Astazi e o zi speciala fiindca avem ocazia sa stam de vorba cu un duo de muzicieni din Japonia, AZZXSSS, printr-un interviu exclusiv pentru biroul nostru(si bineinteles, pentru ochii vostri de oriunde cititi).
Este interesant, cel putin pentru mine, deoarece nu des am ocazia sa aflu detalii esentiale despre muzica preferata si curcubeul desenat pe alte meridiane, despre cum percep alti artisti cu un alt background muzicalo-cultural soundul si cat de curat in textura poate sa ajunga acesta si la mii de kilometri departare.
Weekendul acesta si-au lansat albumul “Deepsketch” prin Hydra Records, un album ce descrie prin sunet povesti complexe, un val sonor care emana unde intr-o textura bogata de la hip-hop la minimal techno pe o platforma de dubstep delimitata de noi coordonate.

- Deepsketch pe Hydra Records.

1. Cultura asiatica si lifestyleul difera mult fata de platforma realitatii europene(ca sa nu mai vorbim de tara noastra). Dar asta reprezinta in idee Diversitatea. Iar Soundul joaca un rol important in vietile noastre. Cum a reusit – ceea ce pare a fi un proiect tare – AZZXSSS sa ia fiinta, cum v-ati intalnit si ajuns sa creati un astfel de Sound?

Solid State Soul aka Shigeru Tanabu (SSS) : Am inceput sa lucram impreuna dupa ce ne-am testat spiritul de colaborare in primul rand. Am contribuit cu acorduri de chitara pe releasul lui Azzurro – ‘Nagisa’ – si practic de-acolo a inceput totul. Dupa o perioada de coproductie ne-am surprins discutand despre dubstep, moment in care am cazut deacord sa facem un release pe gen impreuna.
Amandoi ne cunosteam bine muzica si pe ce directie o vom lua impreuna asa ca nu existau dubii in privinta rezultatului..am stiut ca va fi unul bun.
Cat despre proces, fiecare dintre noi am venit cu cate o idee pe care am preluat-o si imbogatit-o – regula era ca cel cu ideea sa finalizeze trackul. Amandoi folosim in principiu Ableton Live asa ca partea tehnica din proces a fost mai usoara.

Azzurro (AZZ) : Cariera mea si-a croit in trecut drum pe hip-hop, dar cand am ascultat pentru prima data Beat Pharmacy, desi era 4-to-the-floor(4/4), texturile sunetului si ecoul au sunat exact pe placul meu. Stilurile noastre muzicale au pornit pe drumuri diferite dar acum se intersecteaza intr-un punct comun – Dubstepul – deoarece amandoi am fost influientati de dub. Practic ne-am alaturat de la sine intr-un sound nou.

2. Va inspira Tokyo? Ce anume mai exact?

AZZ : Yeah, cred ca marea cantitate de energie traita aici zilnic imi influienteaza direct potentialul creativ.

SSS : Locuiesc intr-un oras numit Sapporo la aproximativ 1000 km de Tokyo insa da, sunt cu siguranta influientat de locul in care vietuiesc. Sapporo e un oras muzical plin de oameni care constant creeaza si pun muzica astfel ca printre ei se numara multi dj buni si Live acturi impresionante carora nu le este teama sa experimenteze. Evident ca sunt influientat si de cei de langa mine si de mediul inconjurator, iar Sapporo este cu mult mai spatios decat Tokyoul asa ca influientele asupra mea difera. Spre exemplu, titlul piesei de pe album, ‘Ishikari’, vine chiar de la raul cu acelasi nume izvorat din vecinatatea orasului Sapporo.

3. Cum ati descrie in momentul de fata scena de Dubstep din Japonia, luand in considerare impactul curentului worldwide?

SSS : Cred ca e cale lunga fata de ce se intampla acum in Europa insa cuvantul are calitatea de a se impanzi rapid. Cred ca viitorul pune la cale ceva interesant –

AZZ : Intocmai datorita pozitionarii Japoniei, Dubstepul se dezvolta usor izolat, fapt ce deschide noi oportunitati pentru lucrari cu totul proaspete si originale – diversitatea e categoric un lucru maret. Prin ‘Deepsketch’ imi doresc tare mult sa stabilesc conexiuni noi cu creatori din aceasta generatie.

4. Avand in vedere ca promoul video loveste direct pe beatul inimii si mai si apasa cateva butoane pe creier, ati putea sa ne impartasiti mai multe despre album si daca face referire la tematica acestuia?

SSS : Frumusetea din muzica underground e ca isi permite sa exprime o stare mentala rebela. E genul acesta de stare mentala pe care noi o expunem prin sunet. Este mai important pentru oameni sa vada muzica precum o forma de eliberare – un acoperis sub presiune. In videoclip cred ca regizorul a transpus vizual – cu succes – tonalitatea contemplativa a pieselor.

AZZ : Privita dintr-un anumit unghi, muzica noastra se bazeaza pe textura. Modul in care aceasta textura a fost vizualizata – ploaia, cadrele – vorbeste de la sine.

5. Ce mesaj transmiteti ascultatorilor si care sunt reactiile asteptate?

AZZ : Structura din beaturi si corzi. Amplasarea sunetului. Culoarea auditivului.

SSS : Cred ca fiecare manifesta reactii diferite..greu de spus. In plus, nu am pornit de la un concept anume. Dar consider ca albumul reflecta sonor intr-un mod natural crezurile si starile noastre de spirit.

6. Sa vorbim mai multe despre album. Sunteti gata sa dezvaluiti mai multe despre tracklisting si eforturile investite?

AZZ : Sigur, tracklistul este aici : hydraworld.jp

SSS: Nu e ca si cum am fi avut un deadline in finalizarea pieselor asa ca suma de efort+pasiune injectata in proiect este aceeasi. Nu ne-a limitat nimic asa ca am facut ce am simtit.

AZZ : Deoarece este un album instrumental, ne-am focalizat asupra procesarii sunetului si a ecourilor indeosebi, pe feedbackul acestora si pe kickuri..si daca ascultatorii simt sufletul din sunete, atunci ma consider un om fericit.

7. Putem sa vorbim despre aranjamentul din studio?

SSS : In principiu folosesc Ableton Live pe Mac (totusi)cu Pro Tools + Massive si Reason. Iar cand m-am folosit de chitara, aceasta era Fender Stratocaster (+ Boss effectors + Guitar Rig LE). Monitoarele mele sunt KRK – cred ca si Azzurro le-a avut pe-acestea?

AZZ : Acum folosesc ca monitoare MUSIKELECTRONICS GEITHAIN produse in Germania. DAW-ul meu pe care lucrez este ABLETON Live pe o placa audio APOGEE Rosetta 200. De altfel ma folosesc de controllerul EUPHONIX MC Control si de colectia mea de discuri. Ca si pluginuri, am inceput sa folosesc recent BRAINWORX EQ.

8. Un sfat central pentru producatori..precum un controller, gadget sau o cafea buna?

SSS : Cafeaua merge, dar o bere probabil e si mai buna! Decat sa isi cheltuie toti banii pe echipament, cred ca mai rezonabil ar fi sa ii dea pe mersul in cluburi. Soundul nostru vine din Club si doar daca nu intelegi asta atunci iti va fi foarte greu sa faci muzica de club. Asa ca mai bine mergi in club la un pahar!

AZZ : Asta, dorinta de a o face sa se intample, plus prieteni si esti bine!

9. Si un minimix de intrebari offtopic: Dragoste sau Bani? – Mancarea si brandurile preferate de imbracat ? – Primul lucru de dimineata e sa..? – Meditati si daca da cat de des?

SSS: Bineinteles ca aleg Iubirea, si-asa nu am cine stie ce bani! Cat despre mancare, daca vine din Hokkaido (cea mai nordica insula din Japonia si pe care este situat si Sapporo) atunci orice e bun. Nu ma ingrijesc prea mult despre branduri si nici nu meditez.

AZZ : Contextual vorbind, daca nu iubesti muzica nici nu ai reusi sa o faci iar oamenii care ma inconjoara simt la fel. Studiez despre mancarea chinezeasca si italiana chiar in acest moment. $B!! (B

10. Cuvant catre cititori?.

AZZ : Ma bucur sa te intalnesc si multumesc ca ne-ai descoperit si ca asculti AZZXSSS!

SSS : Abia astept sa ne vedem personal cand vom presta in Europa!

——

Si eu le multumesc mult pentru prietenie si profesionalism,
Sper sa ii intalnesc intr-o buna zi – intr-adevar – la un party in Europa!
Mult succes!

• Today is about Awsomeness, as Today gives us a fresh Interview exclusively for the Sounds and Style Police office(and each reader wherever you are, you know it).
  So I have been offered this oportunity to virtually talk with two musicians from very far away, from a totally diffrent background and culture..and lifestyle(diffrent food, diffrent homes); yet under the same sky, on the same earth..and thats what Music does, unites.
  This mission became universal for each substantial genre side by side, and Dubstep surelly generated soundwaves allover the world.
  What about the impact over Asia, and megatech countires suck as Japan?
  Let’s get inside this world and get in contact with new boundaries, where Music meets culture and speaks through the clean textures of an eclectic sound like the one of Japanese dubstep/edm duo AZZXSSS.
  They just launched “Deepsketch” on Hydra Records, an album that tells intricate stories through sound, weaving elements of music from hip-hop to minimal techno, bound together in the form of a ground-breaking dubstep album.




• - Deepsketch on Hydra Records.




• 1. The Asian culture and lifestyle pretty much differs from Europe’s Reality platform(not to mention our country’s). That’s the idea of Diversity. And Sound seems to play a major role in our lives. How did – what it seems to be a fresh cool project – AZZXSSS came to life, how did you meet and get to shape such a Sound?
• Solid State Soul aka Shigeru Tanabu (SSS) : We first started making music together after I played guitar on his record ‘Nagisa’ and we’ve been making music together on and off since then. After a while, we were chatting about dubstep and about how we both loved it and from there, we decided to make a dubstep record together.
  We both knew what type of tracks each of us made and which direction we were both facing so there wasn’t any doubt about our respective sounds..I knew from the get-go the end result would be a good one.
  As far as the process, one of us would come up with an idea and the other would add to it and send it back – the one that came up with the idea in the first place would finish the track. We both mainly use Ableton Live so the technical part of the process was easy.
• Azzurro (AZZ) : In the past my career had always been in the hip-hop field but when I first heard Beat Pharmacy, even though it was all 4-to-the-floor, the textures of the sound and the echoes really felt right to me. Our musical styles were different but through both of us being influenced by dub and the music of dubstep itself, we naturally came together to create this sound.
  
• 2. Does Tokyo inspire you? What inspires you most?
• AZZ : Yeah, I think the high amounts of energy you experience here daily directly influence my energy to produce.
• SSS : I live in a city called Sapporo about 1000 km away from Tokyo but yes, I’m definitely influenced by the place. Sapporo’s a musical city full of people actively creating and playing music so there are a lot of good DJs and live acts that aren’t afraid to be experimental. Of course I’m influenced by people like that around me but also the environment here is more spacious and comfortable than Tokyo so there are many different elements that influence me. By the way, the title for the track ‘Ishikari’ on the album comes from the name of a river called Ishikari River that runs on the outskirts of Sapporo..
  
• 3. How would you describe the Dubstep scene of the moment in Japan in a few words regarding the worldwide impact over the past few years?
• SSS : I think it’s still a long way from Europe but the word’s slowly starting to spread. I think there are going to be a lot more interesting things happening from now into the future –
• AZZ : Because Japan is still a remote place when it comes to dubstep, I think it allows more opportunities for original works to be born – diversity is definitely a great thing. I’d love to connect with creators of the same generation through this album ‘Deepsketch’.
• 4. As the promo video hits deep into the heart that beats and presses few buttons inside the brain cells too, can you tell us more about the theme, how much does it relate to the album?
• SSS : The beauty of underground music is its ability to express a real rebel mindstate. It’s that midstate that we’re expressing through sound. I think it’s also important for people to see how music can also be a form of release – a shelter from the pressure. In the video I think the director was able to feel the meditative undertone to the tracks and he visualised it well.
• AZZ : One way of looking at our music is that it’s ‘texture-based’ music. The way that same texture was expressed visually – the rain, the grittiness – speaks for itself.
• 5. What message do you want to send out to the listeners and what are the expected reactions?
  
  AZZ : The texture of beats and chords. Placement of sound. The color of audio.
  
  SSS : I think everyone will have different reactions..it’s hard to say. Plus, we didn’t really have a definite concept in mind when we started making this record. But I think our own beliefs and mindstates are naturally reflected in the sound of the whole album.
• 6. Let’s talk about the forthcoming album more. Are you ready to give us an insight on the tracklisting and the efforts invested in?
• AZZ : Sure, tracklist is here : hydraworld.jp
• SSS: It wasn’t like we had a stric deadline to keep for the tracks so the amount of effort and passion injected intot he tracks is all the same. There were no limitations so we did as we felt.
• AZZ : Because it’s all instrumental, I think we both focussed on the sound itself of echoes, their feedback and the kicks..if people could feel the soul in the details, I’d be a happy man.
• 7. Can you talk about your studio set up?
• SSS : My basic set up is Ableton Live on a Mac with Pro Tools though I use Massive and Reason too. When I played my guitar on the record, it was a Fender Stratocaster with Boss effectors, and a Guitar Rig LE. My monitors are KRK – think Azzurro had the same?
• AZZ : I now use the German made MUSIKELECTRONICS GEITHAIN for monitors. My DAW is ABLETON Live with an APOGEE Rosetta 200 audio interface. I also use the EUPHONIX MC Control and my record collection. For plugins recently I like the BRAINWORX EQ.
• 8. A central tip for producers..like a good controller, gadget or good coffe?
• SSS : Coffe’s good but a beer’s probably better! Rather than spend all your money on equipment, I think people should use that money and go to clubs more. Our sound comes from clubs and unless you can understand that, think it’s impossible to make club music. So better to go to the club and have a drink!
  
  AZZ : That, a desire to make it happen, plus friends and you’re set!
• 9. And a more offtopic question-minimix: Love or Cash? – Favourite food and wear brands? – First thing you do in the morning is? – Do you meditate and how often?
• SSS: Gotta be love of course, cash isn’t something I have too much of anyway! With food, if it comes from Hokkaido (northern most island in Japan where Sapporo is) anything’s good. Don’t worry too much about brands and I don’t meditate either.
• AZZ : As a given, if you didn’t love the music you couldn’t keep doing it and all the people around me are the same. I’m studying about Chinese and Italian food as we speak. $B!! (B
• 10. A word to our readers.
• AZZ : Nice to meet you, thanks for finding and listening to AZZXSSS!
• SSS : Look forward to seeing you in person when we play shows in Europe!
• ——
• I did learn new things Today, thanks to AZZXSSS Future looks bright.
  Hope to see them in Europe sooner!