Photos: hi__d
It’s been over ten years since her last visit to Australia, Kae Takahashi is set to return with a tour that showcases the full scope of her creative world. Performing under her own name and through her experimental project Anti Itch Cream, Takahashi approaches each with a distinct perspective and sound. Ahead of her long-awaited Australian return, we spoke about her music, the differences between her two artistic identities, and what audiences can expect when she takes the stage once again.
For those who may not be familiar with your work, how would you describe your artistic identity and the range of styles you explore, from grindcore and noisecore to ambient and traditional Japanese music?
Through many years of international touring, I have performed in various places across the United States, Europe, Asia, and beyond.
For me, everything is driven by an initial impulse. I feel that, within the limited time we have to express ourselves while alive, it would be a waste to be too confined by genre.
As long as my core remains true, I believe it is possible to break and transcend genres through pure instinct and impulse. I always want to express myself honestly, without decoration or pretense. Maybe “human rawness” is the closest way to describe what I do. I think this is something people can truly understand by experiencing my live performances in person.
長年の海外ツアーを通して、アメリカ、ヨーロッパ、アジアなど様々な場所で演奏してきました。自分の場合、表現の根底には常に“初期衝動”があります。生きている限られた時間の中で表現するのなら、ジャンルに囚われすぎるのはもったいないと感じており、自分の芯さえブレていなければ、衝動のままにジャンルを壊していくことも表現の一つだと思っています。常に飾らず、ありのままでいたいという気持ちが強く、自分の表現を言葉にするなら“人間臭さ”というのが一番近いのかもしれない。その感覚は、実際にライブを体感してもらうことで、より伝わると思います。
What inspired you to blend such diverse genres in your music? Are there specific artists, traditions, or experiences that shaped your approach?
Originally, there were simply too many things I wanted to express, and sometimes people saw my music as lacking a clear direction because of that. I spent a long time thinking about it, but eventually I realized that as long as my core remains true, breaking genres through pure impulse can itself become a form of expression.
Sometimes I feel bored by expressions that fit too neatly into the same textbook-like patterns. Even in music, we are unconsciously bound by many fixed ideas and rules. Trying to step outside of those boundaries is never easy. But I think that difficulty is exactly what makes it interesting.
もともと、自分の中には表現したいことが多すぎて、そのせいで音楽的に方向性が定まっていないように見られることもありました。自分でも長い間そのことについて考えていましたが、最終的には、自分の核さえブレていなければ、衝動のままにジャンルを壊していくこと自体が表現になり得るのだと気づきました。時々、教科書のように型にはまった表現に退屈さを感じることがあります。音楽においても、私たちは知らないうちに多くの固定観念やルールに縛られています。その枠からはみ出そうとすることは決して簡単ではありません。でも、その難しさこそが面白さなのだと思っています。
You’re performing as both Kae Takahashi and Anti Itch Cream on this tour. Could you share how the two experiences differ for you and what fans can expect from each?
Under the name “Kae Takahashi,” I value improvisation and pursue scales and melodies that do not fit within conventional frameworks. I’m also interested in sounds that feel “uncomfortable” in a positive way not unpleasant, but strangely unsettling. I believe that kind of feeling has a unique power that draws people in.
With “Anti Itch Cream,” although the music is based around digital production, I approach it with a more analog-like sensibility. I’d also love for people to pay attention to the unusual song structures. Even though it is a solo project, I strongly think of it as being a “band.”
What both projects have in common is my attraction to things that feel “unfinished.” I’m deeply drawn to sounds and songs that are not overly polished things that still contain instability and space.
I think people may enjoy the music even more if they can feel that aspect within it. I hope people will look forward to experiencing a performance that feels like a collective scream being expressed through sound.
「Kae Takahashi」名義では、即興性を大切にしながら、枠に収まらない音階やメロディーを追求しています。また、不快という意味ではなく“良い意味での気持ち悪さ”を持った音にも強く惹かれています。そうした感覚には、人を引き込む独特の魔力があると思っています。
「Anti Itch Cream」は、デジタルを軸にしながらも、感覚的にはアナログに近いアプローチで制作しています。独特な曲構成にもぜひ注目してもらえたら嬉しいです。また、ソロプロジェクトではありますが“バンドであること”を強く意識しています。どちらのプロジェクトにも共通しているのは“未完成な状態”への強い魅力です。磨かれすぎていない音や、不安定さや余白を残した楽曲に強く惹かれています。そういった部分を感じ取ってもらえると、より深く楽しんでもらえるのではないかと思います。皆の叫びを代弁するようなライブになると思うので、ぜひ楽しみにしていてください。
Your live performances are known for their intensity and improvisational elements. How do you prepare for a live set, and how much of it is spontaneous?
Originally, I was never very confident in my physical strength and have always had a relatively weak body, so I try to train and take care of myself every day. As I get older, I actually feel like I’m becoming more and more energetic (laughs).
Under the name “Kae Takahashi,” everything is based on improvisation. I use a three-string bass and intentionally avoid fixed tuning, changing scales depending on my mood and feeling that day, so the music has very little reproducibility. There are sounds and melodies that exist only in that exact moment.
“Anti Itch Cream” has no lyrics — it is more like a scream in the language of the soul, what I jokingly call “Kae language.” The overall structure is roughly decided, but during live performances it changes slightly depending on the atmosphere and mood of the moment.
もともと体力にはあまり自信がなく、体も弱い方だったので、日頃から体を鍛えることを意識しています。年齢を重ねるごとに、むしろどんどん元気になっている気がします。笑)「Kae Takahashi」名義では、すべてが即興を基盤とした音楽表現になっています。三弦のベースを使用し、あえてチューニングを固定せず、その日の感覚や気分によって音階を変えているため、再現性はとても低いです。その瞬間にしか存在しない音やメロディーがあります。「Anti Itch Cream」は歌詞を持たず、まさに魂の言語――いわば“カエ語”による叫びのような表現です。大まかな構成は決まっていますが、ライブではその場の空気感や気分によって少しずつ変化していきます。
How do you engage with your audience during live shows? Do you feel the energy of the crowd influences your performance in real time?
During live performances, I’m not very good at talking on stage or doing MCs, so I think I’m the type of performer who communicates relatively little through words.
Recently, though, I’ve come to feel that a live performance is something created not only by the performer, but together with the audience. When I feel that a show was truly good, it’s often less about how well I played, and more about how the audience helped create a strong atmosphere in the space.
Of course, it’s also important for me to guide and shape that energy myself, but I believe the audience’s energy has a real-time influence on the performance. And the opposite is true as well. However, I tend to be strong in difficult or tense situations, so even tension or chaotic energy can become a source of power for me. In that sense, I welcome any kind of situation.
ライブ中は、MCのような会話があまり得意ではないので、コミュニケーションは比較的少ないタイプだと思います。ただ最近は、ライブというものは演者だけでなく、観客と一緒につくられるものだと強く感じています。良いライブだったと感じる時、自分の演奏が良かったというより、観客がその場を良い空間にしてくれていると感じることが多いです。もちろん、自分自身がその空気を導いていくことも大切ですが、観客のエネルギーはリアルタイムで演奏に大きな影響を与えていると思います。そして、それは逆の場合も同じです。ただ、自分は逆境には比較的強いタイプなので、緊張感や荒れた空気もまた、自分にとっては力に変わる部分があります。そういった意味では、どんな状況も歓迎しています。
Noise and experimental music can be challenging to perform live. What are some of the biggest hurdles you face, and how do you overcome them?
Even now, this still happens to me often because I feel my experience is lacking and my musical vocabulary is too limited, there are moments when I can’t think of the next sound, idea, or development, and in those moments, I become quite anxious.
But at the same time, that difficulty itself is what makes it so irresistibly interesting, and also the reason why I keep getting drawn deeper into it. I don’t think these kinds of challenges will ever disappear. Whether I am truly overcoming them or not… I still honestly don’t know yet (laughs).
今でもよくあることですが、自分の経験が足りず音の引き出しが少なすぎて、次の音やアイデアや展開が思い浮かばなくなる瞬間があり、そういう時は、かなり焦ります。 でも同時に、その難しさこそがたまらなく面白くて、さらに深くのめり込んでしまう理由でもあります。 きっと、こうした課題がなくなることはないと思います。自分が本当にそれを乗り越えられているのかどうかは……まだよく分かりません（笑）
What’s your typical live setup like? Are there specific instruments, pedals, or tools you rely on to create your signature sound?
Basically, I’m not really the type of person who relies heavily on equipment. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that I still find gear difficult and honestly don’t fully understand it sometimes (laughs).
If I had to name one piece of equipment I absolutely cannot live without, it would be the Ibanez Mikro Shortscale Bass, which I discovered after developing back problems. It’s small, affordable, and yet it perfectly fulfills the role of a bass. I truly think it’s an amazing instrument.
At first, people would often say things like, “A bass should be big both in appearance and sound,” so the reaction to it wasn’t very positive. I also considered many times going back to a large Jazz Bass. But now, I honestly can’t imagine using anything else. It has completely become part of both my body and my expression.
基本的に、自分はあまり機材に頼るタイプではありません。というより、機材に関しては難しくて、正直よく分かっていない部分もあります。笑 そんな中で、唯一欠かせない存在を挙げるとしたら、腰を痛めたことをきっかけにたどり着いた「Ibanez Mikro Shortscale Bass」小さくて価格も手頃なのに、しっかりとベースとしての役割を果たしてくれる、本当にいい楽器。最初は、あまり評判が良くなくて自分自身も、何度も大きなJazz Bassに戻そうか悩みました。がしかし、今では、もうこのベース以外は考えられないくらい、自分の身体と表現に馴染んでいます。
Can you share a particularly memorable live performance, either as a highlight or a learning experience?
Out of many memories, one of the most unforgettable happened during the SETE STAR SEPT days, when we were scheduled to play at a restaurant bar in Europe. On the day of the show, due to a mistake by the organizer, absolutely nothing had been properly arranged. There were no amps, no drums, no speakers — nothing at all prepared at the venue. And yet we were told, “Alright, tonight’s show is here!” We were basically like, “What!?”
On top of that, some people had traveled for nearly half a day to come see us, so at that point we had no choice but to do it.Kiyasu, the drummer, only had a snare and sticks, and I didn’t even have a microphone, so I grabbed an empty beer bottle as a substitute mic and just screamed as hard as I could.
Somehow, we managed to make the performance happen.After that experience, I seriously thought, “We can probably play live anywhere now” (laughs).
たくさんある中でも特に忘れられないのは、SETE STAR SEPT時代にヨーロッパのレストランバーでライブをする予定だった時のこと。 当日は、オーガナイザーの手違いで話がまったく通っておらず、会場にはアンプもドラムもスピーカーも何ひとつ用意されていませんでした。それなのに、「さあ、今日はここでライブだ！」と言われて、「えっ!?」という状態。 しかも、半日ほどかけて来てくれたお客さんもいたので、もうやるしかなかった。 ドラマーのキヤスはスネアとスティックだけを持ち、自分はマイクすらなかったので、ビールの空き瓶をマイク代わりに持ちながら、とにかく叫んで、なんとかライブを成立させることができた。 あの経験をした時に、「もう自分たちはどこでもライブできるな」と本気で思いました（笑
What are you most looking forward to about performing in Australia after so many years away? Are there any unique aspects of the Australian experimental music scene that excite you?
In 2013 and 2014, I toured Australia for around 10 days each time and also performed at Obscene Extreme Australia in 2013. This upcoming trip will be my first time back in Australia in nearly 10 years.
So much time has passed that I can already feel how much the music scene and its systems have changed, which honestly surprises me a little. That’s exactly why I’m really looking forward to experiencing the real current Australian music scene and connecting with people there again.
Especially this time, I’m deeply grateful to the people who helped make this happen — Keiran from Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Pete from Sweatlung Label, Mitch Elliott (solo Lyra8), Dan from Essence Festival, and everyone from Blue Mountains Void Observance League Inc / Atavus Infectum.
I’m incredibly excited not only to meet everyone, but also to reunite with people I haven’t seen in years. Honestly, I feel so excited my chest could burst.
2013年と2014年には、それぞれ約10日間のオーストラリアツアーを行い、2013年には「Obscene Extreme Australia」にも出演。今回の渡豪は、およそ10年振りになります。これだけ年月が経ったことで、すでに音楽シーンやシステムそのものが大きく変化していることを感じていて、少し驚いています。だからこそ、今のリアルなオーストラリアの音楽シーンや、そこにいる人たちと実際に触れ合えることをとても楽しみにしています。
特に今回は、協力してくれたチームメンバー Schkeuditzer Kreuz の Keiran、Sweatlung Label の Pete、solo Lyra8 の Mitch Elliott、Essence Festival の Dan、Blue Mountains Void Observance League Inc / Atavus Infectum の皆と会えること、そして数年振りの再会にも、今から胸が張り裂けそうなくらいワクワクしています。
Can you give us a sneak peek into what fans can expect from your setlist during this tour? Will you be debuting any new material?
With “Kae Takahashi,” as I mentioned earlier, I will perform around 30 minutes of improvisation, expressing a sense of fear that exists within silence.
With “Anti Itch Cream,” I’ll also be performing two new songs from the tour split CD live for the first time. The set will consist of around 23 short songs performed in about 20 minutes.Please look forward to it. Let’s go crazy together.
「Kae Takahashi」では、約30分間の即興演奏を通して“静寂の中にある恐怖”のような感覚を表現したいと思っています。
「Anti Itch Cream」では、今回のツアースプリットCDに収録されている新曲2曲もライブで披露する予定です。ショートソングを中心に、約20分のセットで全23曲ほど演奏します。ぜひ楽しみにしていてください。一緒に暴れよう！
What’s next for you after this tour? Any new albums, collaborations, or experiments in the works?
Right now, there is one experimental project that I’m really excited about and currently working on. Please look forward to it. Nothing concrete has been decided yet, but I’m also in the process of arranging things so that I can travel to various countries in the future.
ひとつとてもワクワクしている実験的なプロジェクトが進んでいます。ぜひ楽しみにしていてください。まだ具体的なことは決まっていませんが、これからも色んな国に行こうと調整中!!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fans in Australia or those discovering your music for the first time?
I would be happy if you come to my live performance and feel something from it, whether it’s comfort or discomfort. I believe all emotions are truly free, and it’s okay for each of us to stay in our own worldlines.
I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone in Australia. I truly can’t wait. Let’s fucking go wild and scream!
私のライブに来て、良いことでも悪いことでも、少しでも何かを感じ取ってもらえたら嬉しい。それは本当に自由な感情で、それぞれの世界線で。オーストラリアで皆に会えるのをとても楽しみにしています。本当に待ちきれない。マジでぶっ飛んで暴れて叫ぼうぜ！！
TOUR INFORMATION
Kae Takahashi – Thursday 4th June – Sydney – Oxford Art Factory
Anti Itch Cream – Friday 5th June – Sydney – Lazy Thinking
Kae Takahashi – Saturday 6th June – Katoomba – Little Lost Bookshop
Kae Takahashi – Sunday 7th June – Wollongong – Society City
Kae Takahashi – Tuesday 9th June – Melbourne – Make It Up Club / Bar Open
Kae Takahashi – Wednesday 10th June – Melbourne – Mid Week Crisis / Last Chance
Anti Itch Cream – Thursday 11th June – Melbourne – The Tote (Upstairs)
Anti Itch Cream – Friday 12th June – Footscray – Spit (All Ages)
Anti Itch Cream – Friday 13th June – Eaglehawk – Trash Cult
Kae Takahashi – Wednesday 14th June – Canberra – Dissent
