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AOKI takamasa 's first remix collection "FRACTAL IZ ED" has been released. HASYMO, Ryuichi Sakamoto, SKETCH SHOW, Yoshihiro Hanno and other remixes are included in the new song, but the new title also includes "Fractal" (the geometric concept proposed by the mathematician Mandelbrot: the figure part and the whole figure). As you can see, a self-similar figure appears). A sharp and steep yet sophisticated beat, bold restructuring, and a soundscape where coolness and heat live together. It can be said that it is an album that will not disappoint even for fans who have been watching him for a long time.

Here is his latest interview. As with the new work, I think that the "individual" of one artist, AOKI takamasa, often appears. AOKI, who has recently been active as a photographer, personally strongly feels that his work and personality are now almost lost "rock", but how about that? It is the work and motivation of an artist who wants everything and targets everything.

─ This new work is AOKI takamasa 's first remix collection. What does remix mean to AOKI in the first place?

Basically, the song expresses the respect of the people who made the original song. Since it has the original song originally, I feel like I've been skipped to a place I wouldn't normally fly. I think it's like having a booster attached to the space shuttle.

─ What did you think of when you thought of expressing the first remix with the album title “FRACTAL IZ ED” by the concept of “fractal”?

To me, I feel that the process of remixing is "what makes a fractal state." Remixes have different methods, tools, and ideas for each artist, and of course, know-how. There are various methods, but I don't want to tie them all together. So I wanted to use my own words, so I changed the word "Fractal" to "FRACTAL IZ ED" to mean "make it fractal."

─ That remix for AOKI is to bring the target to a fractal state ...

The first thing is to make the sound more comfortable for you. For example, you might buy a car, change tires, change seats, change colors, and even change the frame to make 6 wheels (laughs). Even though I respect them, there are still other works by other artists, so there are some sounds that I never put in and some that I don't put. I put it back in my comfortable place and change its shape.

─ It's a work of each artist, but of course it is also a work of AOKI takamasa.

I feel like I'm borrowing from everyone (laughs). I would like to use the songs of other people and give them back with a respect that makes them more like AOKI takamasa. I am aiming for synergy and synergy between the original song and me. This remix collection contains only the sounds I like, no unpleasant sounds, and I think that all sounds are played at my own comfortable timing. After all, it's my own sound. I feel that this has become more sophisticated over the years. It seems that you're becoming simpler year by year. It's embarrassing myself.

─Are you getting closer to yourself, or because it's a remix, on the contrary, the feeling that AOKI takamasa 's elementary sensibilities appear?

It's an extra song because it's originally from another person. Do you say that how you perceive that sound is obvious?

─ What was the process like in the first place?

Some songs have been asked to remix, and some songs have been asked to be remixed from here. For example, regarding Sakamoto's "composition 0919" out of noise I asked you to remix one song. But I couldn't do any of the songs. I can't really pull or add any of them (laughs). I'm already worried about a hole in my stomach (laughs).

-(Lol)

Among the recorded songs, the one whose structure was clear was "composition 0919", and I tried to do this. But it's difficult. Work did not proceed for about two months, and I could not do it at all. It's already tough (laughs). Three or four days before the deadline, I heard that Mr. Sakamoto would like to film Berlin's performance. When I was shooting, I was wondering, "What should I do about the song?" Sakamoto-san played "composition 0919" at the concert. This is very blurry. It sounds completely different from the CDs I've been listening to. I think this blur can be called an organic biorhythm. Feeling close to what you've been looking for.

─Did you touch the live music and become aware of the biorhythm of the song again?

I agree. The “composition 0919” that I used to listen to was completed, so I couldn't add or pull it. However, I realized that by touching the live performance and touching the biorhythm, you could purely transform the original into your own biorhythm.

─ That's a really good story.

right! So, being able to actually see Mr. Sakamoto's concert and taking pictures was a big thing for me. Without that chance, we couldn't have remixed "composition 0919". Originally I want to do this myself! I said, but he might have told me to give up at the very end (laughs).

─I think it's worth it, and I think it's a very good remix.

Thank you very much. Originally, Sakamoto-san told me that he liked my song "the elegant universe" (2004: recorded in the album "simply funk"). It's a song with a similar structure. Of course, I didn't want to do the same thing as at the time, but I wanted to do what I can do from the same perspective.

─What about the other songs?

"RESCUE Originally, I really liked this song. This song was very impressive when I watched YMO's live DVD. "ASCARI" was my existing song, and there were various arrangements for the live performance. The third song, "MARS," was told in 2003 by two of THE SKETCH SHOWs, "Please do this song." "FRACTAL IZ ED" is a new song. "War & Peace" was offered by Mr. Sakamoto, "I want you to select a song from "CHASM" and remix it." "LOVE BITES" and "Music for Sweet Room on the Orbit of the Earth" are remixes of your own songs, and the 9th "re-platform" is with Yoshihiro Hanno.

─ As I mentioned a little earlier, I think it's a collection of remixes that are very AOKI takamasa like. Speaking of "likeliness", Mr. Hosono used to say, "The music of electronica is a very good expression of the groove and music that each human has." What do you think about that?

You understand well. However, I want to get rid of the concept of genre. Genres are like borders, and I feel that creating genres narrows human awareness. You will become blind by differentiating, dividing and dividing. I want to eliminate it as much as possible. I don't want to use the word "electronica" as much as possible... I'm a little off story (laughs).

─ Previous work Private Party The same is true of the photo used inside the jacket, but in this work, your own photo is featured in the jacket. I have already been active as a photographer, such as shooting in "Soen" magazine, but when did I start taking photographs?

Oton bought a Canon EOS in middle school and left it as it was, so I wonder if I started using it. But after that I became interested in music, and I hadn't taken a picture for a while, but after I entered university, I took a (film) camera again. Did I start using digital cameras at the same time?

--I've always been interested.

That's right. So blog I wanted to further improve the quality of, so I went to a second-hand shop in order to try the pictures I had taken since I was in middle school again. Then, it was pretty cheap and I could get the camera I wanted for tens of thousands of yen. After that. I'm lucky that I take a picture of what I thought "Ah! I want to shoot it!" (laughs).

─ How honest (laugh). But after all, it may be natural, but I feel a common sense.

In the current climate, it's considered good to be a person who specializes in something, but I don't think humans are that kind of person. I think it is a more versatile and widespread creature. Sometimes I don't like music in the process of becoming more honest with myself, and sometimes I enjoy something else. At that time, I feel that the first method, photography, is the most natural way to express myself.

─ It was a natural choice.

That's right. So photography is more about accepting myself than discovering new means of expression. It seems to have become easier for me to confront myself and accept both my unpleasant and embarrassing parts. It's not about what's going on, but about doing what you like.

─Are you going to live AOKI takamasa as an individual?

That may be the case. Accept the part you wanted to change and use "individuality" as a booster (laughs). It may be similar to the remix story. After all, I don't think people can change people. However, I hope that everything, including my music, photos, and maybe even conversations, will be a good opportunity for that person to choose something different. For example, in the 2001 Space Journey, the monkeys who touched the Black Monolith find that bones are their weapons. I think this scene shows that there are switches that I have never seen before, or that I enter because I have touched something new. I wish that the very same thing would happen to humans today. It would be better if the person himself could make a completely different choice by seeing his own music, photographs and viewpoints. Don't let someone tell you "choose this" or "choose this one because it's bad", and want them to feel like they want to choose this for themselves. I wonder if this is the catalyst for new choices for evolution. I hope that I and my work will be a good opportunity to encourage that.

-The message nature is good.

There are so many things I want to say. What I would like to say to Japanese people now is "Japan is amazing, please be aware a little more, Wake Up!". I went to Europe to learn about the origins of techno, but at the same time, I think I understood the wonder of Japanese culture. I became aware of the weight of the word "dark under the lighthouse" (laughs). I don't think there are many civilizations with such a peaceful concept in the first place.

-I see, you have a wide field of view. Lastly, is there anything that you would like to say to the readers of commmonsmart?

Buy a T-shirt! Kana (laughs).

─ That.

That's cool! (Lol)

Interview/text / Tomoya Kumagai (SLOGAN LTD.)