DJ DIE SOON & MA DISCUSS DBL | DIEMAJIN - 大魔神

We’re excited to announce the debut of DIEMAJIN - 大魔神—a new collaboration between Berlin-based DJ DIE SOON and Tokyo’s MA—dropping October 31. Equal parts scrambled hip-hop, simmering noise, and spectral Tokusatsu soundtrack, DIEMAJIN’s sound is influenced by Japanese sci-fi and supernatural-horror films from the 1960s, with a particular nod to 1966's Daimajin.

DIEMAJIN channels a scream from the past, distorted through time, leaking into the present—a cursed broadcast of broken beats and eerie, possessed raps. We spoke to them about one of our favourite projects released this year.

1. Your debut album DIEMAJIN blends elements of hip-hop, noise, and cinematic soundscapes inspired by Japanese films from the 1960s. Can you discuss the creative process behind this fusion and how your backgrounds influenced the sound of the album?

This project started with a suggestion from DJ DIE SOON. I remember that at first he told me that he wanted to do music that had the feel of old Japanese horror movies. In addition to that, I included elements of other kinds of old Japanese films (vibes like actor Ken Takakura's Yakuza films), Tokusatsu (superheroes,monsters), NINJA, Manga, and 80's VHS anime (OVA).

The influence of such things is natural and unconscious. I think they have appeared in each other's works so far...I think it has oozed out. In DIEMAJIN, I consciously brought out those influences and dared to express even more stereotypical Japanese culture. It's like a "Moshi-Moshi". And the unique taste that comes from the ingenuity of manufacturing back then, the sense of handmade things, and the distortions that occur because of that. I was very influenced not only by the rough feel of the work, but also by the handmade method of production.

2. The theme of the album draws heavily from Tokusatsu films, particularly Daimajin. How did these movies shape the storytelling in your music, and are there specific scenes or moments from these films that inspired particular tracks on the album?

The name "DIEMAJIN" was DIE SOON's idea, combining my name and his. But, I am also influenced by the movie "Daimajin", with its changes from flashy stillness to movement. "MADARA","HIJOUSEN".

3.MA, you mention using everyday sounds from your life in the production of your music, such as hitting a table or the wind blowing. How do you incorporate these organic sounds into your tracks, and what do they add to the overall feel of DIEMAJIN?

“UYAMUYA” incorporates such sounds in the production of DIEMAJIN. As we were making the album, I wanted to include a song with an organic yet cold-blooded atmosphere as the entrance. So I recorded the sounds with a voice recorder, the sound of a broken air conditioner, and the sounds of rubber bands and ashtrays being hit. I made the beat by using them and DIE SOON arranged it based on it. I think this kind of method is very TOKUSATSU-like.

4.The track UYAMUYA showcases your unique vocal techniques, blending ancient Japanese vocal methods with modern rap. How do you approach your vocal style, and what role does improvisation play in your performances and recordings?

Regarding that, I can only say that it is an "intuition" or "sensory" action. In collaboration, I basically improvise and try out various ideas for the songs that are sent to me, and then gradually make a song. When I get excited, things that I don't even understand come out in the form of voices and moves. Supernatural. Wildness. When it comes to performance, I improvise, so I feel the vibrations of the sound and sing fragments of the lyrics of the project. It's almost like if you took a movie film apart one frame at a time and strung them together in a mess, you'd get a new story.

5.With DIEMAJIN, you aim to create an atmosphere of slow-building disquiet rather than traditional horror elements. Can you elaborate on how you achieve this eerie quality in your music and the emotional impact you hope it has on listeners?

The vocals use expressions similar to the exaggerated dialogue in movies from those days and sometimes like a ghost story teller. DIE SOON has done some special processing on my voice to give it an eerie quality. I hope listeners feel the way they like. Don't think! Feel!