savezearth
The cosmos, human life, the act of living, history. And parties and gatherings as their manifestation in the spirit of Be Here Now.
He watches for the fleeting points of contact within this dreamlike, ephemeral existence.
Since 2024, he has co-organized the original project FLIGHT, a community built around people in their 20s and 30s.
Since 2025, he has served on the Harukaze organizing committee. He was also a member of the operating team behind Kiryusha, a counterculture community that closed at the end of 2024, much to many people's regret.
He watches for the fleeting points of contact within this dreamlike, ephemeral existence.
Since 2024, he has co-organized the original project FLIGHT, a community built around people in their 20s and 30s.
Since 2025, he has served on the Harukaze organizing committee. He was also a member of the operating team behind Kiryusha, a counterculture community that closed at the end of 2024, much to many people's regret.
Artist Interview
What are your musical roots?
Pictures at an Exhibition / Modest Mussorgsky
When I learned that Mussorgsky wrote this piece for a friend who had died, the emotion hit me and it was a real shock.
When I learned that Mussorgsky wrote this piece for a friend who had died, the emotion hit me and it was a real shock.
Which artists or labels are you most excited about right now?
- 1.Chihei HatakeyamaMany of the works combine field recording with drone ambient. A lot of them use Japanese environmental sounds, and they have this pleasant quality that feels like it washes your mind clean. I love "Hachirogata Lake."
- 2.Akira UmedaA mysterious Japanese Brazilian figure who has released a ton of lo-fi electronica full of strange sounds. For some reason, the sound always makes me feel nostalgic. The work "1988-2018" feels almost like an autobiography, a collage of recordings gathered over 30 years? I used a track from it this time too.
- 3.Chris WatsonSomeone who moves back and forth across the border between the realm of "sound" and "music." A former recording engineer. The line between sound and music dissolves.
Tokyo's Local Scene
What is happening in your local music scene right now?
Since the pandemic, I think the ways people play have expanded and multiplied, club people heading outdoors, techno people moving into house, dancers going on retreats, and that this has brought about a kind of rejuvenation.
But that's just the story of club music. Zoom out, and the music industry as a whole, majors included, is really just one current within the planet scale river we call "culture," one that sweeps up all of humanity. In the end, it comes down to who lives where, so Tokyo, with all its human traffic, sees trends rise and fall especially fast, and both its main currents and tributaries keep shifting as they connect with what's happening overseas.
Even so, I want to keep my eyes on the things that haven't been forgotten, the things that don't fade away.
But that's just the story of club music. Zoom out, and the music industry as a whole, majors included, is really just one current within the planet scale river we call "culture," one that sweeps up all of humanity. In the end, it comes down to who lives where, so Tokyo, with all its human traffic, sees trends rise and fall especially fast, and both its main currents and tributaries keep shifting as they connect with what's happening overseas.
Even so, I want to keep my eyes on the things that haven't been forgotten, the things that don't fade away.
What local spots would you recommend?
Listening Bar
Grow Bar Joint— 下北沢 / Shimokitazawa
Jamaican roots music and community. Feel good music and feel good company. Every staff member's song selection at the shop is a joy. In particular, the tracks the owner, Chill, picks on the first floor are packed with a kind of love that only someone who's spent a long time in that space could bring out. The drinks and food, starting with the handmade chai, are delicious.
Record Shop
Pianola Records— 下北沢 / Shimokitazawa
You can't tell anything from the cover, googling it doesn't clear things up, and even asking the owner leaves you none the wiser because of your own lack of knowledge. It's full of important, rare records that sit quietly at the very edges of music history. Difficult, obscure works, and yet so many of them pull you in the moment you listen. Every time, I'm overwhelmed by how much more I need to enjoy learning about music.
ヒト族レコード / Hitozoku Record— 京都・木屋町 / Kiyamachi, Kyoto
Personally, I think of it as folklore x avant garde. It's like BING's own areas of interest are laid out directly in the lineup. I've only been able to go about twice so far, but whenever I'm in Kyoto, I make sure to stop by. Salon de HITOZOKU next door and DNA Paradice downstairs are both fun too. Be sure to check their Instagram before you visit.
RAWMEN RECORD— 三軒茶屋 / Sangenjaya
Is there any other record shop out there that builds a record and community culture this bright and this fun? It's ground zero for Sancha's DJ culture. A space that just puts you in a good mood, no matter what. Overflowing with house, dub, and a playful sense of humor.
Label / Series
Kankyō Records
An ambient label run by a record shop in Kamiuma, Setagaya. Both the music and the label's whole feel could only be made by people who truly understand quality relaxation.
Showcases
Artists from Tokyo
Born in 2001. Began DJing and organizing events in January 2024. Builds his sets primarily around techno, footwork, and
Played in a band during the 2000s. Started DJing around 2015. Since late 2023, has been a regular DJ at Ponpoko Mountain
Yumi Iwaki is a Tokyo-based electronic sound artist. Her work traces immersive soundscapes that feel like drifting throu
akii is a Tokyo-based DJ and selector. Moving fluidly between Roots Dub, Steppers, Dub Techno, Experimental Bass, and Am
L?K?O is a singular artist who fuses the ritual instinct of a club DJ with the experimental spirit of a turntablist, cre
Born in 2001. Began DJing and organizing events in January 2024. Builds his sets primarily around techno, footwork, and
Played in a band during the 2000s. Started DJing around 2015. Since late 2023, has been a regular DJ at Ponpoko Mountain
Yumi Iwaki is a Tokyo-based electronic sound artist. Her work traces immersive soundscapes that feel like drifting throu
akii is a Tokyo-based DJ and selector. Moving fluidly between Roots Dub, Steppers, Dub Techno, Experimental Bass, and Am
L?K?O is a singular artist who fuses the ritual instinct of a club DJ with the experimental spirit of a turntablist, cre
Born in 1992, she began DJing in March 2019 at ZUBAR in Shibuya, Tokyo. Her play style is rooted in world music, while f