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Last Japan Interview
Tuesday 17th September 2013 | Mark
After providing a heavy set for the hundreds and thousands of people who attended the Notting Hill Carnival and managed to find their way to the Digital Soundboy Stage, we interviewed Space + Time Records’ new DJ and producer, Last Japan, to get some behind-the-scenes insight on the inventive virtuosity used to get the crowd hyper and on their feet.
Guestlist Network: Who is Last Japan?
Last Japan: I'm a south London DJ and producer who resides in Bow.
GN: Who and what inspires you?
LJ: I'm inspired by sounds that spark an interest in me and get my mind thinking about how to recreate this in a track. Also, other producers that are pushing exciting and innovative sounds who push me to do better on my next release or experiment in ways that I hadn't thought of before.
GN: How old were you when you started making music?
LJ: I was fifteen when I first started making and recording music -predominantly rock music, and then I've progressed into the genres of Dubstep, Garage and Grime. My sound had changed a lot over years, but I try and keep a few elements of my musical sound consistent without limiting myself too much.
GN: What does a regular day for you go like?
LJ: Get up, have breakfast (Coco Pops), sit on Logic for the next 9 hours (skipping lunch, haven't got time for that) then have dinner and see what nights are on in London to go to.
GN: Do you have a specific creative process, or do you experiment whenever inspiration hits?
LJ: I have a specific creative process in the technical way I make music, starting with creating the drums and percussion first, then moving on to the sub and then melodic sections... but I try to always experiment with music to keep it exciting and varied. I’m really into recording my own samples and combining them with other samples such as snares, claps or clicks to create original sounding elements to use in my tracks.
GN: Why "Last Japan"?
LJ: Ahh... I can't talk about what happened in Japan.
GN: What is your purpose as an artist?
LJ: To make music for the masses to dance to, and music for people to drift away and let their imagination run wild to at home.
GN: How do you keep yourself motivated?
LJ: Buying new analogue synths and recording as many different instrumentals as possible. I got a Kalimba which is a great instrument to jam with.
GN: If you could collaborate with one artist, who would it be, and why?
LJ: I think I've already done it this year (Zomby), but if I had to choose another it would be Breakage.
GN: How do you prepare yourself for a show or a set?
LJ: Get a bunch of tracks together, maybe have a little mix and then invite the crew round for some drinks before the dance. Its all about trying to have a relaxed first half of the day and then grow into that excited, party vibe to get to the club in.
GN: What can we expect from Last Japan in 2013?
LJ: Got some exciting releases planned over the next half of the year with my second release on Space + Time Recs. I've also collaborated with a LOT of artists this year, so they should start seeing the light of day. Starting a record label, 'Circadian Rhythms' - so expect CRWL001 by an artist called Plata from us very soon.
GN: Is there any advice you would like to give to anyone looking to pursue music as a career?
LJ: Just do what you love and don't follow the crowd.
GN: Is there anything specific you would like to say to our readers?
LJ: Erm...I'm at Outlook right now, so I need to wrap this up to get down to the Fort.
Interviewed by Mark Fort
