The Japanese artist, aus may be also more known for the representative for the one of profound global independent music labels, “FLAU” especially among the recent music fans. The album and label curation style is undeniably refined and aesthetically profound in interpretation of contemporary music in cinematic approach by using field recording and classical music instruments with electronic style. Eclectic and refined “quiet art” it is.
aus’s recent new album, “Everis” was released from UK based independent record label, “Lo Recordings” which is also has been established as one of most culturally significant and influential labels globally. Therefore the album production quality has synergy with aus and such an exceptional with the inspirational like a cine-sonic journey and the album certainly seems have a good reputation globally ( see our review postalso ). It carried out exceptionally well with bothlabel’s authenticities. Speak of their authenticities, for example, the recent music events aus have involved in Japan seem all popular and established their followers by the castings and appropriate setting for space and facilities whether its DIY style events or not. Punters and the events obvious to have mutual trusts in resonance with artistically diverse and lifestyles. aus certainly has the role of an hub, and artistic ambassador.
Not the only the great album and their label style but also there are some fascinating elements to resonate with this album and artistic style thus we couldn’t help to ask some simple fundamental questions to aus himself as follows :
Question from Round Pattern ( rp )
rp 1: First off all, thank you so much for your time answering my questions in advance! The album is so engaging and inspiring! You mentioned in your bio that you were involved with sound work at the experimental footage in the early career stage. How did you get involved? Was the sound music or folly ?
aus : I was adding sound to the video work of TAKCOM, with whom I continue to collaborate. I remember that when TAKCOM was a student, Toshio Matsumoto recognised his video work and gave him some kind of award (incidentally, that was the first time I got paid for my own music). There are few works available online currently, but as far as musical ones go, ‘Urum’ is an example.
Where it still remains, it was shown at media art/film festivals such as European Media Art Festival, EXIS, MEDIA ART FRIESLAND, 25FPS, MICROWAVE and Pictoplasma. At the time, I was just starting out in music myself and the content was quite limited musically then. I also had an opportunity with TAKCOM to do the artwork and video for my latest work ‘Everis’.
rp : The visual enhancement for your music is effective, synesthesia indeed! So how did you start the label, FLAU ?
aus : It all started when I was a student, when I had a lot of opportunities to play at all-night events and I wanted to do more events during the day. It was only when I went to Europe that somehow I really felt the significance of doing night events, but I always felt that if you’re going to do events on weekends, you might as well do it during the day (the recent event, “Cross” was part of that concept).
At my first event, I sold handmade compilations to visitors, and when I didn’t even have a label yet, I got offers to release the compilation from international artists who had participated in it. I had friends around me who were Japanese musicians with great talent, and when I decided to release the soundtrack to a film by my favorite artist, Hiraki Sawa, I started thinking about trying it as a label. I didn’t think it would last this long.
rp 3: I get the impression that both labels ( Lo Recordings and FLAU ) and particularly you seem to curate sounds that evoke a sense of air, transparency, and colors. Are there any music, artists, paintings or artworks that have influenced you?
aus : I’m truly pleased to hear your impressions, thanks very much:) I am influenced by so many different works and artists that it is difficult to name just a few, but for my new work ‘Everis’, there is Chris Marker ‘Sans soleil’, Toshikazu Yokomitsu ‘Kikai (Machine)’, Fumiko Takano ‘Okumura-san no Onasu’, Akira Kurosawa ‘Dream’, Terrence Malick ‘ Song to Song’, David Shea, Federico Mompou, John Luther Adams, Peter Garland, Sarah Peebles, Sun City Girls, Lee Kit, Pipilotti Rist, Mark Rothko, Miranda July, Toshiro Nakagawa, Takashi Yoshimatsu and Junko Maruyama to name a few. I feel like I was going back to what I saw and heard as a student. I recently contributed a mix to Seattle radio station KEXP’s Midnight in a Perfect World series, which brings together the concept and inspiration for this album.
rp 4: Do you have any upcoming live or DJ shows for aus? If so, please let us know the schedule (We’d love to go to any of them to fit the timing!).
aus : Thank you! I have a DJ schedule at “Mori, Michi, Ichiba Festival” in Aichi, Japan. It is an established local outdoor music festival.
rp : So this is your first production and release in 15 years. When I went through the release information, the background and motifs are also very personal and emotional, and I was very excited to see the album was approached as a sonic experience. How are you feeling about the release and any message for new listeners?
aus : The album is a new work, at the same time it was a personal path about my memory, so I feel like I finally have closure now that it’s all together as an album. Of course nothing will change drastically, but I hope to continue releasing more at my own pace while catching up for the time I was absent as aus.
rp : It’s lovely to know that you have accomplished something for a certain phase of your own path and are willing to continue releasing more at your own pace.
– The interview continues to part 2 –
Also, aus contributed to select this wonderful playlist to the introduction of an inspiration to the wonderful cinesonic side of “Everis”. It’s an another beautiful flow of eclectic sound journey. Great for driving and being in a state of pleasantness ( “totonou” by means perhaps ), too. Again thank you Fukuzono san, very much for your time. It is such a pleasant to greet and introduce the world of aus!
Location Reference :
3cha PLAYS ( the venue for the past event, “Cross” )| address : 2F, Yuraku Building, 4-23-13 Taishido, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-0004
Laguna Beach (Otsuka Seaside Green) part venue for Mori, Michi, Ichiba festival | Address : 2-39, Kaiyo-cho, Gamagori, Aichi 443-0014, Japan
Bio
aus : Having founded the internationally renowned FLAU record label in Japan, aus has gained attention through his skillful and delicate sound production, exquisitely combining cinematic strings and electronics with sounds from everyday life. With a passion for rediscovering and reinventing the very nature of sounds around him, inspiration is acquired from all corners of his mind: captured movie images; stumbled upon words or conversations; nomadic dreams; long lost memories; and indefinable inner feelings.
Round Pattern 
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