KENTENSHI introduced himself to listeners around the world through “paranoia,” a track built around a sample of Siinamota’s “Young Girl A.” Raised in North Carolina, his music brings together the hip-hop and R&B he heard from childhood with the sensibilities he discovered through YouTube: Vocaloid, J-rock, anime, and video games.
Created when he was fifteen, “paranoia” spread widely through short-form video platforms and became part of the wave that brought “Young Girl A” to a new generation of listeners around the world. KENTENSHI, however, is reluctant to frame that phenomenon as his own achievement. He believes Siinamota’s work possesses an enduring power that allows it to be rediscovered across generations.
After visiting Japan for the first time, experiencing its live-music culture, and performing his first-ever DJ set in front of an audience, KENTENSHI found his creative motivation renewed. WEEAVE spoke with him about his remix of Madobe Rika’s “bootleg wonderland,” the artists he hopes to collaborate with in Japan, the evolution of his production environment, and the influence of fashion, games, and visual culture on his work.

— First, could you tell us about growing up in the United States? What initially drew you so deeply into Japanese culture, including anime, games, and Vocaloid?

I think the environment I grew up in was pretty average for the area. I was an active kid and spent a lot of time playing outside with one of my childhood friends. I loved American football. I was never part of an official team, but I played it a lot.
At the same time, I was also a very curious kid. Between the ages of seven and ten, I started using the internet frequently. I watched all kinds of videos on YouTube every day, both before school and after I came home.
One thing I remember especially clearly is watching the music video for TeddyLoid’s “ME!ME!ME!” around 2014. I was definitely too young for it at the time (laughs). I also watched a lot of J-rock and math-rock videos.
Back then, there were YouTube channels that uploaded all twelve or thirteen episodes of an anime series. I watched shows such as The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Ben-To, Charlotte, Rosario + Vampire, and Deadman Wonderland.
You could download YouTube onto the Xbox 360, so I watched most of them through my Xbox. For me, YouTube was a place where I could discover music, anime, and entirely new cultures.

— Your father is a beatmaker, and you grew up with instruments and equipment at home. What do you think was the most important musical instinct you absorbed from him during your childhood?

Through the hip-hop and rap my father made, as well as the R&B and hip-hop my parents played for me, I think I developed an instinctive understanding of rhythm and bounce.
It did not feel like I was being taught music theory. I absorbed it naturally as part of everyday life. That experience is still deeply embedded in the way I approach drums and groove today.

— You made “paranoia” at the age of fifteen by sampling Siinamota’s “Young Girl A.” Why did you choose that song at the time?

By that point, I was already very deeply into Vocaloid music. I came across “Young Girl A” while searching YouTube for songs that I might be able to sample.
I already knew the song, so as soon as I heard it, I thought, “I should try using this.” The part I especially wanted to sample was the chorus.
When I listen to Japanese music, the chorus often stays with me very clearly. The melodies and transitions are carefully written, and the chorus tends to stand out within the song. “Young Girl A” had that quality as well.

— As “paranoia” spread, “Young Girl A” was also rediscovered by younger listeners around the world. How do you feel about older work gaining a new context and reaching a contemporary global audience?

Honestly, I think “Young Girl A” had already made a major impact on internet culture and the Vocaloid scene.
That is why I feel uncomfortable receiving too much credit for supposedly making people rediscover “Young Girl A.”
I believe Siinamota’s work will continue to resurface as time passes. His music has the power to endure across generations. I think the renewed attention around “Young Girl A” came from the strength of the original work itself.

— Your tracks are characterized by intricate and unpredictable drum programming. Which artists have influenced your sense of rhythm?

It is very difficult to narrow it down to one person who influenced me the most. I listen to music in many different ways, and I also play a lot of rhythm games, so I am constantly exposed to a huge number of tracks.
Hakushi Hasegawa is one artist whose work I always follow. I am constantly curious about what they will do next. Their musicality and style are extremely interesting to me.
Among Vocaloid producers, nihosika has also been a major influence. I believe they use Kasane Teto through Synthesizer V or UTAU, and the energy, drums, and rhythms in their music are incredible. The mixes are also extremely detailed.
I would highly recommend their work to anyone who likes Vocaloid music. My favorite track is “LATENESS.”

— Have bands also influenced your work?

There are several bands I have listened to since my teenage years that helped shape my approach to arrangement and songwriting.
First, there is österreich. I think they have an extremely distinctive sound and approach to song structure. The first time I heard “Munou,” I cried. It is a truly beautiful song.
I also love Ai Kamano’s voice. I listen both to the songs she has performed with österreich and to her solo work.
Haisuinonasa is another amazing band. Their sound feels like a combination of experimental rock, electronic music, and minimalism, and I have been a fan for a long time. Ai Kamano was also a member, and I love the work of Yoshimasa Terui, one of the central figures in the band.
I especially think his soundtrack work for Jujutsu Kaisen is incredible.

— What do you pay particular attention to when building a beat?

Energy and bounce. Even when I repeat the same pattern, I use subtle changes in the sounds and rhythms to make the track feel as though it is constantly moving forward.
Because I grew up listening to Japanese rock and playing rhythm games, I am also drawn to having multiple developments and rhythms coexist within a single song.

— You are twenty-one now. How has your production environment changed since you first started making music?

It has changed a lot in terms of hardware.
Before I had my current setup, I made music on a genuinely low-spec laptop that I received for my birthday. I had never owned a computer of my own, so even having that made me extremely happy at the time.
A lot of the beats I made in middle school were produced on my mother’s work laptop. Eventually, I was able to start using a desktop computer that I built myself. That was a huge change for me.

— Have your DAW and software also changed?

I still use FL Studio. I like the recent versions, and I think the updates have been very good.
I also have more plugin options than I did before. Effects, modulators, granular plugins, and other tools allow me to express what I am thinking more clearly and in greater complexity.
I feel much more freedom in the production process now.
I have also built a collection of drums, sound effects, samples, and sound-design materials that suit me. The sounds are clearer, and each element is easier to use in an actual production.
Now I feel that I can shape almost anything that appears in my head. I also started playing guitar two or three years ago, so I have more tools available to me. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve (laughs).

— What was your first impression when you heard Madobe Rika’s “bootleg wonderland”?

When I first heard it, I think I said, “Oh my God, this is insane!”
I was genuinely amazed by the instrumental. It has an intense energy, while the entire track remains firmly controlled. It contains so many different sounds and sections, and it is extremely technical.
I also thought TORIENA’s vocal performance was incredibly cool.

— What concept did you have in mind for the remix?

While making the remix, I was thinking a lot about video-game soundtracks.
At the time, I was listening to racing-game soundtracks such as Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and Mario Kart 8.
I like the way game composers extract distinctive elements from multiple genres and transform them into energy for a game or racing course.
For example, they might combine math rock and jungle with hard-techno elements. I find the idea of mixing different genres toward a single purpose extremely interesting.
I wanted to use every technique I had to make a fun and intense track that could match the energy of the original.

— When reinterpreting a song by a Japanese artist, how do you balance your own style with respect for the original?

My style itself has been influenced by many Japanese artists, producers, and bands, so I do not really think of those two things separately.
I have a great deal of love and respect for every artist and song I remix or reinterpret.
I now feel that my production skills have improved. That makes it even more important to put the maximum amount of effort into the track and use everything I can do. That is how I show respect for the original.

— Your activities in Japan are expanding through your work with U/M/A/A. What would you like to pursue there in the future?

I would love to attend more music events in Japan, and I would also like to perform at them if possible.
Visiting Japan for the first time was a major experience for me. If I tried to explain everything in an interview, it would become incredibly long (laughs).
To put it briefly, it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.
I encountered so much love and live music, and I also performed as a DJ in front of an audience for the first time. It felt as though a new fire for music had been lit inside me.
I feel more inspired now, and my desire to make great songs with great artists has grown even stronger.
In the future, I would like to work on soundtracks for games, anime, and other animated projects.

— Which Japanese artists are you currently interested in, and who would you like to collaborate with in the future?

A few people come to mind.
First, I would love to work with Ai Kamano in any form. I feel a deep connection to her work. I am also interested in how she creates and what influences her.
I would also like to work with nihosika. They are one of my favorite active Vocaloid producers, and their work is genuinely incredible.
They are not Japanese, but I also love ippo.tsk’s work and would like to collaborate with them someday.
I would like to work with Sasuke Haraguchi as well. His songwriting is extremely catchy, and I feel that we could make a really fun song together. His production is incredible, and his mixes are very clear. I would love to learn a lot from all of them.
ueii is another very cool Vocaloid producer.
Among Japanese underground rappers, I like yve and yvnlazy. I would love to make beats for them.

— Looking even further ahead, are there any artists you dream of working with?

AiNA THE END. She is incredibly cool, and I love her style.
The same goes for Kenshi Yonezu. Both of them have distinctive lyrics, voices, and styles of expression.
I would also love to work with Cö shu Nie. They are one of the most iconic bands to me. Their sound is unique and incredibly expansive.
There are many others as well. I almost want to name every single one of them.

— WEEAVE explores the intersection of music, fashion, and youth culture. What kinds of culture outside music inspire you?

At this point, I draw influence and creative motivation from almost every form of artistic expression and culture.
I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, so I am always watching something or playing games.
In gaming, rhythm games such as SOUND VOLTEX continue to inspire me. They make me want to try new things with my own sound, and they also change the way I approach music.
I even have a SOUND VOLTEX controller at home. When I cannot go to an arcade, I play it there.

— What about fashion?

By digging deeply through the internet, I find new ideas for outfits and learn more about the design languages I am drawn to.
Karasu-zoku, or the “Crow Tribe,” is one Japanese fashion subculture that has had a major influence on both my life and the way I dress for a long time. It remains important when I think about the kind of clothes I want to wear.

— Are you also influenced by film and visual art?

I am always drawn to films with cool camerawork and stories that are interesting or complex.
I follow many painters and digital artists on Instagram, and they are constantly posting amazing work.
The work itself often inspires me, and seeing people continue pursuing a single form of expression and putting sustained effort into it is also extremely encouraging.

— Finally, what does “cool” mean to you in the context of creative expression?

I think people who express themselves in their rawest form, without apologizing for who they are, are cool.
People who are not afraid to express themselves—and people who still express themselves even when they do feel afraid.
I am still learning about self-expression in my own everyday life.
Even so, I believe everyone can gradually become more comfortable with being themselves.

The post INTERVIEW | KENTENSHI on “paranoia,” Japanese Internet Culture, and Finding Freedom Through Sound first appeared on WEEAVE.

THE LUV BUGS × Madobe Rika: Where Internet Culture and “Bugs” Collide in “bootleg wonderland”
Behind the uniformity of the hit charts lurk extraordinary talents whose overwhelming energy makes them seem like “bugs” in the system. THE LUV BUGS, a project dedicated to spotlighting artists who refuse to fit within the boundaries of the mainstream, has released its striking new track, “bootleg wonderland.”
Who exactly is Madobe Rika, an artist whose formative influences lie in the aesthetics of Aphex Twin and Susumu Hirasawa, as well as the depths of the internet, including 2channel’s “Sharekowa” horror stories and the Deep Web? We explore the story behind this collaboration between unconventional talents, along with the singular, uncompromising philosophy that allows them to survive within today’s rapidly consumed internet culture.

First, could you tell us about the THE LUV BUGS project? What kind of experience—or “bug”—do you hope to deliver to listeners?

malo: Going back to the beginning, I originally came from dance-music scenes such as hip-hop, house, techno, trance, and drum and bass. Then, by chance, I ended up working with livetune, who became the first Vocaloid producer to make a major-label debut. At the time, hip-hop, dance music, and the early Vocaloid scene were far from mainstream. From the perspective of the music industry, they were subcultures that made people ask, “What is this?”
The core members of THE LUV BUGS come from similar backgrounds. That is precisely why we want to work with young artists who may not currently be part of the mainstream, yet possess distinctive musical identities and talents capable of resonating globally. We are interested in people who pursue music with their own uncompromising vision and creative purity, rather than making pop music designed specifically for the charts. In a positive sense, we define those people as “bugs.”

Of all the talented artists out there, why did you choose to work with Madobe Rika and TORIENA for this project?

malo: To put it simply, when I first heard Madobe’s music, I thought, “This is insane.” I could not believe someone was making music this unhinged and distinctive. It was not a rational decision. After listening to the entire album, I genuinely felt that it was completely “bugged out,” so Madobe was the first person we approached.
At the same time, the music is sonically difficult for an ordinary vocalist to perform. TORIENA already had a relationship with us, was active in metaverse spaces such as VRChat, and possessed the kind of sharp edge needed to bring this world to life. We felt that she could make it work. On top of that, Toshitaka Shinoda of Ijigen TOKYO, who directed the music video, was already a huge fan of Madobe’s work. The mutual respect between everyone multiplied, significantly elevating the power of the finished work.
The Aesthetic of “Madobe Rika,” Born from Aphex Twin and VTuber Culture

We would now like to speak with Madobe Rika. Could you begin by telling us where the name “Madobe Rika” came from?

Madobe Rika: The name comes from “Windowlicker,” a track by the British artist Aphex Twin. It combines “Window,” meaning “mado” in Japanese, with “Licker,” which became “Rika.”
My decision was influenced less by a particular devotion to Aphex Twin than by the circumstances behind the creation of that song. I see Aphex Twin as someone who spent years pursuing the world he loved in the countryside. When he eventually presented himself to the general public and the media, “Windowlicker” emerged from the process of reconciling his established style with the wider world. I found that sense of balance, and the way he presented himself as an artist, incredibly beautiful. That is why I used it as the basis for my name.

What meaning does the word “Madobe,” or “by the window,” hold for you?

Madobe Rika: Originally, I was planning to start out as a VTuber. Many early VTubers at the time, such as Tsugu Hatoha and Mito Tsukino, had names combining kanji with katakana, with a character symbolizing their concept included in the surname. Starting from the word “Window,” I searched for a Japanese expression that could instantly evoke the surrounding imagery and worldview. Eventually, I settled on “Madobe.”

Do you have a particular position you want to occupy as an artist, or an ideal you are working toward?

Madobe Rika: My ideal is Susumu Hirasawa. From his years in bands such as P-MODEL through to his work today, he has never been confined by any genre. He has always remained unmistakably “Susumu Hirasawa.” I have always wanted to become a completely singular presence: someone who continues pursuing what they love and attracts fans through that pursuit.
During my live performances, I arrange several CRT televisions and project images onto them. The underlying concept is a mysterious girl who exists within an electronic world, like Lain, the protagonist of “serial experiments lain.” I believe that people do not define their own characters entirely by themselves. Their image is formed through the accumulation of impressions held by others. I consciously present myself as an elusive “electronic diva” who appears completely different depending on the person looking at her.
The World of “bootleg wonderland,” Woven from the Deep Web, Sharekowa, and Science-Fiction Films

What was the concept behind the production of “bootleg wonderland”?

Madobe Rika: I generally begin by constructing a world. This track started with the idea of combining two seemingly unrelated sets of motifs: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and the “Deep Web, malware, and pirated software.” Toshitaka Shinoda of Ijigen TOKYO directed the music video and translated that world beautifully into a school computer room, portrayed as the only place where the characters can access the internet.

The lyrics are also highly memorable, with their succession of technical and esoteric expressions, including phrases such as “the ID of Clown Town.”

Madobe Rika: Most people know that the Deep Web exists, yet very few have actually interacted with it. That is exactly why I thought filling the song with incomprehensible words would help create the right atmosphere. I gathered every technical term related to the Deep Web and malware that I could remember, then combined them with the worlds of Mother Goose and Alice.

Were there any particular elements of the sound that you focused on?

Madobe Rika: Shortly after the second verse begins, around the lyric “antigravity experiment,” there is a section with an extremely heavy bass sound. I had a lot of fun making that part. There was a horror-meme sound that became popular online overseas, and I wondered how it had been created. When I researched it, I discovered that it was made by taking the creaking sound of a door opening and closing and lowering its pitch dramatically. I imitated that technique and applied some strange phase effects to create a thoroughly perverse sound（笑）. I often draw more inspiration from ASMR and sounds found online than from music itself.

What kinds of culture outside music have influenced you?

Madobe Rika: The core of my identity comes from “2channel.” I especially love the atmosphere of “Sharekowa,” short for “Shinu Hodo Share ni Naranai Kowai Hanashi wo Atsumete Minai?”—a thread dedicated to collecting terrifying stories that are no laughing matter—on the occult board. Faceless strangers would gather late at night and continue engaging in disturbing exchanges while maintaining a strange emotional distance. That uniquely unsettling atmosphere of the internet has had an enormous influence on my music.
I also love science-fiction films. I am drawn to works that explore how to express higher dimensions and multidimensional interpretations, such as Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” and Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival.”

Internet culture is currently consumed at an extremely rapid pace. How do you feel about that?

Madobe Rika: *I also find the current fast-food-like pace exciting. New things are constantly being consumed, while older works can suddenly be rediscovered and take off. For example, the Witch House group Crystal Castles suddenly underwent a resurgence as the popularity of Phonk grew.
Artists do not necessarily need to force themselves to study whichever sounds are currently trending. When you continue pursuing what you genuinely love, a moment can suddenly arrive when that work is picked up within this chaotic, rapidly changing environment. I think this has become a good era in which artists can continue making what they truly want to make.
The “Synchronicity” That Occurred During a Music-Video Shoot at an Abandoned School

Finally, could you share your thoughts on this collaboration?

Madobe Rika: When I heard the concept behind THE LUV BUGS, I decided to make a track that used extensive digital glitches and would immediately make listeners feel an unsettling sense of “What is this?” The direction was close to what I usually do, so I was able to spread my wings and create with a great deal of freedom. Everyone, including malo, gave 100 percent, and I believe the work was completed through an almost miraculous balance.
malo: Madobe’s commitment to building a world with a highly refined and uncompromising core, rather than chasing trends, was exactly what THE LUV BUGS had been looking for.
There was actually something that happened when we went to an abandoned school in Chichibu, Saitama, to shoot the music video. On the entrance to one of the classrooms in this school, which otherwise had absolutely nothing to do with music, someone had inexplicably attached a photocopy of the cover artwork for Aphex Twin’s “Windowlicker,” the song that inspired Madobe’s name. It was sitting there all by itself. The moment I saw it, I got goosebumps and thought, “We were guided here!”
Madobe Rika: *It really was unbelievably funny. It was not even a genuine poster. It was simply an unauthorized photocopy stuck to the wall, which gave it this wonderfully outlaw quality.

That truly sounds like a fateful episode embodying the concept of this project. Thank you both very much for sharing your valuable insights with us today.

The post INTERVIEW | Madobe Rika × THE LUV BUGS: Alice in Wonderland Wandering the Dark Web first appeared on WEEAVE.

――How did your musical identity come together?

$till.J.Cark: I started music pretty late — I was 21. Around 2018. Back then I went by “Kaki” and was rapping in my hometown Nagano.

It was Boom Bap at the time. Some of it had Lo-fi elements mixed in, which might actually be similar to what I do now. There was harder stuff and more melodic stuff — a bit of everything.

From the recent EP, the second verse of “few minutes” is probably my favorite.

RAPSTAR — I submitted for it, got rejected, and this track was me working through that.

The approaches on verse one and verse two are completely different, and I can feel the growth in that.

Six months ago I was like “why didn’t I make it with this?” — but looking back now, “yeah, that wasn’t going to make it.” What I’m making now is on another level.

Lately, “making it” alone isn’t the goal anymore. It’s more like — make it, then what, then what after that. I grew up poor, so I want to reduce the number of people who are poor.

People who can put in the work should be able to rise — but I want the environment where that’s possible to be equal.

Things like free studio access — that’s the kind of thing that outlives me. That’s what I think about every day.

――Does Tokyo as a place have an influence on you?

$till.J.Cark: Definitely. Early morning Tokyo, for instance — fewer people, softer light, it shows a completely different face.

Then at night there’s an entirely different energy. I feel like those two extremes come through directly in the structure of the music.

――Can you tell us about your experiences abroad?

$till.J.Cark: Going to America had a huge impact. The backstory is — after graduating university, I joined a startup-ish architecture firm as a new grad and did renovation sales for about a year and a half.

I was in a suit every day, 13-hour shifts were normal. It wasn’t fun at all — I was pretty disillusioned. But I’d go out on days off and managed to get by that way.

Then one day I happened to get off around on time, didn’t feel like going straight home, so I dropped by a vintage store friend’s place — and there was someone there who’d just come back from Los Angeles.

That person was someone called Kenbou-san — the manager of a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles.

I’d always vaguely wanted to go abroad, had this rough idea of making it to America by 30, so I was listening and said “I really want to go to America.” He told me they’d cut staff during COVID but now that it was over they needed people again — and just like that, right there, asked if I wanted to work.

But of course I hesitated. I was a salaryman.

“Even if I go, I have no money.” I literally had zero savings.

Then my friend said he’d let me live at his place. And that he wouldn’t charge rent.

A place to work and a place to live — sorted.

But I needed tuition money for a student visa. Which I didn’t have.

Then the vintage store friend said he’d lend it to me interest-free. And on top of that, I needed proof of balance — 3 million yen in my account — and the landlord there (a real estate guy, an alumnus of the company I worked for) said he’d put up the 3 million.

Everything lined up.

“You just hit the jackpot. Decide tonight whether you’re going or not. If you don’t go now, you never will.” So he told me.

That same night I called my best friend and said “I’m going to LA. If I chicken out, call me on it.” Made my commitment, said “I’m counting on you.” Next day I went to city hall and got my passport. (laughs)

From there it was about six months of quitting my job and everything else, and I actually got to Los Angeles in 2021.

After experiencing America, something cracked open in me — I became able to say I like what I like, and say I dislike what I dislike.

Going abroad is genuinely massive.

That said, I can’t find it cool when people hate on Japan — “America is like this, Japan is so behind” — that kind of thing. It’s negative, and I just don’t want to hear it.

I knew I didn’t want to be that person. Being based in Japan while getting out abroad when I can — that felt like the right answer to me.

――Any thoughts on the current Japanese scene?

$till.J.Cark: There’s a very family-like feel to it. People say they want to hook up the ones who are killing it — but my impression is that “people who are close to someone who’s killing it” tend to get more recognition.

Just going hard on rap alone seems tough. You need off-music power — going out for drinks, building connections — way too much of it.

I think various media outlets ultimately pick based on skill, but in practice, people who are connected can end up getting the spot, and looks matter too.

But I want to go straight down the middle. I want to make it with rap.

――What did you take away from appearing on SHOW ME THE MONEY 12?

$till.J.Cark: Korean rappers are skilled across the board — even with large numbers, the level was high. At the same time, as technically strong as they are, there were moments where it felt like “just being good,” and I got the impression that the influence of idol culture has made sonic perfection the priority.

In contrast, Japanese rappers are characterized by their personality and life-grounded lyrics — I think there’s a rawness there that’s genuinely appealing.

――Tell us about your approach to making music.

$till.J.Cark: I don’t really box myself into genres. It’s more about incorporating whatever I’m into at the time.

There’s influence from club music, things I feel in everyday life — it all blends together, and that feels natural to me.

――Is there change you’re aware of in yourself?

$till.J.Cark: I used to have a much stronger sense of “I have to do it this way.” Now I let things flow a bit more naturally.

I think a big part of it is that I’ve found my own sense of conviction about living through music.

――Tell us about GOOD MORNING TOKYO, the event you organize.

$till.J.Cark: We started with three people, and now it’s me, RAFBOY, and four people including Roy’s club. RAFBOY is really the brain behind it. I met him through a mutual friend before I went to America — at first it was just light conversation.

The most important policy for the party is “shedding your title.” Tokyo has become a place where even social gatherings feel like networking opportunities, and I feel like there are fewer spaces where you can just genuinely have fun. There was a period where I stopped going to clubs because of that.

So it doesn’t matter who’s famous or who’s stylish — what matters is whether people can actually enjoy themselves. That’s why we make drinks free, so that people without money can come too.

Running a DJ mix from a tuk-tuk also came from that thinking — “let’s do what other events aren’t doing,” “let’s break from convention.” A friend had a tuk-tuk, and it started from the idea of “wouldn’t it be wild to run it through Shibuya?”

Going forward, I want to keep it DJ-centric. There’ll be collabs, but DJs are the core. Part of the reason is that compared to rappers, DJs have fewer stages to perform on and fewer proving grounds.

I also care a lot about audience satisfaction — it bothers me when live sets run back to back and people can’t go to the bathroom or grab a drink. So we keep live performances to two artists at most and want to keep it functioning as a social space above all.

――Are there artists who’ve influenced you?

$till.J.Cark: The first time I thought “rap is incredible” was G-DRAGON. It wasn’t just fast delivery — I was drawn to the whole way he moved, his total expression, and his use of a higher vocal register felt fresh. Chris Brown was also a huge presence for me.

Once I started performing myself, in terms of live performance, Jin Dogg feels perfect to me — delivering himself in a relaxed way while naturally radiating this sense that “there’s no one without their own character.” That’s had a real influence on me. Musically, A$AP Rocky and Denzel Curry are who I’m most into lately, and they’ve influenced me in terms of fashion too.

Watching other people’s live shows rarely makes me think “I want to go to that person’s concert” — if anything I tend to watch and get this irritated feeling of wanting to be up there myself. But the one exception was Travis Scott and Kanye West at Belluna Dome — that was the first time I ever felt like I was on the verge of tears from shock. I still remember it clearly.

――How do you think about what comes next?

$till.J.Cark: I don’t have a particularly clear goal. I just want to keep doing what feels interesting in the moment.

――What do you hold onto?

$till.J.Cark: Staying light.

I want to keep room to change through my environment and the people I meet. More than big success, I want to keep going in a way that feels right to me.

$till.J.Cark sees the early morning and late night of the city, and the experiences abroad, not as something special — but as a continuous extension of everyday life. Light on his feet, true to himself, his music will keep evolving.

The post INTERVIEW｜$till.J.Cark: Creation and Where he Stand Now first appeared on WEEAVE.

“Mikugaze” — where roaring noise guitars melt into the crystalline voice of Hatsune Miku. nerdneko, an artist who continues to expand his own unique sonic world within this scene, has just released a new EP, never mind.

The theme of this work is “a prayer for the distant future.” Born against the backdrop of negative emotions he himself has faced — a cancelled overseas tour, an unstable world situation — the sonic imagery that emerged is by no means pessimistic. Behind the words “never mind” lies a “strength to let go by one’s own will,” and a gentle prayer that drifts across a sea of noise.

We spoke with nerdneko himself about the sound production, which has deepened further from his previous work, and the personal intentions woven into each track.

—— The theme of this work is “a prayer for the distant future.” Since your last interview, what changes in your state of mind or sources of inspiration led you to this theme?

nerdneko: My China tour scheduled for December was cancelled, and with the instability of the global situation and the various unreasonable things happening around me, there was a period where my attention was drawn toward the negative. That led me to want to create a work that offered some form of salvation as its overall framework.

—— We heard that behind the words “never mind,” the title carries a powerful message of “the strength to let go by one’s own hand.” Could you tell us why you chose this phrase as the title of the EP?

nerdneko: I wanted to affirm a kind of “strength” — the ability to choose and act as the subject of one’s own life — in contrast to the bravado or resignation of saying “never mind” while actually bearing everything alone and pushing yourself too hard. There’s also an element of how the phrase simply sounds good.

—— The jacket illustration by soyatu brilliantly expresses the “emotional margin” of this work. How did you go about aligning the visual imagery during production?

nerdneko: At the time I made the request, I was still in the conceptual stage and the tracks weren’t finished, so I asked based on visual elements from photographs and the figure in the image. The rough sketch was already remarkably high-resolution, and in fact the sonic atmosphere ended up being shaped by the main visual rather than the other way around. I always get so much inspiration from soyatu’s illustrations.

—— M1 “utopia”: As the opening track of the album, what kind of sonic imagery or scenery did you envision to guide listeners into the world of never mind?

nerdneko: I made it with a cold, sacred sonic image and a scenery reminiscent of distant memory in mind. The jacket photo was taken at an abandoned amusement park, and the contrasts of “glory and decay” I found there, along with the inspiration of a “distant future,” were translated directly into sound. Something like dreaming of utopia within dystopia. I felt that Hatsune Miku’s spoken voice, despite its inorganic quality, carries a certain loneliness and sanctity, so I crafted it with the nuance of an introductory SE that sets the atmosphere.

—— M2 “never mind”: As the title track, the contrast between the roaring guitar and Hatsune Miku’s prayer-like vocals is particularly striking. What part of this song did you focus on most?

nerdneko: I focused on the melody and the beat. The drum phrasing and sound design in particular are probably the most worked-out of anything in my past catalog. I always put effort into melody, but this time I was especially conscious of creating a strength that wouldn’t get buried under the tension-heavy chord work and the bleeding shoegaze guitar sound. It’s a particular favorite of mine.

—— M3 “unletting”: The title “unletting” seems to form a beautiful contrast with the EP’s theme of “the strength to let go.” Could you tell us where this track sits within the EP?

nerdneko: As you point out, the track is contradictory to the theme and title, but it’s precisely in that “conflict” that it finds its meaning. It’s one important structural element for bringing a sense of humanity into the work.

—— M4 “winter song”: Placing this track in the middle of the EP gives the impression of a slight shift in atmosphere. Could you tell us about the imagery and emotions you put into this song?

nerdneko: I went back and forth on the placement of this track, but since the first half of the EP had turned out a bit darker than I’d planned, I placed it here with the intent of a sense of momentum — like mist clearing — and the air of winter. I was born in a snowy region, and the blueness of snow after sunset is so beautiful; I feel I’ve finally been able to express what I wanted to in a winter song.

—— M5 “ether”: The title “ether” evokes a transparent atmosphere and spatial expansiveness. Was there anything you were particularly conscious of in terms of sound design?

nerdneko: I was conscious of balancing transparency and noise. As I’ll mention later, one of the overall production themes this time was how to use distortion in a way that isn’t aggressive, and in this track too I aimed for an enveloping, saturated sense of noise. Like M1, it features Hatsune Miku’s spoken voice, but I think it came out with a different impression.

—— M6 “prayforyou”: Closing with “a prayer for you” is a wonderful structural choice. What kind of afterglow did you want to leave with listeners once the final reverberation of this song faded?

nerdneko: Thank you. I basically believe that interpretation is whatever feels right to each listener, but with this song, I simply hope it leaves people with a gentle feeling. In January of this year I had the chance to travel to Korea for a live show with blue web. (my music unit with yaginiwa), and this song expanded out from the gratitude and prayer-like feelings I had there. I was moved by how something can be communicated across borders through music, and I wrote this song right after returning home, pouring that emotion and heat into it.

—— The layered roaring guitars and deep reverberation form the core of this work. Were there any updates from your past works in terms of gear selection and mixing, or any new challenges you took on?

nerdneko: There weren’t any major gear updates, but for the guitar sound I introduced a fuzz and some spatial effects that I used for the first time. It’s like “using a blade correctly” — I approached thethe sound design and mixing this time with a focus on how to use distortion in a way that isn’t aggressive. I’d been deeply immersed in listening to overseas band sounds for a while, and as a result I feel I ended up with something sonically positioned slightly differently from my previous works.

—— Within a dense shoegaze sound, could you share your approach to tuning Hatsune Miku’s voice so that it doesn’t get buried and yet floats through faintly?

nerdneko: I chose a gentler Miku voice, and I worked through a lot of trial and error with EQ and spatial plugins to make it sit right. If the voice is too thin it gets buried, so this time I was especially conscious of a balance where it doesn’t assert itself too strongly but also doesn’t sink into the mix. The desire for listeners to hear the lyrics is still at the foundation of this work as always, so I want to keep exploring and finding the right answer for each piece. For the next work, I’d like to try tuning within a more minimal track arrangement.

Just as nerdneko puts it — “how to use distortion in a way that isn’t aggressive” — the noise that fills never mind is endlessly deep, and warm. Even while swallowing conflict and the unreasonable realities of the world, his stance of choosing “the strength to let go” through the prayer of music is vividly inscribed in this EP.

Within a Mikugaze scene that is gathering heat across borders, what kind of scenery will he show us next? The reverberation of a gentle prayer directed toward the distant future should continue to resonate in the listener’s heart long after the album has finished playing.

The post INTERVIEW | nerdneko: Transforming Roaring Noise into Gentle Prayers. The Miku-gazer Pioneer Paints a Vision of Salvation in never mind first appeared on WEEAVE.

Releasing after three and a half years, Nishina’s 3rd album “Hibi Sanman” (Scattered Days). Woven together along the two axes of “daily life” and “distraction” with a voluminous 21 tracks, what has this work changed in her, and what has it left as is? From the behind-the-scenes of her production to her views on life and death as a single human being, we recorded her current words.

The Structure of the 3rd Album “Hibi Sanman”

――Could you tell us the reason why you decided to name this album “Hibi Sanman,” and the intention behind dividing it into Discs 1 and 2?

Nishina: It’s really been three and a half years, and before I knew it, songs had piled up and it was like I had to put out an album. When I thought about how to bring these 21 songs together, I struggled with the title, but as I listened through all the tracks continuously, two axes emerged. One was a truly everyday, daily life aspect, and the other was a chaotic, disorganized part—which I felt made up either myself or the songs. By smashing those two axes together, the phrase “Hibi Sanman” (Scattered Days) somehow popped up. I felt like this could bring the album together, so it became the title.

Then, while figuring out how to organize it, the idea came up to divide it into two discs, “Hibi” (Days) and “Sanman” (Scattered). So it’s two discs, but there isn’t a strict rule like “the first disc is daily life songs” and “the second disc is scattered songs.” Whether you listen to 1 and 2 separately or connect them, I built it while prioritizing creating a wave that wouldn’t get boring.

――If you had to name a symbolic track from each disc, which would they be?

Nishina: With my current feelings, “Hibi” is “weekly,” and “Sanman” is “Panda Girl.”

I wrote “weekly” while expressing that cycle from my student days, like how Mondays starting was the worst, but thinking, “Well, taking it all together is fine, it’d be nice if we could just enjoy it.”

As for “Panda Girl,” just from the fact that it starts with saying “tick-tock, tick-tock,” I feel like it’s a bit crazy. The song itself was written as the ending theme for the anime “Ranma 1/2”. The worldview of Ranma is this nonsensical place where guys turn into girls and dads turn into pandas. I wanted to enjoy that sense of things flipping upside down in the song as well, so I wrote it hoping that the up, down, left, and right of space, as well as the up, down, left, and right of ideologies and genders, would get all mixed up. So I think it ended up being the most “scattered” song.

Approach to the Songs and Changes

――I thought the track for “Ada Ada” had elements of hip-hop and hyperpop. What inspired you to try that?

Nishina: Regarding “Ada Ada,” I originally wanted to challenge myself with the Afrobeats genre. Looking back at my childhood, my mother listened to a lot of Western music, and R&B and Black music were always playing, so I always liked that laid-back beat feel.

Within that, there isn’t really anyone doing Afrobeats in J-POP lately, but in Japan, especially people in hip-hop are doing it. I’ve always been curious about what would happen if I approached this beat, so I kept saying everywhere, “I want to do Afrobeats.” Then, I told Yaffle-san, “I want to try this,” and we went into the studio together, made the track, and I took it home to turn it into a song. It’s a track born from trying what I wanted to do, and it fit into the album quite smoothly timing-wise.

――When I heard the beginning of “Oto ni Natte Iku yo” (Turning Into Sound), I felt like you were self-sampling your debut song “Rendezvous”.

Nishina: As I was making this song, I thought, “This sounds so much like ‘Rendezvous’.” Even when making the melody, maybe the chord progression is the same, but “Rendezvous” just kept popping into my head. At first, I thought that might be bad, so I asked various people, “I made this song, but doesn’t it sound a bit like Rendezvous?” Some people said it didn’t bother them at all, while others were like, “True.”

While thinking about what to do, I wondered if it’d be okay to just boldly make the intro a self-sampling kind of thing. I was suddenly struggling with what lyrics to fit there, so even if I took that approach, I’d be happy if long-time listeners could enjoy it and think, “Oh, it’s that!” Since it’s the 3rd album, I thought it would be interesting to pull from a song on the 1st album, so I went with that vibe.

――Comparing your state of mind during the “Rendezvous” era and now, is there anything you feel?

Nishina: I don’t really have a conscious sense of “this changed during production,” but while making “Oto ni Natte Iku yo,” I gained a sense of acceptance in myself like, “I really am going to live and eat by making songs.” Because of that, this song expresses the ideology of turning daily communication with people—family, friends, people I love—into music, whether we clash or click. I think this was the first song that really showcased my day-to-day life as a musician. I felt it was an “Oto ni Natte Iku yo” that I could only write right now.

Musical Exploration and the True Nature of “Madness”

――From when you started your musical activities until now, has there been any change in your feelings toward the people you want to listen to your music?

Nishina: I feel like that hasn’t changed much. When I started making songs in high school, I wasn’t making them for anyone. Once people who listened to my music gradually appeared, my feeling of wanting to leave songs from my daily life and hoping they reach someone has remained unchanged.

――Are there any new genres you’ve added to what you’re listening to now?

Nishina: I always try to look for new encounters. If I forget to explore, I’ll just get stuck on the songs I used to listen to. I listen to things with a downer mentality, and I also listen to dog-walking songs like, “Let’s go for a walk.” I feel like I’ve become able to listen to all sorts of music without preconceptions.

――Regarding the phrase “harboring transience and madness” in your profile. Are there any parts of this work where you think that “madness” came out?

Nishina: Reading my own profile like this makes me shy, since I’m not the one saying it (laughs).

If I had to answer something to that myself, I think it’s a fine line. For example, with “Glory,” behind wishing for peace, things are happening that we haven’t truly seen but want to look away from, and maybe that’s close to madness. As for the next track, “Twinkle Little Star,” when you think about what freedom is, to put it extremely, dying is also that person’s freedom, isn’t it? But because of that, I think you can go anywhere. That’s also a fine line; I think it’s both madness and the joy of living.

The Scenery of Tokyo, the Vitality of Overseas

――To you, being born and raised in Tokyo, how do you see the city of Tokyo?

Nishina: When I was little, I didn’t think much about it, but as I met various people who moved here from other countries or prefectures, I realized everyone’s image of Tokyo is truly different. For me, year by year, the realization that this is my hometown grows stronger, and I feel it’s a warm, soft city for me.

There is a part of me that is growing to love the cityscape of Tokyo more each year. For example, early in the morning, if you run toward the city center, the sunlight reflecting off the buildings or when it’s foggy. I’m sure there are things born precisely because it’s this city. Morning Tokyo is highly recommended.

――I heard you went overseas a lot last year as well.

Nishina: I went to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai, Malaysia, New York, and so on. I haven’t done any live shows overseas yet, though. Even if the language doesn’t perfectly translate, when you go abroad, kind people are kind, and because we’re human, there are times we click or don’t. I always feel that. I think that’s interesting. Also, I feel a sense of vitality from everyone. “So this is how they walk toward their jobs here, these people are so cool”—I think that no matter which country I visit.

Facing the Future

――What kind of artist do you want to become in the future?

photo by Daiki Miura

Nishina: Man, that’s really difficult. At the timing of an album release, I get asked things like “Where are you heading next?”, so I think about it a lot. It’s both a good and a bad trait of mine, but I really don’t have one. I think it would be so cool if I could say something like, “I’m going to stand up there, so follow me!”

What I think recently is that the thing I want to gain isn’t something huge. I just want to cherish and bring happiness to the people within my reach, and I want to leave behind a way of living born from my true self and the communication with the people I meet. To keep doing that until I get bored of it is my true feeling. “I want to stay light on my feet” is the most important thing.

At the beginning, I had no choice but to work frantically, but arriving at this point, I really want to prioritize how I want to live as a single human being. I think now that maybe that is my goal.

――How about the tour starting in March?

photo by Daiki Miura

Nishina: Live shows are living things; no matter how many times you do them, they’re definitely different, and I think that’s interesting. I’m also looking forward to the groove with the band members accelerating as we head into the latter half. As for how to get through it, I try not to worry too much about my throat condition and things like that. Once I start worrying, I’ll worry up to 100% (laughs). I try not to sweat the small stuff and just broadly enjoy it. Of course, I want to play at live houses, but someday I’d also love to perform at aquariums or planetariums, places other than live houses.

During the interview, she repeatedly said, “I want to stay light on my feet and in a natural state.” The 21 songs packed into her 3rd album “Hibi Sanman” are rooted not in artistic ambition, but in “daily life” and “a sense of acceptance” as a single human being. Like the morning light of Tokyo, her journey of turning the casual scenery of everyday life into sound will surely become even freer and lighter from here on out.

The post INTERVIEW | Nishina: 3rd Album “Hibi Sanman” and Where She Is Now first appeared on WEEAVE.

 – First, please tell us the origin of your band name. The name ผ้าอ้อม99999 is highly unique; how did you decide on it?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: When we applied for Senko Riot, I thought the judges wouldn’t pay attention to an ordinary name, so I suggested using something other than Japanese or English alphabets to stand out. I was torn between Arabic and Thai, but since I love Thai food, I went with Thai, indulging in the delusion that “maybe if we get famous, we can play live in Thailand.” At first, it had no meaning; we just chose it for its visual appearance and phonetic feel.

–Afterwards, you actually performed at the Thai music festival “Maho Rasop” and formed connections with the local scene. Was there a moment when the name served as a catalyst to connect with Thai culture?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: At first, we just wanted to stand out, and we actually planned to disband after “Senko Riot.” But when we decided to keep the band going, we seriously started thinking, “It would be great if we could properly learn about Thai culture and connect with the local scene.” To be honest, I’m not sure if the locals found the name amusing, but I like to think we were chosen because of that initial impact combined with our musical performance.

An Ever-Changing Entity. The Essence of “Junk Pop”

– You call your genre “Junk Pop” and describe it as “positively swallowing up various scattered fragments.” Could you elaborate on this concept of “positivity”?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: The cycle of internet culture is incredibly fast right now; even with a single meme, you can’t keep up unless you understand its context and roots. And those contexts themselves are constantly being rewritten and forgotten.

What we value in our Junk Pop style is enjoying those very contexts that keep shifting and breaking down. Rather than lamenting the loss of context, we embrace the process of it weathering and collapsing. It’s not about denying the roots, but being drawn to memes as “entities whose meanings are constantly changing.”

– You’ve openly acknowledged the influence of internet memes and MAD videos, but what kind of things did you actually grow up watching?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: Video games were banned in my house, so I spent all my time browsing the internet on a laptop I got in my third year of junior high. I loved Nico Nico Douga, 2channel summary sites, and anime heavy on homages like “Sgt. Frog” and “Gintama.” Even now, I still look up their original references. It’s an unorthodox way of discovering things—listening to the remix first and then looking up the original source.

Swallowing the Stress of Real Life: Information Overload and Reality

 – I’d also like to ask about your musical roots. Which artists have influenced you?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: I got interested in electronic music after listening to Sakanaction in elementary school. After that, it was DALLJUB STEP CLUB. I was drawn to the mundane gap between them playing club sounds as a band while having lyrics like “The Yayoiken Song.” I’m also influenced by artists like SUSHIBOYS and Dongurizu, where the tracks go hard but the lyrics are just messing around.

 – Regarding your music production process, do you decide on a concept first?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: I usually make the tracks first. I’ll think, “This sound reminds me of this, so let’s go with this theme.” For example, I made “Isogashimangmō-mō, Isogashimangmō” when I was struggling as a busy part-timer, thinking, “This is a restless song, so let’s make the agony of a part-time job the theme.” It’s just a “lame reality” where I’d get yelled at, but perhaps that ended up acting in a hip-hop sort of way.

From the Momentum of Senko Riot to a Giant Stage in the Desert

– From “Senko Riot” to the present, how have your ambitions as a band changed?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: That Senko Riot was the first one held since COVID, and the age limit had been raised to 23, so my feeling was just, “It’d be cool if we could gather the oldest guys and win purely on momentum.” But after getting reactions on the internet, our ambitions grew significantly. To cut to the chase, our current goal is to play at Coachella. We want to perform there so badly.

– What was it like working with the legendary engineer, Illicit Tsuboi（イリシット・ツボイ）?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: The tracks I make just have an overwhelming amount of sounds, but thanks to Mr. Tsuboi making the brave choices of “what to keep and what to cut,” we were able to strike a good balance between junk and pop. I feel like it sparked a great chemical reaction.

Cherishing the Absence of Meaning. The “Junk” Symbolized by the Kurimatsu Meme

– I imagine you also collaborate with external creators, such as 3D animators, for your visual aspects. How do you construct your visuals?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: We have meetings, of course, but rather than deciding on specific keywords, we spend more time talking about memes we recently found funny or cultures we like.

– By the way, are there any memes that have left a particularly strong impression on you lately?

ผ้าอ้อม99999: Within what I can say, it would be the meme made overseas where Kurimatsu from “Inazuma Eleven” is roughly collaged.

The pop music of chaos and affirmation painted by ผ้าอ้อม99999. It is like a modern ritual that swallows countless fragments of information and sublimates them into new contexts. Their gaze is directed straight from their part-time jobs in Yokohama to a giant stage in the desert.

The post Interview: ผ้าอ้อม99999 —— How Contextless “JUNK POP” Affirms the Depths of the Internet and the Reality of Part-Time Life first appeared on WEEAVE.

Recently, a newly released cypher video has been generating massive echoes across borders. Featuring a lineup of seven rising rappers—including talents from Hong Kong and Macau—passing the mic, the visual doesn’t show Taipei as a glittering tourist destination. Instead, it captures the “real Taipei”—raw, hungry, and resonating with the most cutting-edge sounds.

While linking with global, avant-garde sounds like CHE, osamason, and slayr, the Taipei underground is evolving in its own unique way. WEEAVE conducted an interview with the director of this project (who is originally from Hong Kong himself). From the hidden stories behind the video to the “invisible enemy” they are fighting, and their passionate aspirations towards Japan, he shared it all.

A Multinational Crossroads of Talent Centered in Taipei

What was the intention behind this lineup?

JJ:I intentionally made the lineup diverse to paint a full picture of Taipei’s underground hip-hop in 2026: it’s bursting with raw energy and incredible versatility. What makes this combination special is that two of the artists—Lobo Slashemall from Hong Kong and Sevenmind from Macau—aren’t local Taipei natives. (I’m originally from Hong Kong myself.) Yet, we all connected naturally through the underground scene here.

Taipei’s underground isn’t isolated; it’s a magnet that pulls in talent from across Asia. It creates a multi-faceted sound that mixes local grit with global influences. We’ve seen so many comments from overseas saying the flows and vibes remind them of CHE, osamason, slayr, etc. That’s exactly what we wanted to show. Taipei has a vibrant, hungry underground scene on the same wavelength as the world’s most cutting-edge sounds. This cypher is our manifesto, shouting to the world, “We’re here, and we’re coming strong.”

A Movie-Like Story Arc Born from Chance

The order of the rappers created a brilliant narrative arc. How did you decide on the structure?

JJ: Honestly, I initially used a website’s lottery draw to assign positions completely at random, just to keep things fair (laughs). But after seeing the lineup, I made a few small tweaks to give it a story line—almost like a movie with an introduction, rising action, a twist, and a strong finish.

• Introduction: I deliberately put PHIL COZY first. His smooth, melodic flow and mostly English bars make it a highly accessible entry point for international viewers. It’s a silky smoothness that immediately proves, “Taipei can hang with global sounds.”
• Rising Action: Then YUNG ANDYPISTOL and LOBO SLASHEMALL come in to crank the energy way up. Andy’s punchy, aggressive trap vibe combined with Lobo’s raw Hong Kong street edge creates an explosive build-up, exposing pure hunger.
• The Twist: Around the middle, BABYGRAPE is the big “twist.” His experimental, wavy approach on that unique beat flips the script completely. It brings an unpredictable, fresh air, making it feel like the cypher is evolving in real time.
• The Climax & Resolution: Finally, SEVENMIND, LIL RICK BABY, and BB bring variety and catharsis. Sevenmind adds cinematic depth and mood, Lil Rick Baby drops technical rage and insane wordplay to flex his skills, and BB closes it out with bouncy, charismatic swag.

Even though it started random, I believe we managed to express the dynamic, multi-layered nature of Taipei’s underground, where different energies collide yet harmonize into one massive wave.

Deadline Magic and Online Chemistry

The chemistry with the beats was outstanding. How long was the production period?

JJ: To be real, we had very little prep time—only about two weeks total—and absolutely no rehearsals. It was an entirely remote production where everyone just sent their verses online to the main producer @scvrlet.pi, and guest producers like 1jowisen (for Andy) and 2ukko (for Babygrape). That means the “chemistry” you see happened through file exchanges and last-minute tweaks.

The biggest surprise was YUNG ANDYPISTOL in the first half. He sent several versions early on, and while they were good, I felt “something was missing.” But on the actual deadline day, he dropped this insane version called “no1. Type of chigga.” The energy, the repetition of “Ima one type of chigga / #1 type of chigga,” the aggressive delivery… it was exactly the perfect piece needed to explode after Phil Cozy’s smooth opener. I was shaking, thinking, “Where did this come from?!” No fancy studio sessions, just pure hunger and last-second genius. That deadline magic is what makes the underground so special.

Shaping, Not Following: The “Sound of Taipei”

If you had to describe the current “Sound of Taipei Underground” in 2026, what would it be?

JJ: It’s a “hybrid” that refuses to fit into just one box. It fuses a deep respect for authentic boom-bap spirit and raw street grit with completely new, experimental rage, trap, and plugg influences.

It’s not just nostalgia or pure futurism—it’s messy, emotional, chaotic, and full of life. From scvrlet.pi’s dark, static-heavy beats to Babygrape’s psychedelic twists and Lil Rick Baby’s high-speed technical rage. Furthermore, switching between Mandarin and English internet slang mid-bar perfectly reflects Taipei’s fast-paced, multicultural streets.

As someone from Hong Kong, I’m still figuring out exactly what the “Taipei Flavor” is. But one thing I was determined to preserve and push forward in this cypher was using Chinese (Mandarin). Hip-hop often defaults to English for global reach, but I wanted to prove that Chinese can stand strong on its own internationally without losing its soul. We aren’t just following trends; we are mixing in our own unique flavors—neon shadows, late-night hustle, compressed emotions—and we are ready to collide with the cutting edge of the world.

Visually, the dark textures contrasting with Taipei’s public image left a strong impression.

JJ: Yes. We intentionally excluded all the bright, polished, tourist-friendly imagery like Taipei 101 or colorful night markets. That mainstream, superficial beauty often buries the real underground music of Taiwan.

Instead, we rented an abandoned warehouse to emphasize the “shadows” and “grit.” This symbolizes their unstoppable energy, trying to break through while being buried under mainstream styles. The moody red lighting creates tension and intimacy, focusing entirely on the artists’ presence.

Also, in Part 2, we switched to red and blue lighting—intentionally echoing the colors of the Taiwan flag. Red for passion and hunger, blue for depth and resilience. The contrast between the dark shadows and the national colors bleeding in is a quiet assertion of identity: “Taipei’s underground isn’t just surviving; it’s putting down roots in this city and standing up to the world.”

Is there a common “invisible enemy” that these young rappers share?

JJ: Yes. It’s the reality of being “ignored and underestimated.” Mainstream Taiwanese media rarely covers real underground hip-hop, international scenes still view Asia as “followers,” and even locally, it gets overshadowed by pop. The rebellious feeling against being treated as “not serious enough” or “too small” is our greatest driving force, consciously or not.

We don’t have big budgets or major labels, but the pure hunger of “we can do this too” and “we’ll show you Taipei’s fire” drives us. We aren’t fighting a specific person or system; we are fighting “silence.” And right now, our voices are starting to get loud.

Looking Toward Japan: Breaking the Silence, Reaching the World

Finally, what are your future prospects?

JJ: Our most concrete goal right now is to perform live in Japan.

Surprisingly, about 50% of the viewers for this cypher currently come from Japan. The comments section is overflowing with enthusiastic reactions like “Taiwan is crazy” and “This is the hottest in Asia.” We don’t want to waste this energy. First, we want to bring this lineup, or at least some of the members, to Japan to make a showcase or live show a reality. If possible, we strongly hope to collaborate with Japanese artists as well.

“We are fighting silence.” The director’s words are sure to pierce the hearts of all independent artists working across borders. Rather than relying on prepared stages, they are carving out their own spaces, overcoming even language barriers with their flow and passion. The day when the heatwave released from Taipei’s basement shakes livehouses in Japan may not be far off. WEEAVE will continue to follow their next moves.

The post INTERVIEW| The Current State of Taipei’s Underground first appeared on WEEAVE.

In this interview, the members trace their story in their own words—from how the band formed to their roots, their view of the scene today, and what lies ahead.

First, could you introduce Geloomy?

Shouchou: We’re a band with roots in disco, soul, and funk, but we also draw from classic rock—there are a lot of different elements in what we do.

What sparked the band’s formation?

Shouchou: At the very beginning, it was really just like, “Let’s hang out and mess around in the studio.” We got together for the first time and figured we’d do some covers or something. Then, as things flowed naturally, we started playing originals—and before we knew it, this band had become what it is.

Do you remember the first cover song you played?

Shouchou: “My Girl” by Kan Sano.

Could each of you tell us what got you into music?

Shouchou: There was always soul and funk playing at home, and around my third year of middle school I got really into Tom Misch. There wasn’t one clear moment—it was more like I’d kept vaguely thinking, “I want to do music,” for a long time.

Jinzou: I ended up in the same class as Shouchou in high school, and when I saw him playing guitar I thought it looked fun. I started on guitar, and later I was listening to King Gnu and OKAMOTO’S and thought, “Bass is so cool.” It wasn’t like I decided to become a bassist—I just play bass because I like it.

Hai: In middle and high school I played percussion in a wind ensemble. I used to watch Buddy Rich videos constantly, and around the time I entered university I started listening to more Black music. I admired Questlove and Nate Smith, and that’s what led me here.

Kanzou: I played piano a little in elementary school, then stepped away from it. But in university I listened to Kan Sano, and from there I dug into Robert Glasper and Reuben James—and I started thinking I might try again.

When was your first live show?

Shouchou: Around spring of 2023. At that point we had zero songs on streaming, and we’d only just started moving our Instagram a little.

How did it feel when you finally reached your one-man show at Shibuya WWW?

Shouchou: We’ve always played in places where we’re really close to the audience, and it feels like we’ve grown together with the people who keep coming back. It’s like we’re creating the “content” called Geloomy together.

Hai: In my previous band, I’ve played shows with zero audience before, so seeing WWW packed out honestly made me think, “This really has a dream to it.”

Jinzou: I was glad we could present our world with a certain level of quality—not just the performance, but also the VJ and the merch. It felt like a real milestone.

Kanzou: It was the right moment—things we’d been doing up to that point were coming together, and we had a proper place to show it. A lot of people were dancing too, so in terms of results it was huge for us.

Where do you want to take Geloomy from here?

Shouchou: First, we want to put out more songs. After that, while keeping the four of us as the core, we want to start borrowing a bit of strength from outside as well. A lot will change—drastically—but we’ll keep what’s good about Geloomy as it is, and take our time as we make our move.

What stages do you want to play, and what goals are you aiming for?

Shouchou: WWWX, LIQUIDROOM, and then beyond that—Zepp. We want to take the time it takes.

Hai: I want to go overseas. Taiwan was great, and I want to go to Asia, the U.S., Europe—everywhere.

Jinzou: I want to do shows in small cafés too, or in places with really cool scenery.

Kanzou: For our recordings, I want us to shape a sound with an overseas audience in mind as well—stylish, but with a slightly off-kilter edge.

How do you see Tokyo as a city?

Shouchou: Tokyo feels polarized. There are people who come here because they genuinely have something they want to do, and there are people who come here without much reason. We want to be the former. I think music will keep getting more “fashionable,” but it can’t become only that. It’s a city where finding the right balance is hard.

What kind of scene do you want to see from here on out?

Shouchou: I hope there are more places where people don’t judge others by genre, and can just enjoy music purely.

Kanzou: I want a scene where you can absorb things well, regardless of genre.

Jinzou: It would be interesting if there were more environments where you can listen to music naturally—somewhere that isn’t a live house.

Hai: More places where you can be like, “Oh, something’s happening,” and casually come into contact with live sound.

Finally, could you leave a message for the readers?

Shouchou: We do the songs, the videos, the design, the mix—everything ourselves, and we want to keep doing what we love. I’d be happy if you remember us and put us on when you have some time.

Born from coincidence, Geloomy is still moving forward by trusting the flow. And yet, that movement has begun to take on a clearer outline. With time on their side, their position keeps updating—this is still only the middle of the story.

The post INTERVIEW: Geloomy — How a Band Born from Chance Turned It into Conviction first appeared on WEEAVE.

— First, please introduce yourself.
who28: I’m who28.

— What is the origin of the name “who28”?
who28: It was the day Lil Peep passed away (November 2017) that I decided to really start making music.
At the time, I was debating whether to use my real name or create a stage name. I had these numbers that felt like “angel numbers” to me. My birthday is February 8th, and there was a time when I kept seeing the numbers “2:08” everywhere in town. That made me want to include “28.”

— Was it inspired by someone you looked up to?
who28: No. I don’t admire anyone in that way, and there’s no one I’m chasing. I feel like the work comes first and the name follows later, so I thought the name could be anything.
But since my birthday is Feb 8th and I kept seeing “2:08,” “2,” and “8” everywhere, I wanted to incorporate “28” like an angel number.
So, I added “28” to “who” and became who28. It’s similar to naming a character in a video game.
It carries the feeling of: “I’m nobody, and I won’t become anybody, but I am me.”

— Was that a reflection of the vibe of the era?
who28: Definitely. Back then, with XXXTentacion’s generation, there was this trend where names that were hard to read were considered cool. There was a bit of a desire to make the name “unreadable.” I kind or regret it now, though (laughs).

— If you were to rename yourself now?
who28: Honestly, nothing comes to mind immediately (laughs). But I think a name that sticks instantly, like “Fujitaito,” would have been better.

— Tell us about your musical roots. Is there a strong influence from a specific person in the music you make now?
who28: Not in a heavy sense. But I love “songs with a soul.”

— What kind of music did you grow up listening to?
who28: I liked David Bowie, and I really loved Radiohead.

— What triggered your move into rap?
who28: When I first discovered Trap, I felt it was freer than rock—like anything goes.

— Any other sounds that influenced you?
who28: I’ve liked Perfume for a long time. Lil Wayne and T-Pain were also huge. When I first heard the sound of “Auto-Tune,” I realized, “This is what I’ve always liked.”

— What was your entry point into Hip-Hop?
who28: Wu-Tang Clan. It started when I bought one of their hats and looked them up. I was blown away by the hook of “Cash Rules Everything Around Me (C.R.E.A.M.).” I got into it through fashion.

— Do you listen to Japanese music?
who28: Yes. In Japan, I like soulful things like Yutaka Ozaki. I don’t really like music where I can’t hear the soul. But I like m-flo, and I listen to Mr. Children too.

— What is the “heat” you want to put into your songs?
who28: Including live performances, I think music is meaningless if it can’t give energy to the listener. First, I want to properly create and release songs that allow me to put out energy.

— Tell us about your latest EP. What thoughts did you put into the title “TAIGA”?
who28: “TAIGA” is my real name. While there’s the “who28” side—the person I want to be or the version of myself I like—there’s also a “lame” side, an immaturity I don’t want to expose. I felt the texture of that immaturity was very “TAIGA.”
Originally, I was going to release an album titled “who28,” but when the songs came together, a switch flipped: “I should release this as TAIGA first.” I want to release the next album as “who28.”

— Where in the songs did you find “TAIGA”?
who28: In the first track, “Fuck Love.” I started making it using Trippie Redd and XXXTentacion’s “Fuck Love” as a reference point, using phrases like “Baby, I need you in my life.” Beyond that, I’m clashing with the feeling of “wanting to be together” versus “needing to focus on myself alone right now.” That conflict felt like my current immaturity.
Also, lately, I feel like I’m “peeling back my skin” (becoming raw). I prefer songs that capture that current feeling of mine over songs that look like a perfectly groomed face.

— Are the later tracks on the same line?
who28: The last track, “miss you,” is almost like just singing my daily life as it is. That felt like my true self—TAIGA—rather than the bravado of who28.
But I don’t want to completely separate who28 and TAIGA into two different personas. In the end, they are one.

— Conversely, what state of mind is “who28-like” for you?
who28: Simply put, it’s the state where I can like myself. When I’m close to my ideal self.
I still rewatch XXXTentacion’s Instagram Lives from before he passed, and different words resonate with me at different times. This time, words like “Become who you want to be” hit me hard.

— Do you have an ideal image?
who28: It might sound shallow, but I just want to be having fun making music.
Also, I believe a little bit in reincarnation. If my future self in the next life finds an artist named who28 and thinks “this is cool,” that might be my life goal. That’s why I want to make and release as many good songs as possible before I die. I want it to spread widely enough to reach my next life.

— Can you speak more specifically about the influence you received from XXXTentacion?
who28: I started liking Juice WRLD after he passed, but I was really listening to Lil Peep and XXXTentacion while they were still alive.
If I talk about influence, it’s the sense that “you have to grow as a human for your songs to get better.” I think XXXTentacion was in the middle of trying to change himself. So, I want to grow properly every day.

— What is Hip-Hop to you?
who28: I don’t “worship” hip-hop as a genre. When I make my own songs, I don’t draw lines like “this is rock” or “this is hip-hop.” Whatever I think is “cool” is what hip-hop is to me.

— Then why do you call yourself a “rapper”?
who28: Because I didn’t start with composing; I started by learning about freestyle and entering battles. No matter how far I go, my core is closer to being a rapper.
From the perspective of people in other scenes, I’m clearly seen as a rapper. Conversely, when I go to the rap scene, people say I’m “hyperpop-ish.” But I have a strong sense of doing this as a rapper.
In Tokyo, there’s an atmosphere where people acknowledge each other across genres if they think something is cool. On the other hand, in Osaka, it felt like things were more strictly divided. When I performed in Osaka, someone told me, “We don’t do this alternative stuff,” but I’m doing it because I think it’s hip-hop.

— Who do you want to reach with your music?
who28: I want it to reach everyone. Among them, I especially want it to resonate with people who are fighting themselves.
I feel like there are many people who just do what they’re told and go through life without thinking deeply. Since we only get one shot, I think people should get more passionate about their lives.
I don’t like the atmosphere where “being cool/indifferent” is seen as the right way to be. Many people put on a front and only say cool things, but I think, “There’s no way that’s the whole story.”

— Finally, a message for those listening to your work.
who28: If this music is playing at a moment in your life when you want to take a step forward, I want it to be a work that helps us move a little together.
Don’t be too tense; just play it somewhere in your daily life. I’d be happy if it helps when you need courage or a push in the back.
I can continue music because there are people who listen. Thank you, always.

His career, which began by calling himself “Nobody” (who), has now arrived at a point of sincerity where he carries his “Real Name.” The heat that who28 emits will continue to change shape, but it will surely continue to quietly yet powerfully push his future self—and all of us living in the now—forward.

The post Interview: who28 — From “Nobody” to the Raw Reality of “TAIGA” first appeared on WEEAVE.

For this conversation, Sion reflects on why eigensinn had to happen now—what burnout revealed, how electronic music and hyperpop became the most honest place to rebuild from, and why “organic” is still a non-negotiable, even in the loudest, roughest textures. From nighttime cliffs to Porter Robinson’s foley-driven warmth, from Tokyo’s harmony to Koji Kondo’s craft, Sion maps the record through the moments that made it click.

First, for people meeting you for the first time — how would you describe “Sion” in one short phrase?

Sion: Sion is a constantly evolving artist.

This shift in sound feels very intentional. Why did you choose this musical direction now — and what changed most clearly from your previous work?

Sion: I had a pretty big burnout. I felt that my past work didn’t really represent me as an artist anymore. It was more like a result of influences where I didn’t have the overhand. It was uncontrolled.
So I felt the need to find something I love and resonate with. And that was electronic music and hyperpop. Listening to the Japanese electronic music scene, I fell in love with the way they tweak pop music to their taste and make interesting textures. That was the first time I wanted to do a certain genre or style. So I just went with it — purely instinctive.
This album is the same. It’s instinctive, quirky and fun, while keeping the melodic strengths of my past work.

When you imagine this record playing in real life, what kind of scene do you see — morning or night, and where?

Sion: I feel like this album is best suited to a nighttime setting on a mountain — maybe even on a cliff. The weird mixture of emotional moments and danceable moments suits that setting the best.

No matter how the genre shifts, there are usually a few things that never move. If you had to name three words for your core, what would they be? And is there a track where that core is most obvious?

Sion: Detail, hybrid, organic.
I began as a classical musician, so I grew up constantly analyzing details in music — and that reflects on my music. Even if hyperpop is a really rough genre, I can’t escape this detail-oriented mindset, and I don’t mind it honestly.
Since I’ve done R&B, hip-hop, ballads, classical music, jazz — so many different genres throughout my career — I feel like it’s now in my blood to mix and mash up different genres. Hybridize music.
And when I listen to music, I never use noise cancellation. I like to listen to music breathing with the ambience around me. Music to me is organic, and I always like to have some organic factor in my music.
The track that displays all three aspects the best is “homes.” It’s a hybrid of pop, rock, folk, hyperpop, has organic textures throughout, and I spent weeks tweaking details nobody would notice.

If a first-time listener could hear only one song to understand who you are right now, which track would you choose — and what’s one defining moment in it?

Sion: That would be “avoid2.” I produced that song in one week. It was a really different experience compared to my past work. I didn’t overthink — I tried to utilize every little idea that came to mind.
It starts with an ambient intro, goes into an EDM build-up, switches to a rage drop, then a hardstyle–phonk hybrid drop, and lastly builds into a riddim drop. It’s like a rollercoaster.
I feel like the way the rage part and the phonk part don’t have a build-up or breakdown in between shows how stupidly instinctive this song is (1:40). I feel like that’s me right now: versatility, fun, electronic music.

Were there any references — a track or artist — that directly shaped how you approached this project? What did you borrow from them?

Sion: I got influenced by a lot of different artists. Porter Robinson’s album Nurture is still a go-to handbook for me to learn how to utilize textures and foley to make a track feel more organic and lively.

peterparker69 also inspired me to mess around with my vocals — pitch shifting and bending the stereo image. So many more.

You spend time in Tokyo — what part of the culture sticks with you the most?

Sion: I really love the balance between self-expression and cultural preservation in Tokyo. It’s fascinating to see people with different perspectives respect each other’s point of view. More expressive people acknowledge older values and cultures, while most people also appreciate the art of expressing themselves.
I feel like that is lacking in a lot of parts of the world. Harmony.

Any Japanese artist you’re especially paying attention to right now — with one concrete moment that stayed with you?

Sion: I was at the year-end party of WWW last year where lilbesh ramko performed. I was already a big fan, but the energy and his delivery on stage blew me away.
How he made remixes of his own songs to surprise the crowd, how he moves to his music — everything inspired me and the way I perform nowadays.

If you could spend one day with a Tokyo creator — who would it be, and what would you want to make together?

Sion: I would love to spend a day with Koji Kondo. I’m a big fan of game music and I would love to work as a game music composer someday as well.
So I’d love to see how he works on his pieces and learn from him.

For listeners stepping into eigensinn for the first time: two gateway tracks, then one deep-dive track. And for each, a favorite one-second moment with a timestamp.

Sion: Gateway tracks would be “holdon” and “homes.” Both have a very clear pop structure, so it’s much easier to digest than other songs on the EP.
“holdon” is a banger with electropop elements, so I feel like people who like EDM and pop will resonate with it. I especially like the complextro drop at the end (1:45).
“homes” is more of a rock-pop tune and I feel like it’s the most accessible tune on the record. I like the second verse because it reminds me of old pop-rock songs from the 2000s (1:51).
A deep-dive track would be “avoid2.” It has no real structure — I just focused on making each part stronger than the other, trying to stimulate my dopamine receptors. It might be difficult to digest on the first listen, but if you appreciate hybrid music and sound design you will love this one.
My favorite moment is the last riddim drop because it has a really weird groove (2:41).

Is there something the visuals communicate that the music alone can’t? A jacket, photo, or shot that carries an extra feeling.

Sion: I did a live performance video inside of a little van — I played on my DJ controller and sang with a bunch of autotune on my voice.
This experience of fun and improvised moments elevates the chaotic manner of the album much stronger than just listening to the album on its own.

Your fashion mood right now — colors, silhouettes, textures. Has it changed with your stage life or artwork?

Sion: A few years ago I used to be really into fashion — matching interesting pieces and digging through vintage archives. Nowadays it’s almost completely the opposite.
I usually like to wear stuff that I feel comfortable in, stuff that doesn’t interfere with my motions when I’m performing or working. My style has gotten a lot more cozy and chill.
Still, I tend to pick pieces that have some sort of fun factor while being comfortable.

Lastly: what’s your current favorite piece of clothing, and why?

Sion: I’m wearing a lot of hooded zip-ups. Easy to wear — and since I got a lot of social anxiety, wearing something hooded makes me feel a bit more comfortable.
My favorite zip-up right now is from a Japanese brand called GB Mouth.

The post INTERVIEW | Sion Instinct, detail, and a new center of gravity — how eigensinn found its shape first appeared on WEEAVE.