothing stops me, man, yeah.
Do you have access to studios? Like friends in Mexico, around the world? Can you get access to studios?
Yeah, usually I will go to any of my friends’ house and I can just work there. Yeah, it’s fine, man. But it was sad because I was touring in Korea and then I was playing this gig in Busan and then they sent me a picture of all my stuff gone while I was playing. So it was a bummer.
So after Japan, where are you going to be playing next? Where are you performing?
I think we’re going to Thailand. We’re going to we’re just going to travel around Thailand. I am a cook with my girlfriend we have a gastronomy, how do you say, like a food project. We are chefs and she created a menu based on on like Asian recipes and we are like like doing some kind of Mexican Asian fusion. S o we’re going to Thailand to get inspired and to get some new recipes and stuff.
And then when I go back I will probably keep playing in Mexico. I have some gigs in Tijuana…I don’t remember…there’s always stuff going. So when I come back to Mexico I will keep playing my Mexican parties.
Your pretty elusive as an artist, but your productions are pretty extensive. You already have 9 so far released this year interns of remixes and your EP as well?
I think so man. What happens is that sometimes you make the music, you make the remixes, and then you send it to the people and then you forget about them and then they just suddenly release them like one after another. So I’m always putting out stuff.
Now I will try to when I get my Japanese synthesizer I will try to work finally on a personal album, on a MIJO album, because I’ve been doing only remixes so far, but I went to do like a collection of original music and, well, that’s my plan for now.
So that means another EP might be coming this year?
Yeah, probably, I would love to do a full a full length, but now people they don’t have time to listen so much, so maybe an EP is fine.
Once again welcome to Tokyo and I’m really excited to see your set. Don’t worry, just have fun. It’s a dance floor. So I am pretty sure the energy will go round.
There’s a dance floor and there’s sound. That’s it, that’s all we need.
Maybe your equipment will magically come back.
I hope, I hope. If it doesn’t come back I fine. I’m happy I’m playing in Tokyo. I’m happy having this experience. Well, let’s bring it.
Let’s do it. Alright, here we go. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Fled Tokyo signing off for Tune ouT Tokyo from the gallery of BONOBO @ the Sky Diamonds by Lucy party with special guest MIJO from Mexico City, Mexico.
SIERRA MADRE / A MIJO + COLOSSIO COLLABORATION – CUMBRES EP
DURO – 2023 – Digital Release
https://durolabel.bandcamp.com/album/cumbres-incl-esprit-divers-remix
INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
LOCATION: Bonobo, Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan
EVENT: Sky Diamonds by Lucy @ Bonobo, Tokyo
BOOKINGS WORLDWIDE: [email protected]
Tune ouT Tokyo thanks MIJO, DURO and SEI-SAN @ BONOBO, Tokyo.
THE SHUBOSTAR TOKYO INTERVIEW
Interview by Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
Hailing from South Korea, SHUBOSTAR has been immersing herself in the evolving underground scene of South Korea and Thailand and now in Mexico. Her electric music taste spans various style but her music has a common theme of ‘Cosmic’.
SHUBOSTAR’s self-defined music style is Cosmic Disco – a base of disco, but with more techno elements. From 2018 she decided to launch her own label ‘uju Records’ with Korean painter Daryung Kim, inviting her favorite artists in the genre.
日本語記事(DIGLE MAGAZINE掲載)はこちら> https://mag.digle.tokyo/interview/174676 文: Fled Tokyo（Tune ouT Tokyo） 編: Aoi Kurihara（翻訳）
TUNE OUT TOKYO: You came to Japan to perform at two SelVa events. The main event was at Hakuba Mountain Harbor in Nagano over the weekend.
How was this experience high up in the snow filled mountains of Japan?
SHUBOSTAR: I was so proud of being East Asian: is awesome to proof we also have great promoters who make this kind of beautiful outdoor events and I hope we’ll have always more and more. I cried inside tears of happiness for the opportunity of playing in this unbelievable place!
SHUBOSTAR @ Hakuba Mountain Harbor / Hakuba, Japan / 22nd APRIL 2023
The 1st SelVa event was the pre-party held at Womb.
Was this your first time to play Womb?
I heard about Womb a long time ago but never played there before. Has been a dream coming true being able to perform there!
SHUBOSTAR @ Womb / Tokyo, Japan / 20th APRIL 2023
As an international traveling DJ, from your personal perspective, how does Tokyo compare to other cities around the world?
You can feel that the music scene in Japan has a very long history. The quality of the music in every shop is insane, especially in the bars. Very underground with good taste. Even though you are going to the countryside, you will always listen good music everywhere! That really surprised me in a positive way.
Last year in 2022 you traveled the globe to play some astronomical events.
What was your best memory from last year?
Of course Burning Man 2022 at Mayan Warrior art car. It won’t happen again with the same art car anymore so it means more to me.
A cloud of slight dust on Tuesday night, sparkling lights from the people, and even on the ground.
The energy from the crowd was powerful and it was an unforgettable magic moment.
Recently, Ryuichi Sakamoto from Yellow Magic Orchestra sadly passed away.
Do you have any musical influences from Japan?
When I was in high school I listened more to Japanese music than Korean music, to be honest. I was a big fan of Japanese rock music such as X-Japan, L’arc-en ciel, Dir en grey. Then of course I discovered Yellow Magic Orchestra (the) Kraftwerk for East Asians. I also used to play “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence”.
Ryuichi Sakamoto is definitely one of the greatest artists in the history of Japan and he meant a lot to me.
Your first release on your label ‘uju Records’ appears to be ‘Harlock’. This anime based music video comes out of the same vein as Akira.
Has anime influenced you in any way as an artist?
As I told you before I listened more to Japanese music than Korean music when I was in high school. Back then I used to watch a lot of Japanese animè: Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne, Sailor Moon, Slayers, Galaxy Express 999, everything coming from Ghibli Studio, Tekkonkinkreet, Paprika, Space Dandy, Samurai Champloo… and many more. They actually built my identity.
I especially loved Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy, and Galaxy Express 999 – they have similar “space travel” themes (to my music). I used to dream about this kind of travels with my crew. When I make music I feel like I’m the captain of the spaceship. I’m sure that space travel animations influenced me to have my cosmic sound!
South Korea is producing bright shining international talent such as Peggy Gou and yourself Shubostar. In Tokyo we are familiar with the smooth vinylists Radio Revolutioner and Mihak.
Can you tell us about the burgeoning electronic scene in Seoul?
This topic is quite difficult to answer because I left the Seoul scene more than 8 years ago. I only can say the scene is growing up so fast and looks unique and interesting.
I met Radio Revolutioner in Bangkok on this tour. We talked about many things and both agreed we have many good DJs, but not many interactions with other countries. But yes, it’s just the beginning. I can expect in a few years the electronic scene will be growing a lot and surprise other countries!
What was it like coming up in this scene for you?
It was a great feeling that I could talk about my music with other people especially when someone already know about my pure passion “Cosmic Voyage” series.
Also when I play my music they recognize my music and sometimes sing the melody or lyrics togehter. Sometimes people request my music with their phone screen. I just feel weird but grateful that they know my music already.
Your the head of ‘uju Records’ based in Mexico City, Mexico. In January you performed ‘Radical & Incendia present Born in Mexico Showcase’ in Tulum alongside Zombies In Miami, Paulor and Vongold.
What is your connection to Mexico?
I’ve been living in Mexico for 4-5 years. My career started to grow there! Before Mexico, I quitted being a DJ for a while but I met several friends who helped me and encouraged me to play music again. That’s the moment when I started to work with my agent from ‘Born in Mexico’, Marco.
Thanks to him I started to play in all the best clubs and festivals around Mexico! Mexico means a lot to me. Mexico is in my heart.
What foods do crave when you’re outside of Korea and Mexico?
I’m crazy with seafood especially raw seafood. I also like tapas style of food. Not big portion so you can order many different dishes. These days I love to go to drink natural wine pairing small dishes.
Dark disco and indie disco are kings of the mountain in Mexico. As opposed to Japan, where dark disco and indie disco are still waiting to hatch their shells. However, international DJs in these veins are celebrated in Tokyo including Curses, Moscoman, and Simple Symmetry.
How did you fall in love with your ‘cosmic disco’ ranging from nu-disco to dark disco with splashes of techno?
It was a combination of all I listened during my life. I loved to listen Nordic Disco artists such as Todd Terje, Lindstrom or Prins Thomas, but also Italo and Cosmic Disco artists like Daniele Baldelli or Alexander Robotnick. I used to listen to rock music from Japan, Korea and a bit everywhere too. I even loved to listen to Goth Metal!
Everything came naturally. You can check my musical journey via my mix set series “Cosmic Voyage” on my soundcloud.
Last month, March 31st, you released your debut album ‘Dolphin Dream’ on the ‘Live At Robert Johnson’ label.
The ‘Queen Millennia’ track is a melancholic yet hopeful new disco joint with sprinkles of cosmic sounds and a touch of techno from outer space.
‘Dolphin Dream’ is an arpeggio based tidal stream with everyone’s favorite finned mammal (perhaps not the sharks) to a underwater party in Atlantis.
What was the concept behind this album?
I made most of these tracks during the pandemic. After Spiegel got the spotlight I wanted to make more music related to Japanese animation: with Queen Millennia I tried to make a melancholic melody to describe the mother of Maetel, Queen Promethium.
With Dolphin Dream instead I got the idea to use dolphin sound inspired from my good friends “Magic Dolphin Club” a DJ trio in Mexico. They always play dolphin sounds in their set.
Siestar was a project I wanted to become a very danceable bright track, while with Eternitè all came naturally after met my friend Alexandra.
We met in Frankfurt and she suddenly sent me her poem with her voice which was totally beautiful. I made a track able to fit her dreamy poem.
At the end of last year you did a remix for Curses featuring Terr on the track ‘Ghost of Arms’ on Jennifer Cardini’s label Dischi Autunno.
How did you meet Luca aka Curses?
We knew each other only online, but when Luca came to Mexico we finally met. That day I was playing at Funk Club in Mexico City and he wanted to see the venue so we went together. He is not just an amazing musician, but also a very cool guy!
What was it like re-working his track ‘Ghost of Arms’?
I really liked Terr’s voice. Not too artificial or effected, very simple and refreshing. After adding one arpeggio, everything went so fast because all the elements he made were good. When I sent it to Luca he told me that he got goosebumps!
After Japan it appears you’ll be shooting over to Europe for an extensive tour.
Can you share any big announcements with us for 2023?
My summer schedule is looking busy luckily! I will play at several festivals in Europe like Nuit Sonores in Lyon, Kappa Futur in Turin and Garbicz in Poland plus many many club all around.
We are also working on my first US tour for the fall so keep an eye on it!
Thanks for having me, Japan experience was a big gift for me. I’m sure I come back very soon! 日本ありがとう！
SHUBOSTAR – DOLPHIN DREAM EP
Live At Robert Johnson Label – 2023 – Digital Release
https://liveatrobertjohnson.bandcamp.com/album/dolphin-dream
SHUBOSTAR / Black Rock Desert / Nevada, U.S.A.
INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
EVENT: SelVa @ Womb, Tokyo > April 20th, 2023
EVENT: SelVa @ Hakuba Mountain Harbor, Nagano > April 22nd, 2023
BOOKINGS: NEPTUNE MUSIC AGENCY
Tune ouT Tokyo thanks SHUBOSTAR, Simone @ Oltre Booking, Sari @ Neptune Music Agency and Ken from the SelVa party.
日本語記事(DIGLE MAGAZINE掲載)はこちら> https://mag.digle.tokyo/interview/174676
文: Fled Tokyo（Tune ouT Tokyo） 編: Aoi Kurihara（翻訳）
THE ZOMBIES IN MIAMI TOKYO INTERVIEW
by Fled Tokyo @ Tune ouT Tokyo
ZOMBIES IN MIAMI is a project created by Cani & Jenouise based in Aguacalientes in the heart of Mexico. Despite the name ZOMIES IN MIAMI they are not crawling around Miami, but shining out their light across the globe. The couple have became one of the most prominent members of Mexico‘s vital electronic scene over the last decade. You can call their sound a rhythmic and synth-driven house and techno hybrid, with a disco and balearic twist, which is held together by the oh so sweet Italo Drama.
日本語記事(DIGLE MAGAZINE掲載)はこちら> mag.digle.tokyo/interview/173971
ZOMBIES IN MIAMI burst onto the world stage after highly acclaimed EPs and tracks for such diverse labels as Gerd Janson’s Running Back, Jennifer Cardini’s Correspondent, and on Prins Thomas’s Internasjonal they released their first album “2712” on Permanent Vacation.
ZOMBIES IN MIAMI play regularly in top clubs around the world like Berghain / Panorama Bar, Robert Johnson, Nitsa, Lux Fragil, Good Room, Vent and also festivals such as Sonar, Fusion, Burning Man, Garbicz, Mutek and many more.
They started their own label called Creatures of the Night. Besides the ZOMBIES IN MIAMI DJ duo they have another project influenced by techno & experimental live music called ‘Planet ZIM’. They are expecting to play some special Live Acts in Europe for 2023.
THE ZOMBIES IN MIAMI TOKYO INTERVIEW
TUNE OUT TOKYO: The ZOMBIES IN MIAMI schedule is busy with some big upcoming performances. After Japan you performing in Puerto Escondido, Mexico for the VORTX Festival. Then at the Gop Tun Festival in Village Canindé, Brazil. After that it’s the Superski ‘Mondo Moderno’ Release party in Paris, France. May 29th you’re playing at CircoLoco Ibiza in Spain.
Is it your first time playing CircoLoco Ibiza? And how excited is ZOMBIES IN MIAMI to perform there?
CANI < ZOMBIES IN MIAMI > Yes! Actually it’s our debut in Ibiza and Circoloco. Of course it’s a special one because we’ve never been in the city and it’s well know as one of the electronic music capitals in the world. Playing an institution as DC-10 is great for us. Many good artists are playing there week by week and it’s motivating for us to have the invitation to play there for the first time. We are very looking forward for this show. Also the line up looks amazing with some friends.
ZOMBIES IN MIAMI @ DC-10 DEBUT / IBIZA, SPAIN / 29th MAY 2023
ZIM played Johnny Faneau’s QUE RICO party at Circus Tokyo on March 31st, 2023. The last time you performed at Vent, Tokyo for the Huit Etoiles 6th Anniversary Party I remember you had a synthesizer connected as a part of your DJ set.
Do you still have this hardware in your DJ set?
We are changing all the time. All our sets can change last minute. For example we are playing lots of dj sets now, but sometimes we can add drum machines, synths or vocals on top. Definitely is more fun for us because the interaction with the machines and the crowd is different. For QUE RICO we played a dj set with vocals.
In 2023 ZOMBIES IN MIAMI were planning to perform as Live Act in Europe.
Is this plan coming to fruition this year? And what gear will be apart of the Live Act?
Definitely we’ll play live sets forever! We started our project doing this. For the summer we’ll play some festivals and clubs live. We almost use (only) Roland gear. We are working as brand ambassadors with them since last year. The sound of the live act is different because we play only ZOMBIES IN MIAMI tracks. Of course with the same intention changing styles and rhythms, but in our DJ set we can play tracks from another projects and artists.
Let’s get into ZOMBIES IN MIAMI releases and album. You started releasing back in 2011 with your Cyborg EP.
Since then you have released on labels worldwide such as Correspondant, Running Back, Roam Recordings, Suara, Cin Cin, La Dame Noir, Creatures of the Night, Internasjonal, Kompakt, and Cómeme to name a few.
In 2020 you released your first LP album ‘2712’ on Permanent Vacation. Recently in early March, 2023, you released your ‘Be Free’ EP on Correspondant Records.
Any future plans for the next album? Are there any releases you can talk about?
We have a very busy schedule with releases. We enjoyed a lot good chances to produce our last EP ‘Be Free’. The next releases are coming over summer. One of those EPs is on Live At Robert Johnson and one more on Permanent Vacation. Also we’re preparing another one with Mystery Affair on our label with a Prins Thomas remix.
Cani, you and Jenouise took a little time to enjoy a little sightseeing, the picturesque views and the world-class Japanese food in Kyoto and Osaka.
Japanese culture is very inspiring and captivating for electronic artists.
After leaving Japan does this inspiration impact your creative process and music productions?
Of course it’s very inspiring for us to come to Japan. We love the country so much. The culture is very rich and unique and we can get the vibes to put in our style and productions. On the way traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo we took the computer to start to produce one track on the way. Inspiring us from all the views. We’ll release this for sure 🙂
ZOMBIES IN MIAMI – BE FREE EP
Correspondant Records – 2023 – Record/Vinyl + Digital Release
ZOMBIES IN MIAMI Jenouise and Cani in Kyoto, Japan
INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
LOCATION: Osaka, Japan
EVENT: QUE RICO – ZOMBIES IN MIAMI @ Circus, Tokyo > March 31st, 2023
EVENT: 230401 @ Note, Tokyo > April 1st, 2023
BOOKINGS: SWEAT LODGE AGENCY
Tune ouT Tokyo thanks Cani and Jenouise from ZOMBIES IN MIAMI, Johnny Faneau and Circus, Tokyo.
日本語記事(DIGLE MAGAZINE掲載)はこちら> mag.digle.tokyo/interview/173971
TRANSLATOR: Aoi Kurihara
THE MOSCOMAN TOKYO INTERVIEW
by Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo @ BANK30
Moscoman has been coming yearly to Japan since 2017 to recharge his creative juices and get re-inspired for his relentless world-wide tour, for his myriad releases of clubby indie rock music, and for the endless artist releases on his very own label Disco Halal.
Tune ouT Tokyo was able to sit down with Moscoman for an in-depth interview at BANK30 in the WATERS Takeshiba Complex, Minato City, Tokyo.
Interview with Moscoman and Fled Tokyo for Tune ouT Tokyo.
日本語字幕きます！
日本語記事(DIGLE MAGAZINE掲載)はこちら> https://mag.digle.tokyo/interview/172427
TUNE OUT TOKYO: Tune ouT Tokyo presents its first live interview with international DJ, label boss, music production machine, the man himself Moscoman.
Thank you for joining us today in Tokyo at BANK30 in the WATERS Takeshiba complex.
MOSCOMAN: Happy to be here thank you.
Moscoman inside BANK30 there is a grand piano converted into a DJ booth.
Have you ever performed on a setup like this?
Not on a piano, but I’m sure some other weird setups I’ve had during my 15 or 20 years of career already.
Last year in September you played on Mayan Warrior on the behemoth art car sound stage at Burning Man.
Can you tell us more about this magical event and what it was like to perform there?
I think whoever hasn’t experienced Burning Man in their life they should for at least one time, especially if they are a fan of electronic music, art and in general nature it’s a very good place to combine all of them.
And I had a blast, I had a beautiful sunrise, the first sunrise on the Mayan Warrior truck in the festival and it was something very memorable for sure.
The world is yet to use the term post-COVID, but things seem to be returning back to normal. Of course many things have changed, if they haven’t ended, and other things have taken new directions.
Over the last 3 years how have you been affected by this and if there are any silver linings?
It’s been for me a very good time to reflect on stuff and to understand what I love more and what I like less than. To find a balance between the artist side and the business side. And thankfully on one day I decided to do some like a demo shows on Twitch and then that helped me to connect to a lot of people which I felt with them, that we were all in the same boat while COVID was happening.
I feel at this point we’re pretty much back to usual business and more, much more than it used to be before. So I’m happy to that we all have the time to figure out exactly our next steps and now we’re going in those steps.
It’s safe to say you’re no longer a stranger to Tokyo and Japan.
From my knowledge you’ve been here nearly every year since 2019 you have spent the end of your winter in Japan.
The rest of the year your travel schedule is heavy, you continue to produce music non-stop, and you run the label Disco Halal promoting an endless list of artists.
Is Japan your island of refuge to recharge your creative juices and be inspired?
Actually 2017. I think that 100% I can say that Japan is the most inspiring place for me for how I think life should be. The way that I like life…the order, the attention to details, the tastes, the flavors, the sense, the sounds of the jazz bars that I go to, all the record bars, all the record shops, in general transportation, everything about Japan makes me super inspired. And yeah I’ll keep coming here until I’ll be able to just stay and not go.
You have been married to Nuphar for over two years now.
Each year since then your career gets busier and busier with your hectic tour schedule, your non-stop music productions/remixes and your label to run.
How do you keep your work-life balance?
Happily we’ve decided to put both of our efforts in the same direction so if I do the music side she will do the creative side of everything from art to the design of all the graphics and in general she’s the biggest inspiration for what I do in my life. And we’ve been together now for around eight years and we live…we have a certain direction of life that we go in and we go like hand-in-hand. So symbiotic and goes together.
You guys travel together a lot?
As much as we can if it’s for extensive time like here in Japan or we’re going for a few weeks to some place so we go together or if it’s a normal gig weekend that I go for a couple of days so usually…unless it’s something special so I travel alone.
I remember Nuphar used to have a photographic exhibition.
Is that going to happen this year?
This year no, but we are laying the grounds for the future stuff it’s been difficult to…especially with COVID times…because the travel wasn’t so busy and the photography and stuff that she does is based on travel like last time so it’s been difficult to create but, now it’s already like I said we’re in the post-COVID situation already so now it’s the time that we’re working on the future. Hopefully in the next few months.
As a young Chen Mosco growing up, who and what were your pivotal musical influences in terms of people, music or places, perhaps Goa, that resonate in your life to this day?
I’m not so young anymore, it’s been…I’ve had many many influences on me. I think as a kid the most influential, like most people, was Michael Jackson and from the pop side, and all the rhythm and blues and this kind of vibe to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and Nirvana and all the grunge scene and so it was always a mix of these two, a very kind of like rhythmic life, but at the same time guitars and more grunge and more just head music, so it’s I think that was the majority of the inspirations.
With the time in the past 5-6 years I’m more into jazz and listening to more classical music. So slowly I’m just developing the sound of myself more and more in the way that I think about creating music and in general what I listen to.
Do you have any Japanese artists that you listen to?
I listen to a lot of the classics, but like Aliessio, Hosono and all the classics Y.M.O. The Y.M.O. crew of course I love everything individually whatever they do because they are also this kind of mix all of it together from 80’s music to classical music to soundtracks, video games they do pretty much, not that I am comparing myself, but I feel very similar to this kind of music that you need to create…whatever you can create.
So this is the direction that also I think about. But then how many, I’m very bad with names, but many like Takehiro Honda. Many many old school Japanese jazz Ryu Fukui, I don’t know how say it, but very classic Japanese jazz musicians.
I think you mentioned Susumu Yokota in your Resident Advisor Mix in 2017?
Probably, yeah. Too much (influences).
Andrew Weatherall, like yourself, was a guest of the Huit Etoiles DJ crew at Vent pre-COVID.
He sadly passed months after that event. The Guv’nor’s memory still resonates here in Tokyo as it does around the world.
Do you have any memories of Andrew Weatherall you can share with us?
I have many. With Andrew actually I got the notice that he died the moment we landed from Tokyo. We had to fly because COVID started so we had to we had to leave and the moment we landed and I (opened my phone and) connected again to the phone and I saw and I started to cry because usually I already get off flight mode when we land so the moment that we have some wifi connection. So I just burst into tears when we landed and for many many reasons from leaving Japan and a foresight of what’s going to be in the world for the next few years.
I had the chance to play with him a few times, Love From Outerspace, him and Sean and I played many times with Sean also, otherwise than that one time I had an amazing encounter with him in Bristol, no it was Leeds train station just literally we’re both walking one direction and him (asking each other) “What are you doing here?” I was just DJing and I was just visiting a friend. Okay let’s keep in touch. Here gave me the email, this was a few years back, and then I sent him all the music. He just wrote me back “This is the best music I’ve heard in the past few years”. I was like okay I don’t need to do much anymore.
Yeah I don’t know, (A.W. was a) big influence, big big hole in my inspiration and my creativity is a big hole. The fact that his passing is a big hole not only for me, for many people just feel like there’s nobody to, at this point, to look up to and nobody that you want to impress in what you do. But you know you got to keep doing the stuff and hopefully to come to a point that will have any effect, even the 10% effect of what he had on us, that we will have on the future generation of artists.
In September of last year you did the event Stranger Than: Dubfire b2b Moscoman party at Superior Ingredients in Brooklyn, New York.
The first Dubfire Moscoman back-to-back seems to be at Brunch-In the City Barcelona at Park De La Bederrida.
How did you and Ali get together to form this beautiful union that bridges over cultures?
I think we even did one before in March, not in March, in December already in Miami and it happened from we were in touch a few months before, even a couple of years before, just exchanging like messages, random messages on WhatsApp, and then the show that I mentioned at the beginning, the Twitch show that I had the demos or the A&R Sessions I used to call it. So I invited him to come be a part of the show. And then we just formed a nice relationship with each other and one day I just offered “Hey do you want to play together?” and he’s like sure and since then we’ve been playing this.
The one in Madrid was 5,000-6,000 people, it was in Barcelona, it was insane. Really one of the best gigs I think I had in my life with him because I love our connection and the music we play together because we are so different we find the middle so it’s super nice.
Same for New York…New York was a whole night event and we went to an amazing pizza before, we even got another pizza we put in the back in the backstage, every time someone felt like okay I’m a little tired I got to go freshen up, you know because if you play 5-6 hours, okay go get another slice of pizza. It was fun. Fun times.
I heard he likes to eat…
Good people. Yeah.
In Tokyo, pre-COVID, he’d show up at a little bar called Aoyama Tent where I ran into him a bunch of times.
He’s a really interesting guy and really fun to be with and a really positive, super positive person in this scene.
Without question you have a mastery over music production and the ability to produce dance floor hits like waves around the globe.
You also have the ability to work with countless artists in collaborative projects.
What collaborations and releases in 2023 can you tell us about?
Happily I’m going to release my next EP at the end of April, which is going to be on Disco Halal, it’s going to be on vinyl, it’s going to be a full EP. I released one last year in September, or I don’t remember at this point, so this is going to be cool.
And then I’m working on the next album, the next full LP which will be hopefully by the end of the year and it’s going to be, I can’t share anymore, share yet the collaborations, but it’s going to be like the last album which I collaborated a lot of cool new indie artists and it shows, you know, in between the more pop side, not indie dance, but like the indie rock and the indie music that I like to create.
So it’s…hopefully it will be by the end of this year it will be out also.
In Japan, from the deep pool of producers from Soichi Terada to Satoshi Tomiie, who would you like to do a dream collaboration with and why?
I think Satoshi was the very big inspiration back-in-the-day. I think we also spoke a few times for him to remix something of mine, I remember that I sent him. And Soichi I met him a few times and he’s just a ball of fun and good energy and always fun to be around.
I’m open, I’m open for everything. I don’t know, I wish I knew more about and I’m trying to dig more about the new, what’s going to happen next, the new generation and hopefully there will be more kids that will be into doing this kind of music, like good dance music.
You released on I’m A Cliche, Moshi Moshi Records, Crosstown Rebels, Eskimo Recordings, ESP Institute and of course your own label Disco Halal.
Last month in January you released the EP Adventura on Crosstown Rebels. The A1 track Adventura is a caramel cosmic chugger with lovely twists.
What unreleased tracks are you thinking about playing this month at your gigs in Tokyo?
I think many from the whole EP that I mentioned is going to be the very quirky, clubby, Moscoman vibes so I’ll play that for sure. But usually I always say in interviews and in general to whoever asks, not that many people ask, that I don’t play my own music too much when I DJ, I prefer to play music that other people do because first and foremost when I go DJ, I’m a DJ, and it’s all about selecting the right tunes and not all the time my tunes are the tunes that they fit. But also I can find a couple that will fit in the set and I will use them.
You have two gigs in Japan, so one of them being Vent…?
Three even.
Can you tell us about them?
I’m doing Circus this Friday in Osaka, then Saturday at Vent with Mustache X and K.E.G. in their party…Brian Ray, their party they haven’t done in a few years and they’re so super happy to do it when I told them, if they want to do something together and they’re like yeah let’s do it, let’s bring it back and do something cool together.
And then I’m going to Yebisu Ya Pro in Okayama which is I think one of the most, I don’t know, Okayama in general I think if you haven’t been there it’s a super super cool city, the origins of jeans in Japan, people are super nice, the clubs are not packed like Tokyo, but everyone is kind of music head and they are super into what you do. So it’s going to be an exciting gig as well.
Well Moscoman, thank you kindly for taking time today. Enjoy the rest of your stay and your gigs in Japan. Fled Tokyo signing off from BANK30 for Tune ouT Tokyo.
Thanks again!
Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
LOCATION: BANK30, Takeshiba WATERS Complex, Minato City, Tokyo
EVENT: MOSCOMAN @ Circus, Osaka > March 10th, 2023
EVENT: BRIAN WAY @ Vent, Tokyo > March 11th, 2023
EVENT: MOSCOMAN @ Yabisuya Pro, Okayama > March 17th, 2023
EVENT: MOSCOMAN @ Red Bar, Tokyo > March 25th, 2023
Tune ouT Tokyo thanks Moscoman, Hagihara-san and Akiyama-san from BANK30, and Kousuke from the BRIAN RAY party and Vent, Tokyo.
THE XIQUE-XIQUE TOKYO INTERVIEW
by Fled Tokyo for Tune ouT Tokyo @ THE HAPPYmAN CHEAKS
Xique-Xique is a low bpm project from São Paulo, Brazil, the DJ and producer duo Dunwich and Bibana Graeff, inspired and influenced by the Voodoohop Collective.
Interview with Dunwich from Xique-xique and Fled Tokyo from Tune ouT Tokyo.
日本語字幕あります！字幕ボタンから日本語を選択してください。
日本語記事(Spincoaster掲載)はこちら> https://spincoaster.com/interview-xique-xique
TUNE OUT TOKYO: Xique-xique is your slow BPM project from São Paulo, Brazil. And in Brazil, Xique-xique is a city in the state of Bahia. Also, Xique-xique is the name of the cactus found in that region.
How did your name Xique-xique arise?
Xique-xique: Yes, I guess we just liked the sound. It was sounding like a percussion. And also there is some kind of pun, a game, the with phonetic and the sound in Brazil. People like to make some mistake writing the words differently, but with a phonetic similar sound.
So Xique-Xique sounds like also ‘chic’ C-H-I-C. Also, it was a bar close to the place where I was playing and we liked the fact it started with an X and knew the sound is different it’s CH because it’s Portuguese. And that’s it, we liked the whole thing and we kept it.
Xique-xique > Dunwich & Bibana Graeff
In February you organized and played the first edition of FESTIVAL XAXOEIRA in the nature preserve Cachoeira do Pedrão (Waterfall Pedrão) in Heliodora, Brazil.
Tell us about your after thoughts on your first organized festival?
Yes, it was really nice actually. We were trying to gather again all the people that used to do the Voodoohop in this place. In this very place. And the last edition, if I am correct, was in 2018. And with pandemic afterwards, we actually felt with my friend Pedro that it was time to just gather friends and just spend good time trying to keep alive this vibe, and the same sound and the same people around. And it actually worked very well. It was a very moving moment to see everyone coming back in this place and feeling that there is definitely something about this place and the connection with the sound and it all fits perfectly together. It’s really nice.
Any plans for the next edition in the near future for FESTIVAL XAXOERIA?
I guess there will be a second edition.
You’re based in São Paolo, Brazil, but you live deep in the forest. Images of indigenous people, colorful animals, waterfalls and ancient trees can be visualized.
How does this untouched culture and environment influence your music?
Well, Xique-xique was born after a festival of Voodoohop in this place. We felt so much magic with Bibiana Graeff that coming back from São Paulo from the forest, we said we need to do one music that synthesize all the beauty and magic that we’ve seen in three days. This music is Xaxoeira. And ‘Xaxoeira’ is actually also a misspelled, it should be ‘cachoeira’. ‘Xaxoeira’ is also a pun with the X and ‘cachoeira’ means waterfall. We tried to make one track that was keeping alive, I mean trying to synthesize the beauty of the festival. And that’s it.
So yes, I actually record a lot of birds around the place and I use them in the music. So this also influences a lot of course. There are so many different bird sounds and insects and bugs. It’s quite unique. So I use this as an intervention inside the music. Not as percussion so much. It’s like if there was a guest coming inside the music to perform.
Not too long ago, there was a downtempo dance music tsunami felt around the world from South America and the Voodoohop Collective arose globally.
How is Xique-xique related to this?
Well, Xique-xique couldn’t be here without this Voodoohop Collective that really had the idea about the sound to put some electronic drums on some traditional Brazilian track like Thomash did, Thomash is from Voodoohop, and well I think that there was a kind of wave from South America about this downtempo sound and I think I am here because I am a tiny drop of water on a big wave. And this is it, without Voodoohop (then) Xique-xique would not have been created. It’s extremely well linked I think.
What is the state of downtempo organic music today?
I think it’s the first time I see a genre which is still evolving and touching new people today so many years after it started. And at that same time, the people that were doing this sound at the beginning are already migrating or changing a bit of direction, but the original sound is still touching new people and this is very unique. So you have at the same time everything, the first interpretation of the style still alive and spreading everywhere and at the same time some new directions created also…clearly evolving.
Who are some artists in this genre that you like?
Then, I would have to say some new direction that I like. From Japan, I like very much Ground and DJ Amiga. In Russia I like Zoe Reijue (who’s) very talented. In Amsterdam I like Trippin Jaguar (whose) very good. In Germany I like Paul Traeumer and his label Kontrapost (which is) very good also. In Istanbul, Oceanvs Orientalis and Batu Ozer. In France the Crepite label is doing very interesting things. In Brazil I would say Psilosamples which is a veteran of electronic music and is amazing still renewing himself all the time. And for the new generation of DJ I would say Cauana and Kika Deeke.
Life in Tokyo and around the world moves faster, harder and more relentless every day. Your music can be seen as an invitation away from all of this. Besides the slow relaxing BPM massage, the tribal grooves and the bird sounds, there seems to be a deeper spirituality in your sound.
Do you agree with this statement?
Yes, I think maybe it was unconscious at the beginning. My idea was really something connected to nature. Like somehow if you could put the microphone in the forest and just listen to some deep manifestation from birds and the trees. And that was the idea and I understood later it has some, maybe, spiritual impact or lecture. I think it is very interesting, of course I am just being careful sometimes with some marketing use which is done about anything spiritual related with music, but it is interesting.
You’re performing at Bump at Womb on Saturday, March 18th. And the afterparty at Sunset Park Club. Last weekend you performed three gigs in Korea, too.
How did this Asian tour form?
Well it was a bit magic actually. It started with this gig in Thailand and also I knew I had the confirmation to play at Immersion which is a party traveling and this time it will be in Indonesia in West Papua to be exact. And so I had those two gigs and no vision about an Asian tour so far. And then my agent told me that there was a possibility to play in Tokyo at Bump party at Womb. And somehow I was playing with Que Sakamoto in Brazil in the festival I organized and I told him I was going to Tokyo and he help me found three gigs in Korea. Then it suddenly appeared like a tour when you linked all the dots. It’s very nice because it’s a good illustration of how I like to lead my life which is making room for the impossible to happen. If you don’t make room for it, it doesn’t happen. I had to believe that I could make a tour, I had to believe that some gigs would happen. Otherwise I would have moved out, move away, go to some other place, but I said no, something will happen and it happened. So I’m glad I left enough space for it to happen.
In the near future, after this Asian tour, where does the journey lead next for Xique-xique?
I don’t know. I like to believe the path is getting enlighted as long as you walk. So I can’t see so far away. I am focusing on where I am right now. And the plan for this year would to perform a majority of gigs live with Bibana Graeff which is the other member of Xique-xique and she’s in Brazil. But the plan is yes, to make more and more live with her because it is a perfect representation of Xique-xique actually, the live act with Bibana Graeff, it’s a perfect format. And we already can say that the first gig this year together will be in Berlin at Kater Blau in July and we are looking forward so much for it!
INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo for Tune ouT Tokyo
LOCATION: THE HAPPYman CHEAKS, Shibuya, Tokyo
EVENT: BUMP 4th Anniversary @ WOMB > March 18th, 2023
EVENT: BUMP Afterparty I @ Sunset Park Club > March 19th, 2023
EVENT: BUMP Afterparty II @ Traffic > March 26th, 2023
Tune ouT Tokyo thanks Xique-xique, Satoru from THE HAPPYmAN CHEAKS, and Ken from the BUMP party and Womb, Tokyo.
THE CURSES TOKYO INTERVIEW
by Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
Tune ouT Tokyo presents its first interview post-pandemic with international DJ, live act, label boss, post punk music producer, the next wave romancer CURSES.
Interview with Curses, Ombra International label boss, and Fled Tokyo for Tune ouT Tokyo.
日本語記事(DIGLE MAGAZINE掲載)はこちら> https://mag.digle.tokyo/interview/169654
THE CURSES TOKYO INTERVIEW
Tune ouT Tokyo: Berlin-based CURSES brings a romantic edge to the dance floor, blending 80’s New Wave, the darker side of Italo-Disco and flashes of EBM with his own ghostly vocals.
The debut album from CURSES, ‘Romantic Fiction’ dropped on Jennifer Cardini’s Dischi Autunno imprint in October 2018, launching his live act which brings the guitars, vocals and energy of the album to stage as a duo. Whether it’s DJng in the main room at Circoloco DC-10, or performing live at festivals like, Nuits Sonores, Curses brings punk and new wave energy to all dance floors of any size.
As a Berlin based artist, international DJ, producer, label boss of OMBRA INTERNATIONAL and live musician who is originally from New York…how did you begin your creative journey into music in your earlier years?
CURSES: I owe it all to my parents. They were always playing music in the house. My dad was always blasting opera and classical, my mom more on the David Byrne and Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson side of things. Apparently i was kicking wildly in my mom’s stomach while still in the womb at a live recital of the Opera, Don Giovanni, so much that they considered almost naming me Orlando Furioso, the main Knight in the opera.
OMBRA INTERNATIONAL
Your the label boss of OMBRA INTERNATIONAL releasing a catalogue of music from various worldwide artists. You have also released on various labels from Permanent Vacation, Bordello A Parigi, Oráculo Records, Wrong Era to Belgian powerhouse N.E.W.S. to only name a few.
Do you have any musical influences from Japan in terms of music, Japanese artists or culture?
I am actually a massive fan of Kurosawa’s films. I feel cinema and visual arts play an integral part in music, helping to convey the emotion and message. With films like Kurosawa’s ‘Yojimbo’, I always found a common thread within the tension, the simplicity and powerful release of danger and emotion. Similar in Felini as well. I try to evoke this same journey in song and club music: tension and release, darkness and romance.
Japanese hardware from synthesizers to drum machines for production to DJ gear for playback have been industry standards for decades.
Do you incorporate any Japanese gear into your production process? What pieces of gear are you in love with these days?
I think once Roger Linn partnered with AKAI in the 80s’ there was no turning back when it came to drum machines and samplers. My very first sampler was an AKAI, and even to this day, we use the AKAI MPC LIVE for the Curses live band as the main skeleton for all drums. Besides AKAI I am also a huge fan of the KAWAI R-100 Drum machine. I had the 50 when I was 16, and the upgraded to the 100 when I was early 20’s. Its got such a staple sound that pounds and is timeless. I can never get tired of the snares and bass slaps of it.
Andrew Weatherall is an icon in Tokyo. He played at Vent in August of 2019 the year before his passing so his living memory still resonates in Japan to this day. In 2019 you played the last Convenanza Festival he organized in Carcassone, France.
Can you share any of your memories of The Guv’nor?
What an absolute legend he was and is. Weatherall was a humble, yet prolific and supportive artist. It didnt matter how successful or up and coming you may be, he took the time to listen to your music, and if it clicked, he would push it to the masses that understood.
There are many memories of the Guv’Nor, but i think the one that stuck with me most to this day was being introduced as the “goth gene vincent sister of mercy” on stage at Convenanze in 2019. It definitely made me more nervous to get up on that stage, but it also sparked a confidence, because it was such a specific reference only a few people would get. What a loss, but what a power that will live on forever.
On February 24th you have your re-release Curses & Local Suicide “It All Sounds The Same” (originally sold out vinyl release on Tusk Wax) now revamped, remastered, taken to the next level (available digitally & on vinyl) on Iptamenos Discos.
At Vent Friday are there any CURSES unreleased or OMBRA INTERNATIONAL unreleased music you can share with us?
I will definitely be playing a lot of unreleased Curses and Ombra INTL related things at vent! As well as some new collabs I have coming up with Skelesys as well as Younger Than Me as Y2C.
An exclusive repress of the last album, Incarnadine (Dischi Autunno) just dropped as well, with Parisian fashion brand, Saint Laurent, with some extended mixes I will DJ for the first time (just got the masters this week!)
Curses – INCARNADINE
Dischi Autunno – 2022 – Double Vinyl – SAINT LAURENT
> https://www.ysl.com/en-us/slrd-vinyls/curses-incarnadine-731862YCLSB6570.html
Also quite excited to announce I am currently compiling the follow-up NEXTWAVEACIDPUNX compilation that will come out at the end of the year. This time the focus will be on live electronic acts, and have already secured some amazing music from artists like Nuovo Testamento, Years Of Denial, Ultra Sunn, Poison Point, Zanias and Neuromancer, as well as classics Nitzer Ebb, to name a few…
Lots of new music this year from me and friends, hope theres enough time to test it all on Friday, ha! Super excited for this night, thanks for the chat and see you soon!
INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo, Tune ouT Tokyo
LOCATION: Shibuya, Tokyo
EVENT: Curses @ Vent, Tokyo > February 17th, 2023
Tune ouT Tokyo thanks Curses, Mustache-X, and Vent.