voices #50
◦ “voices” is the place where we ask, artists reply and you read.
here we got:
Hajime Nakamura
answering some questions. We have already observed his ambient / electronic work here.
[1. IDEA]
■ The A. O.: The track from “Loop Drawing” that we prefer is “A Shower of Light”. Can you tell us how it came out?
► Hajime Nakamura: I imported several stems I had been working on into DJ software, then adjusted the pitch and applied various effects while shaping the track. That’s how the piece came together.
[2. CREATION]
■ The A. O.: How do you usually approach composition? Do you start with a concept, a sound, a state of mind or what else? How do you generally proceed from the initial seed to the complete work?
► Hajime Nakamura: Most of the time, I start intuitively — just by interacting with the equipment and making sounds. I might control my DAW with a MIDI controller, import stem files into DJ software and manipulate them, or record from hardware gear. I choose whatever method fits my mood at the time.
Sometimes a track is almost finished at this early stage. Other times, I leave a project untouched and reopen it much later, adding new ideas until it’s complete. There are also pieces that never make it and end up being discarded. In the end, I finalize everything in the DAW, editing, fine-tuning, and polishing the details.
[3. FEEDBACK]
■ The A. O.: What do you hope listeners feel or experience when engaging with your music?
► Hajime Nakamura: I’d be happy if my music could become a source of inspiration for someone — a kind of key or trigger that opens up something new for the listener.
[4. IDENTITY]
■ The A. O.: In a world saturated with digital music content, how do you try to keep your sound distinct and personally meaningful?
► Hajime Nakamura: I only release music that reaches a level of quality I’m truly satisfied with. The standard I expect from myself keeps getting higher every year. In fact, there are many tracks that I complete but ultimately decide not to release because they don’t fully meet my own expectations.
[5. INFLUENCES]
■ The A. O.: Mention 3 albums that you consider relevant to your musical path and why.
► Hajime Nakamura: The following three albums have deeply influenced me, particularly in terms of sound texture and their unique sense of balance:
○ Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85–92
○ Sun Ra – Disco 3000
○ Arthur Russell – World Of Echo
[6. REGARDS]
■ The A. O.: Leave us with a quote you love.
► Hajime Nakamura: I don’t have a particular quote in mind.