vvekapipo
Born in 2000. Dancer and composer.
Based in Fukuoka, he works as a staff member at Kieth Flack, one of Kyushu’s key venues, while also organizing hertz, an experimental gathering centered around noise music.
His DJing explores new forms by collaging and reshaping rhythms and sounds in an improvisational manner.
In his productions, he consciously reconstructs noise that exists outside of awareness, transforming it into his own brand of industrial electronic music.
With a diverse range of activities, including live performances, DJ sets, and mix contributions both in Japan and abroad, he performed at rural 2024 last year.
Based in Fukuoka, he works as a staff member at Kieth Flack, one of Kyushu’s key venues, while also organizing hertz, an experimental gathering centered around noise music.
His DJing explores new forms by collaging and reshaping rhythms and sounds in an improvisational manner.
In his productions, he consciously reconstructs noise that exists outside of awareness, transforming it into his own brand of industrial electronic music.
With a diverse range of activities, including live performances, DJ sets, and mix contributions both in Japan and abroad, he performed at rural 2024 last year.
Artist Interview
What are your musical roots?
Portishead's "Glory Box" was the first CD I ever bought on impulse in my life. After that, I went on a binge listening to all kinds of rock I could get my hands on at BOOKOFF.
I also think the erotic grotesque nonsense sensibility, centered on artists like Shigeru Mizuki, Yoshiharu Tsuge, and Suehiro Maruo, runs deep at the foundation of my own thinking and musical sensibility.
I also think the erotic grotesque nonsense sensibility, centered on artists like Shigeru Mizuki, Yoshiharu Tsuge, and Suehiro Maruo, runs deep at the foundation of my own thinking and musical sensibility.
Which artists or labels are you most excited about right now?
- 1.ETATI like the feel of working with Max/MSP, and it's experimental.
- 2.WV Sorcerer ProductionsA modern interpretation of folk music and its sense of collectivity, pulled together into something avant garde.
- 3.Never Anything RecordsElectronic music, Monooto, carrying a roomy sense of space and a free jazz like texture.
Fukuoka's Local Scene
What is happening in your local music scene right now?
I think there's a strong, citywide network here that crosses clubs genrelessly, without being tied down to any one scene. It's a gathering of tough veterans who've fought their way through the local drinking culture, but when it comes to sparking new movements, I feel it's harder here than in other regions. Lately, though, a younger generation with sharp sensibilities and momentum is starting to grow.
What local spots would you recommend?
Listening Bar
TOWA— 薬院 / Yakuin
(Not a listening bar, but) a curry shop run by local industrial artist UTO. The bands and events he puts together are sharp and potent, almost like a controlled substance, and I'd call him one of Kyushu's singularities. The curry is also excellent.
Record Shop
SEXTANS— 天神 / Tenjin
They deal in music that's earthy and humid, and the releases and events on the label of the same name are excellent too.
Café
ハローコーヒー— 清水 / Shimizu
A family restaurant open until late at night. Smoking allowed, with free coffee refills. You can stay there forever.
Label / Series
Bog Down Tapes
A DIY cassette label run by Dam Pipe. It carries a scummy, subculture sensibility, and its rough, unpolished charm really strikes a chord with me.
Which local DJs/artists would you recommend?
I was hugely influenced, in terms of scum culture, by the senior figures from the now defunct noise venue "cafe&bar gigi." On top of that, there's everything I learned about the aesthetics of nightlife while working for about five years at the club "Kieth Flack."
Showcases
Artists from Fukuoka
Anyone who has witnessed Yukari Okamura perform can immediately sense the passion and energy that radiates through her s
Based in Fukuoka. DJ/Artist Active as a DJ in clubs and lounges, she selects tracks spanning Hip Hop, Jazz, Ambient, and
A musician and painter based in Kitakyushu. Gaining international recognition in the fields of sampling and sound collag
Anyone who has witnessed Yukari Okamura perform can immediately sense the passion and energy that radiates through her s
Based in Fukuoka. DJ/Artist Active as a DJ in clubs and lounges, she selects tracks spanning Hip Hop, Jazz, Ambient, and
A musician and painter based in Kitakyushu. Gaining international recognition in the fields of sampling and sound collag