INTERVIEW
@ THE HIDDEN NIGHT. >KODOMO & DANGER

Kodomo is the moniker for Chris Child – a New York based electronic music artist and full-time composer. His music has been featured in films, as well as the Harmonix video games, “Amplitude”, “Frequency”, and the iPod game “Phase”. “Kodomo” is the Japanese word for “child” – both a reference to his surname and the fact that he grew up in Japan.

Recently he began collaborating with video artist Holly Danger. Holly is a full-time designer/videographer who has a love for translating textures, layers, color & collage into visual music through the eye of design. Her ongoing projects range from graphic and motion design, concert videos, movie trailers, documentaries, festival installations, and live video projections for synchronized audio/visual performances.

Chris is in charge of music production, whilst Holly creates the visuals for the show. In October 2009 they came to the small and atmospheric backroom of Miscelånea to showcase Chris‘ new album, ‘Still Life‘.

Clare Considine met with them before the show to talk about their production methods, their influences and what drew them to Barcelona.

What can we expect from the show tonight?

Chris: It’s a hybrid audio visual collaboration. Essentially what I’m doing live is taking what I’ve created in the studio – I’ve segmented it so that I can play it live in Ableton. It’s between a DJ mix and a live composition. I have a general sense of how I want the dynamics to progress, but I will also react to the crowd.

Holly: From my point of view it’s a visual collage of animation, live footage and design. All of which I’ve manipulated to match the soundscape of Chris’ music, and the energy of the crowd. Everything is choreographed and then mixed live in real time during the show.

Where does your inspiration come from for the music?

Chris: For this record, the whole concept came from using photographs as a springboard. Initially I started with 20 photographs that I chose from a collection that I had taken myself. I explored how a single photograph can make you feel. From there I let the whole piece evolve. The idea was to start with just a photograph and see how that triggers melodic ideas, atmospheres, and rhythmic material.

All of the songs on the album are called ‘Concept 1′, ‘Concept 2′ etc. Is there a reason why you didn’t name them?

Chris: The idea was to not name any of the tracks so they were all represented by a photo. If you name a track then people have preconceptions. The tracks are simply represented by what the photos are.

What are your influences?

Holly: Graphic design, music and traveling are my main inspirations which greatly influence the way I see things. I love to create visual connections between color, texture, and motion, that are directly influenced by each beat of every song, and the emotional connection to the experience. The community of visualists is much smaller in the US compared to it’s popularity in many European countries. This is why I jumped at the opportunity to do a show in Barcelona, meet more artists, and open myself to new experiences.

Chris: I come from a classical music background. I am also very visually motivated. I work as a film and T.V. composer, and that plays a big part in my musical motivation. Musically speaking, it would be everything from classical composers through to electronic stuff. Composers like Bach, Steve Reich, Arvo Part, and for electronic music – the classics like Kraftwerk. I don’t think that much electronic music would exist without Kraftwerk!

What is the experimental music scene like in New York?

Chris: The States in general is more like hip hop and rock territory. But there always crazy rave kids wherever you go! You’ll find little places in Brooklyn where there are small performance/music spaces – these are the perfect sorts of spaces for our show. In general, there’s always somebody trying to do something there. People in New York are open minded to stuff.

Holly: The scene is really small at the moment, but its been growing over the last few years. As far as visualists go, there’s a group called Forward Motion Theater in NY, which created a VJ series called ‘Eyewash’ a few years ago. They have really created a wonderful community of visual artists that can come together, share work and collaborate.

Why were you drawn to Barcelona to perform?

Chris: I won’t lie – food played a big part in the decision! If I hadn’t gone into music I would have gone into food. Also, I heard that there was a good electronic music scene in Barcelona.

Holly: For me, it’s the colours and the textures and the vibrancy of the city. It has a completely different energy from New York. Barcelona is just so colourful. There’s so much inspiration to draw from here.

What are you going to do with the time that you have left in Barcelona?

Holly: Everything that I haven’t done yet: I’m gonna get lost somewhere in the city and see where it takes me. I’ve been introduced to chocolate y churros on this trip – so I have to have more of them!

To find out more about Kodomo and to listen to the tracks, check out kodomomusic.com.
To experience some of Holly’s visuals, check out her blog

Interview by:

Clare Considine for the hidden people.