Tag: #interview

ALICE IGUCHI TOKYO INTERVIEW 1/11

by Fled @ TTT / Tune ouT Tokyo

Tune ouT Tokyo presents it’s 1st interview of 2024 with ALICE IGUCHI, Tokyo born-and-raised, now based in New York City since 2017.

N.Y.C. is where ALICE IGUCHI found her new sense of belonging in the underground electronic scene. Since then, sharing music as been her new international language of choice driven with her colorful fusion of sounds.

ALICE IGUCHI performs on continental America, Europe, & Asia where she gets her ‘inspiration‘ from North American diversity & cultural freedom, European dancentric culture, her performances across the globe from Burning Man to WOMB and by KEN’s vision for his SelVa “jungle party on the dance floor” experience this Saturday, January 13th @ WOMB in Tokyo.

ALICE IGUCHI graces the main room of WOMB this Saturday, January 13th for the SelVa 2nd ANNIVERSARY with an opening set 11pm-1am. Get your advanced tickets from the WOMB link interview end!

ALICE IGUCHI TOKYO INTERVIEW > > > > > > >

:FLED @ TUNE OUT TOKYO

In your Tokyo teenage years your were a guitarist in a rock band. Now based in New York City, you perform melodic house & techno worldwide.

What brought you into a life of music and later dance music?

ALICE IGUCHI:

I remember growing up listening to US pop and jazz music in my dad’s car since I was little, now thinking back I think that was the start of my music journey.  In my early teenage years I used to go to rental video store in my neighborhood every week to rent a bunch of UK & US rock / pop CDs to find new music.  I was always fascinated by western music culture while everyone around me in the school was into J-POP.

Also, I was discovering more electronic infused sound while I was in college such as Massive Attack, Radiohead, Sbtrkt, Thievery Corporation.

The moment when I recognized ‘House music’ for the first time, I just fell in love. The track I heard was ‘L.O.V.E.’ from Motor City Drum Ensemble, I still remember the moment I was asking so many questions to my friend who showed me this track, like ‘what is this music? Do you know more of this kind of music?!’. 

What inspired you to move to N.Y.C. in 2017?

What inspired me to move to N.Y.C.– was when I saw how people were expressing themselves so freely– through art, fashion, music… you can feel that just walking by the street.

It was also mind blowing for me to see how diverse this city was, including people. I never felt so accepted growing up in Tokyo, we are always taught how to be the same & fit in the society, it makes you feel insecure otherwise. When I realized that was not the only way to live in this world, I just decided to move. It felt like this city accepted me as who I am.

As a N.Y.C. based international DJ, were you able to make a big initial splash paving your way easily or did you work your way through some up-and-downs?

I am not sure if there was ‘a big splash’ after I started DJing, it felt like more gradual, started from playing for friend’s house parties to playing at small music bars and opening small events. After a couple of years in I was invited to do a residency at ‘Do Not Sit On The Furniture’ in Miami, & after that it gave me many opportunities to play for more shows, playing for festivals like Miami music week, Art Basel and Elements festival.

It has been 7 years since I started playing music in this electronic music scene in N.Y.C. and I strongly believe in us as DJs, or any other artists to take time for the process of achieving especially what you want & even enjoying the struggles on the way.

Very few people speak Japanese in the U.S. so you were immersed in this foreign language.  New Yorkers are also known for their strong accent laced with street slang which is tough to understand by other English speakers.

Was English something you spoke fluently before going to N.Y.C. or did you learn over there?

After I left college, I went to a language school in The Philippines. I was always dreaming about traveling abroad & see the world outside of Japan. When I met one of my friends from college who went to a language school there for a couple of months he came back as an English speaker– surprisingly. I was able to achieve a good fundamental English after being in the school for 3 months.

But of course, I had some struggles in N.Y.C. as there are so many people with different accents from all over the world which then took me over a year to fully understand & being able to have deep conversation. I was putting out myself in the non-japanese communities & I think that has helped me a lot.

One of my good friends from the music community told me after a few years I moved there, when we first met and talked for over an hour in this boat party, he couldn’t understand 70% of the things I was talking! LOL

Were your language abilities a big factor to establish yourself in America?

The very basic English skill is definitely important, maybe it is a big factor to establish & express yourself.

But more importantly, your courage to put yourself in those places, the willingness to express yourself, & not being afraid of communicating with the English speakers. That is the biggest factor to survive in the foreign countries & establish yourself there.

You certainly have your feet wet on both sides of “the pond” crossing the Pacific Ocean with American culture on one-side & Japanese culture on the other. They align to some degree & clash in many other ways.

In terms of the dance music scene in America, what do you appreciate about it?

First, I have a big appreciation for the diversity of electronic music. I was exposed to so many different kind of house / techno since I moved there–

There is a history how the electronic music came to our lives, starting from Detroit techno & Chicago house, then how it integrated in N.Y.C.– as I knew more I fell in love more.

I also appreciate how big this music scene is, there is so much big electronic music happening in the U.S., being able to find new artists, sound, trends.. it is never ending fun as a music lover.

What change, if any, would you like to see over in America?

Personally, I would love to see more artists from Asia. It feels like the scene in the U.S. or other asian countries doesn’t have much import and export in music.

I have seen so many great local artists all over the world and I hope there will be more opportunities to exchange the artists all over the world.

Last December you attended the perennial global-gathering Wonderfruit Festival in Thailand.

Was that your first Wonderfruit Festival experience?

Yes! It was my first Wonderfruit Festival experience & I absolutely loved it! It was also my first festival I attended in Asia.

I was amazed how clean & well designed the festival was. There was this pretty market section where you are able to buy some great organic products, drinks or art from local stores from Chiang Mai, it was one of my favorite experiences there!

What are some Wonderfruit Festival memories that still resonate with you to?

I had an opportunity to play with one of the resident DJs from the Polygon stage in Tokyo in June and that was one of the reasons I made it to the festival this year– through connecting with their team which gave me the reason to go to Wonderfruit Festival & see their beautiful stage this year.

Experiencing their beautiful sound system & their music creation was definitely something & it still gives me chills– especially the last night closing b2b set from Viken Arman + Acid Pauli.

Viken Arman + Acid Pauli played ‘One Love’ from Bob Marley in the end, all the people on the entire stage & dance floor were singing the song together– the song didn’t leave my head for a week! Haha–

Seeing this Polygon crew from London putting so much effort to create this outstanding high technology stage in Asia, I could say it is not easy work, but seeing their passion & dedication was something that really inspired & resonated with me. Anything we can imagine is possible to make it real.

When you perform in Europe, but you also attend other events & festivals such as the Garbicz Festival & other festivals & renowned clubs.

How inspirational are they to you as an artist?

Experiencing the music scene in Europe has been taking a big part of my inspiration in the last couple of years.

After I have played for Sisyphos event in NYC, I had opportunities to play at their well known club in Berlin in the last two summers. It was eye opening experience for me, no one is taking photos, everyone is just into dancing, 3-days of non stopping music on the weekend– I saw how the electronic music was deeply rooting in their culture.

The ticket prices for events and festival are inexpensive, felt like it was welcoming everyone despite your income level. I mean, I realized that is how the music should be! 

Do you embody any of this inspiration to grow as an artist?

Attending two festivals last summer reminded me how I loved music to the core. Everyone in the festivals were happy, enjoying the moment– it was beautiful to witness that.

I was also surprised with the level of music creation & the quality of the sound systems. Seeing all of those great artists play inspired me to be better, making more effort to polish my skills as a DJ & also how to be able to express myself more through music.

From wonder fruit to washoku.  Many Japanese miss their sublime subtle flavors & high quality standards of Japanese ‘washoku’ cuisine.

Since living in N.Y.C. what Japanese foods do you crave?

Hmm… the first few years in N.Y.C. I was always craving for some grilled fish in the morning! Also a good ramen place that opens after 11pm which doesn’t exist in N.Y.C..

Why no one wants to eat ramen after drinking? People eat pizzas after clubbing, but it does not replace a good ramen.

Are you able to satisfy (this craving) or any of these cravings in N.Y.C.?

After 9 years of living in NY, I am pretty OK with the food there now. There are more & more great quality Japanese restaurants in Brooklyn where I live.

Some uni (sea urchin roe) from the state of Maine is better than the ones I eat in Japan sometimes. I wouldn’t complain much besides the fact all of the Japanese food you get here costs 3 times more.

What Japanese restaurants or supermarkets do you recommend in N.Y.C?

I have been going to Osakana Fish Market which is located in Brooklyn & Manhattan, where you can buy high quality sushi grade fish & great fish.

I also like Mr. Taka & Chuko when I crave for ramen.

For a Japanese supermarket– there are actually tons all over the city! All of them are pretty good, but I go to the Tenichi Market in Williamsburg, they have some huge selection of everything.

Fantasy question time:  if you could organize an annual party in Tokyo with guests from America, or the world, who would you invite to the 1st event?

That is a fun question! haha–

I would LOVE to invite Recondite, I have been a big fan of his music for many years.

KEN is the mastermind behind both the SelVa & the Bump events @ Womb.  You’ve been a regular main stage guest, both events, since the Bump Christmas Party in 2020.

What makes KEN’s events so special for you?

He has a very specific & very different music taste from everyone I met in Japan. I believe he learned from the years of his passion for following electronic music & festivals all over the world. Bringing this ‘different sound’ & the new concept to Tokyo is something– it is sensational & that is something very special.

I admire KEN’s vision & passion for sharing something new to the music scene in Japan. Every event I played from both of his events are always very special in my heart, I am very grateful to be part of KEN’s production and journey!

Back to the near-future, specifically this weekend in Tokyo @ KEN’s 1st event of 2024 the SelVa 2nd ANNIVERSARY: Saturday, January 13th @ WOMB with DJ/producers extraordinaire Guy Gerber & Moscoman.

On the international stage, what is it like to perform with international DJs from around the world?

Always very exciting to see the artists I respect in the different parts of the world! Seeing them bringing slightly different music selections is always fun to watch too.

Any advice for the up-and-coming DJs in Japan who are thinking of jumping “the Pond” and going overseas to pursue their dreams?

Hmm any advise.. as I am still on this journey of growing, I don’t know if I could give the best advise, but something I can say is music & art is a universal language.

Music is meant to be shared. Believe in your potential & the dream you have, playing outside of your comfort zone can be scary, but at the same time incredibly exciting to connect with the world. Enjoy the process & go enjoy sharing what you have.

ALICE IGUCHI <<< main room 11pm-1am >>> SelVa 2nd ANNIVERSARY @ WOMB

Finally what time this Saturday is your set at the SelVa party in the main room of Womb?

I am playing 11pm-1am, opening the main room for these very talented producers MOSCOMAN & GUY GERBER. And GUY GERBER is very well known as the creator of the Rumors event series in Ibiza or Miami.

It is going to be a special fun event @ WOMB!

ALICE IGUCHI <<< main room 11pm-1am >>> SelVa 2nd ANNIVERSARY @ WOMB

INTERVIEWER: Fled Tokyo @ T.T.T. / Tune ouT Tokyo

EVENT: SelVa @ WOMB, Tokyo – Saturday, January 13th, 2024

BOOKINGS WORLDWIDE: [email protected]

ADVANCE TICKETS: WOMB

Tune ouT Tokyo thanks ALICE IGUCHI, KEN @ SelVA & WOMB – XOXOXO

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.

MIJO TOKYO INTERVIEW with Fled in the gallery @ BONOBO, Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo

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.

MIJO TOKYO INTERVIEW

FLED TOKYO @ TUNE OUT 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).

DARK DISCO / BEATPORT

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.

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

THE MOSCOMAN TOKYO INTERVIEW

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.

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

THE XIQUE-XIQUE TOKYO INTERVIEW

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.