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Discover The Making Of ‘perfect days’ With mr. hong

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Need the perfect backdrop to unwind and detach from daily chaos? Tune into ‘perfect days,’ the Lo-fi/chill creation by mr. hong. Get the full scoop on the album in our exclusive interview!

1 – What inspired you to musically interpret the film ‘Perfect Days’ by Wim Wenders?

When I saw the film earlier this year, many scenes from the movie resonated with me, mostly around Hirayama doing what one truly wants in life. It must have been quite a coincidence, since my wife and I have been exploring the possibility of living our lives truly for ourselves. Some of the main ideas from the project were made years ago, but it wasn’t until after I watched the movie that I started to build them out.

2 – Was there any aspect of the film that was difficult for you to translate musically?

There’s a bittersweet tone over the entire movie – and (maybe spoilers here) it’s up to the audience’s interpretation as to whether the main character is truly fulfilled. My interpretation is that Hirayama is indeed fulfilled, but the irregularities he faces with his family, and chance experiences with strangers, remind him of the sacrifices he made to build his life. It’s hard to balance these bittersweet and nuanced feelings musically – I tried to keep the tone quite hopeful and upbeat throughout the project.

3 – How do you think music can transform the perception of a film like your album does?

I think music provides a separate interpretation – since there’s no visual component, it’s up to the listener to imagine what’s going on. Some of the tracks on here, like “komorebi,” “tic-tac-toe,” are true accompaniments to the movie. But others like “breakfast at ikea,” comes from a perfect day that I experienced earlier this year.

4 – Which stage of making this album was the most rewarding for you?

I always enjoy the early stages of making the album. Coming up with the concept, mood and feel are important decisions and it’s fun to take something from nothing to something. With this album, it was a new experience to listen to the tracks, whether finished or not, over the movie. So many scenes of Hirayama driving around Tokyo in his truck paired well with the album.

perfect days album

5 – What is your favorite track on the album and why?

I love the whole project altogether, but if I had to pick one, I would say “breakfast at ikea,” since it’s such a carefree and fun track! It also gave me the opportunity to work with Kalaido, who provided a great oboe solo and helped with the arrangement.

6 – How did you decide the order of the tracks on the album to create a cohesive musical story?

I decided on the order of the tracks through the overall vibe of each of the tracks. I usually place the more upbeat tracks in the front, and then the project starts to mellow out towards the end. The only exception is the intro and outro tracks, which help set the bittersweet tone I was hoping to achieve in the project.

7 – What Lo-fi elements did you use to keep the album feeling relaxed and smooth?

I used actual foley from the movie itself, as well as local field recordings in San Francisco. I filtered a lot of the high-ends on the instruments to give a more cozy feel too.

8 – What is your most recent tool or piece of equipment in the studio, and how has it improved your production process?

I haven’t purchased equipment for my studio in a long, long time! Mostly been using what I have – for this project, I used my Keystation 61 for most of the instrumental recordings. Drum sequencing and programming were done mostly just through Logic.

9 – Do you have any rituals or routines that you follow before starting a recording session?

I usually try and go for a bike ride before I start a session. It allows me to free my mind and also get some exercise. But to be honest, most of the rituals involve listening to music and messing around on the keyboard until something comes from it!

10 – Which other movie would you love to create a new album for, and why?

Great question! I would love to make an album for an action or sci-fi movie, something that could be really different than ‘perfect days’!


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By Erick Ycaza

Hi, my name is Erick Ycaza. I have a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. This blog is to provide you with daily music news and share my personal style. Surprisingly, I have been blogging and writing about music since 2007.

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