Are your roots in techno?

Originally I loved mechanical sounds. When I started listening to techno music, electro pop was already over. I felt like I was following the past music and there was nothing new. Then Detroit techno came out. It was real for me and I was waiting impatiently for the new releases. That was when I was in my late teens.

My roots are not in rock’n’roll nor soul music. It’s definitely in techno. The thing is that you can do many things with technology. It’s not a player music and it’s the attraction of techno music. It has been said that only people who can play instruments can play music, but with technology and an idea, people who love music can make music.

You’ve seen the Japanese techno scene as a pioneer since its beginning. What do you think about it?

It’s exciting in a sense. When I started listening to techno music, there were only a few clubs playing techno music, even in Tokyo. I think only one club in Shibuya was playing it. In such a situation, I couldn’t find any meaning to keep my style in Japan. Then I went to Europe. Today I can tour local cities as a DJ and it’s a pretty good situation. The open-air festival experience with poeple in their teens can change their life. It totally depends on their music experience in their teens.

Do you have any messages for young techno artists?

Today I have many opportunities to come in contact with younger people. I’m not as young as I was (laugh). I think people who want to be an artist need to have something plus techno because there are so many people who want to be a techno artist. At the beginning, I had no manager and I did all the management things by myself when I went to Europe to participate in events. It was tough but the experience trained me a lot. I had to travel alone in other countries where I’d never been. But thanks to those experiences, I felt like I could do anything by myself. Of course, you’ll have a hard time in your life, but it always happens to everyone. It’s important to keep doing. You’ll see nothing if you stop doing, but there’s definitely a possibility if only you keep doing. Do not give up and be positive.

The last question. Do you have any plans for the near future?

The album is released in August and after that, I’ll go on a tour. I’ve been recording the first half of this year and I did no performance as a DJ for a long time. I was thinking to do some performances after the album is released, but I had lots of offers and it became like a tour (laugh).