INTERVIEW TO POKEMONOLIVE
(aka 101011010101)
POKEMONOLIVE LINKS:
music:
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pokemonolive/
This time in our section of interviews we know more about the chillwave, ambient, experimental music and photography artist: "Pokemonolive" from Russia.
■ How you define the concept and the name of your music Project, and why you recently changed the name of it in your soundcloud?
First of all, I'd like to apologize for any mistakes I may have made in the text. English is my second language but I tried to write everything as clear and simple as possible. I hope you’ll enjoy the interview!
Well, I don’t think that I have an specific concept. My art is a complete spontaneous creation. I just let myself go and do things that are interesting to me, first of all and then will be interesting to others... maybe, I don’t care if not. My music is a collection of all things and references that are around me. I can’t follow plans and think over details. The world is so big, so I don’t know what I might like the next day. When I was thinking about one of my monikers (101011010101) I just typed some random numbers. I liked the combination and realized that it sounds good in Russian.
P.S. I already converted this numbers from binary to decimal system (101011010101=2773) :)
Why I changed recently my name in Soundcloud? Haha, this is a short story. (don’t worry. 101011010101 won’t disappear) My Soundcloud is closely related to Instagram. I thought people would recognize me faster because they see the same nickname everywhere.
■ How is your process in the creation of a song?
I haven’t released new tracks for some time. Well, it’s normal to take a break in work. But I’m mad at myself for being lazy! I always carefully prepare my workplace in front of the computer. I can even go to the toilet 2 or 3 times hahaha. I always listen to some music that I like or watch video clips to think over the approximate sound of the project (to be honest it doesn’t help me, I just surf the internet to kill some time) I like to discuss the music making process loudly. I imagine myself like I’m in real studio. Sometimes i can sit for hours or even days and finally aggressively close the computer without saving anything. There are also moments when I can create a whole album in ~5 hours. When I work, I forget about food and sleep. It seems to me that if I digress, then I’ll lose the inspiration.
■ Do you play live performances? Or you have a future interest in do it?
No, I don’t play live performances, but I think about my future, think about that scene. I love doing something on public, love attention, so it’s a great chance for me to show my artistry. Actually, I think about my voice, maybe in the future I’ll record some rap songs. I also thought about becoming a DJ. You know, emamouse has really cool live performances. She is wearing a mask, so she is very memorable. I’d like to work on my appearance, think over the image. I’d like to be memorable.
■ How you define your own music in genres? Which are you favorite genres or which genres you mix in your music?
Experimental hip hop, mostly ambient electronic genres. I think this is the best identification. If to speak about my favorite genres..hmmm I love glitch and acid music. I don’t make such tracks, just like to listen. If I’m in other kind of mood, I can listen to grindcore or noise. I enjoy listening japanese bands which represent eroguro kei, kurafu kei. I love something more eccentric and extreme not only in music but in appearance and clothes too.
I have 2 albums which was made like instrumental. One of them related to Hide’s (X-Japan band) death anniversary. The second has just rock motives. So I’m trying to mix everything I have seen and heard.
■ We see a lot of inspiration of anime, vaporwave and the aesthetic art in your Instagram, what is your opinion about all this?
Well, I want to say that I stopped using Vaporwave stuff. Okay, you can assume that it is a Vaporwave but I don’t think so. I used to make a lot of stuff when it was popular. But I think that it’s just colorful awkward pop. I agree with anime and aesthetic parts of my art. I posted, I post and I will post everything that I like. This is my short explanation:) I don't like to post a lot of photos at once. I like a small amount, but a lot of interesting material. You know, brevity is the soul of wit!
■ How you see in Russia the fashion and the artistic digital art in young people?
It’s a tricky question. The main thing that I’m gonna speak from my point of view. There are many independent designers in Russia but the problem is that they are trying to enter the high fashion scene. I can’t say that it’s bad. They just don’t want to put up being anonymous. For me, high fashion is something that should stay high from people. In Russia there are a lot of hype beasts. And they depress me. Many talented designers who felt the taste of glory started creating explicit shit, not clothes. The underground scene in Russia is really cool and big. If you want, you will find a lot of unique things.
Actually, Moscow is a progressive city. To be honest, I don’t want to say that there are mostly “grey” stupid people. If you want to enjoy life, surround yourself with people with similar interests. Then you won’t care about others. This might be sound pretty egotistical but this is the key of happiness. I don’t want to predict the future of my city and country at all. Maybe meteorite will fall tomorrow, who knows. But if you want to get letters from twelve-fingered aliens, you need a decoder, and you're going to get messages like "Yahoo♡", exactly! All artistic people will die on a par with ordinary. If you think you're special, keep quiet about it, but prove it.
■ Being such a pretty girl, why don't you use your photos in the thumbnails of soundcloud tracks?
Actually, I don’t find myself attractive. I don’t want to dwell on this, because you know, everyone has their own self-confidence. The main reason is that I think it’s a kind of narcissism. I see myself in the mirror every day, I post my face on socialmedia. My projects are “gender-neutral” musical works. I want people to like the music, not face. You know, everything is relative. If you make good music, you’re talented. If you’re pretty and make cool stuff, then for some reasons you are considered as even more talented person. Face is just a beautiful addition to the art. Will it stay the same if it's doused in acid? If we talk about the perception of the bulk of people, not super tolerant and bodypositive - then no.
■ Favorite composers, or inspirations?
The main for now is Shaka Bose 釈迦坊主. I strongly recommend you start following him. In my opinion he presents the next generation of hip hop scene. I have a lot of references in instagram pics and soundcloud’s tracks related to Shaka Bose’s music and lyrics. If you are searching for something spiritual but at the same time cool, he is the best rapper. Haha maybe in the future we will meet. I’ll do my best!!
By the way, japanese rap scene is full of talented music makers. You can find different interesting artists who make music in various styles, mixing punk vibes, bang beats and spiritual motives. I think I find my inspiration mostly in Japanese culture. I love Doddodo, emamouse, Midori, punk bands like Otoboke Beaver. In love with j-rock, I get makeup and clothes ideas. As I said I encourage eccentric. The Gerogerigegege member was fucking the hoover, Eye Yamatsuka (of the Boredoms) while performing with his band Hanatrash in 1985 drove a backhoe through the back wall of the venue and proceeded to rip up the stage. I also strongly recommend you to watch a documentary film “Hell bento: Uncovering the Japanese underground (1995)”
As hide from X Japan said: I also like the cult stuff. As for the cult thing that I still don't like, I think it just doesn't fit into the spectrum of my addictions. And on the contrary, if I like such thing, then it coincides with my tastes, and I sincerely rejoice. So whether I like or dislike something depends not on whether it’s called a cult thing or not, but on whether it suits me, based on my tastes. Actually, there are a lot of people who like cult things. I think it's very good, but at the same time I think that percentage of them are "naked kings". Because there are, for example, films that I don’t like, although all around them praise: "this is a cult film, cool." I think such people just lie.
I’m inspired by my friends, I try to mix everything my friends and followers like in my music and photos. I think this is the shortest way to find harmony in your work.
■ Do you feel that your music is strange? Peaceful? Ethereal? Or you feel it in other direction? Which feelings you try to express with your music?
It’s good as it is by the way. It’s a little bit spiritual and of course positive. Our world is tough and life is hard. I don’t want to show my problems in art. I want to say: “Hey, I just finished reading Ryu Murakami. There were a lot of violence and shit. Oh you are gonna play computer games again, lock yourself in your room so you can’t see the horror of open world? Turn off the background music in the game and turn on my album, let’s travel together in the world of music!”
■ How is the place where you live? Do you have some inspiration on your music from your city of residence? Tell us a little about your life in one of the biggest countries of the world.
My city is like others. Some things are good, there is something you don’t like. I am happy that I live in the modern city, that I have fast internet and lots of different shops so I can meet all my needs. My artworks don’t depend on place where I live. I get inspired by the internet stuff. Moscow is a versatile city, it is moderately noisy and dirty. There are a lot of rich millennials and cheap labor.
■ Which are your favorite pokemonolive tracks and why?
All my music projects are on my Russian social media web (VK). There are a lot of tracks that I find out pretty cool. If to speak about Soundcloud’s uploadings. Well, I love “Minotaurus Heart Beat”. I created this track after watching “Tekkonkinkreet” movie. This movie changed my perception of life. I was glad to know that Plaid has created all music for this movie. “Prologue I”, “Space Walk”, “Black Hole” are also tracks that I like. By the way they were randomly uploaded to Soundcloud but they have a real story. “Space Walk” is a part of album about space trip (“GLITCH JOURNEY”). This album has got 6 tracks. 1st tracks is called “Intro Planet”. You are landing on an planet, doesn’t matter what planet it is. In “Space Walk” you are walking on this planet, just walking haha. You find out that it’s “Saturn”. It’s the 3d track. So in “Epxploration” you are exploring the Saturn. You know, there are aliens and they live on other planets. The track “Culture shock” shows the meeting of human and aliens. And the last track “Shadow Slow Night Dream” is like a calm ethereal compilation of all space aesthetic. So if you haven’t listened these tracks - do it.
■ What music genre you think that is the worst, and why?
If the genre exists, someone loves it. Actually, life is a piece of shit like a Coil band.
■ Do you have plans to release your music in othe netlabels in the future (apart of Cian Orbe / Witch Spectra) or maybe open your own bandcamp account for this?
Well, I created bandcamp some time ago. If someone apart of Cian Orbe, wants to publish me on their label, I will be happy to send my projects.
■ You agree or don’t with have some of your music in the popular streaming platforms (spotify, i tunes, Apple music, etc) why?
Yeah, why not. I think it’s good to promote the art. I’m not afraid of becoming a mainstream because of the competition in the music sphere.
■ Any other not massive artists who release music in small netlabels/labels like you that you like listen it?Hmm, let me think. I know Night cam fam, and Emamouse.
■ Any anecdote in the creation of some track or an album that you want to share with us?You can follow the first Google link about me and read a huge amount of puns hahaha.
■ Tell us more about the concept and the main inspirations about your work in Witch Spectra (sub-netlabel of Cian Orbe): "Trilobite"(https://witchspectra.bandcamp.com/album/trilobeat-ep-wts53 ) ///(self-released: https://pokemonolive.bandcamp.com/album/trilobeat-in-space)
Oh, it was really good experience. I am glad that this release was noticed and appreciated. When I was creating the project I thought that trilobites are cute. And I changed the part “bites” into “beats”. Haha little play on words.
■ About your instagram profile, which softwares do you like for edit your pictures?
Nothing special. You can find everything you need in App Store or Play Market or no matter what you use. Just be creative and don’t be afraid of experimenting.
■ Do you have other instagramers who inspired your own art pictures? If you haven’t which are your own influences for your photography work?
If I follow someone, it means that I enjoy the profile! I get inspired by Shaka Bose’s not only music and clips but also his image and words. Am I an avid fan? Haha, exactly. I can be inspired by anime, manga, tv series or film.
■ What’s the next in the future of pokemonolive music project? Do you have any new releases soon? Or you will continue only uploading your work to soundcloud?
Now I’m thinking about my new tracks, even thinking about the lyrics. Also some japanese rappers want to use my tracks for their songs. So I’m waiting for these collabs. I’ll upload my future tracks on Soundcloud and Bandcamp!
■ Any additional Words to your followers on Instagram?
Please, enjoy my photos!
■ Any additional Words to your listeners?
I hope you love my music and will love it until I die. I don't mind if you make a movie about me or write a book!
Releases in Cian Orbe & Witch Spectra.
TRILOBEAT (Split with Yaka-anima)
101011010101
