Can you talk about the differences in the Japanese and U.S. music scenes?

The Japanese scene is kind of quiet. The bass music scene is not big. In general, the underground music scene is not huge. Tokyo has ten million people, but even in the U.S., small cities will have a hundred people come [to a show]. In Japan, if a big artist came from Europe or the U.S. maybe, sometimes a hundred [people would come].

Is the Japanese electronic scene mostly doing its own thing, or does it copy and follow Europe and the U.S.?

The underground scene is somewhat copied, but we have a big Otaku music scene. It’s a kind of original Japanese thing. So, that kind of anime music mixed with some EDM stuff. Some bro-step stuff as well.

Here in Atlanta, obviously trap is huge. The EDM trap aesthetic pulls heavily from Japanese fashion and uses a lot of Kanji characters in designs. Is the Japanese youth aware that even as they copy us, we are copying them?

I think they affect each other. Japan is big on fashion. Sometimes people don’t care about music, just fashion. Like, hip-hop is pretty big now, since four or five years ago. So, like wearing really nice clothes, that is really important for them.

Well, Americans also just view a lot of it as “Asian” culture and maybe don’t understand the differences between all the East Asian nations. Switching gears, a lot of the music you play, especially your online mixes are really esoteric. Some would say they’re not easily approachable. What is the value for you to dig for sounds that aren’t going to be popular, or maybe even easy for people to listen to?

When I started to make music, I started with mostly underground hip-hop and UK dance music. I was looking for fresh, new music. I was not a DJ, just a big fan. Then when I became a producer and started making music I wanted to make something new, something fresh. I was digging for underground music of every genre. My ear is an underground ear. If I hear the same music, I’m not really excited about it. If I hear a fresh sound, I’m really excited about it, and I’m digging again. And I don’t want to make the same music I’ve made before. I’m trying to make something fresh, I’m always trying to find some different kicks, or noises, or snares; different melodies. Because, I cannot make some pop music. I can’t!