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Ryoga Let us gaze at the stars.This band should use the tagline, “Soundtracks for beautiful dreams.” Ryoga, musically encompass a range of moods that range from blissful, playful and downright smile-inducing euphoria. Think a brighter M83 and you are half way there. Each song bursts with stunning nostalgic pulses of sound that possesses a heady dream-like quality.
A soundtrack that leaves this earth and rockets into electronic stratospheres. Ryoga tilt my serotonin upwards and fill me with a calming exuberance. I just want to lie down and take it all in whilst looking at the stars. This would be the perfect music for the most musically uninspired; this band will soon restore your faith in new music. I am trying to think of comparisons but Ryoga just sound so sparklingly fresh and innovative.
There is a touch of Mogwai-esque ambient sounds, but rather than the exploding guitars, you get treated to monumental waves of gigantic synth washes. Ryoga take you from the pensive to the energetic within one track. They hold you fixed and then let you loose wanting to dance like a drunken madman. The sounds are just as inebriating as downing six bottles of Absinthe; I think hallucinations would be as vivid too.
I would highly recommend this band to anyone who likes M83, Winterlight, or Air. Basically, if you have a love of cleverly constructed electronica you have a partner for life in Ryoga. Prepare to fall in love.
I had the chance to ask the band some questions and they explain what goes on in the world of Ryoga.
So tell us about the band. How would you describe your sound?
Duncan Allan: Were just four lads into making experimental music from
North-East England.
Faron Smith: Of the kind you can cohesively listen to.
Neil Lewis: You can even dance to some of it.
Matthew Blyth: A soundtrack to an unmade film.
FS: I find it hard to describe what we do in a short, punchy way..
DA: It’s easier to listen to than describe.
FS: I guess it’s because we believe in the successful juxtaposition of
genres, were always trying new ways to create something different to
the norm. Its like an automatic thing for us to rebel against the
standard processes of making music. Were not big fans of industry
standard conveyor belt song writing; where songs in our charts can be
boiled down to something similar to equations for making money. We're
much more interested in prospecting the underground for musical
elements that are largely unheard of in popular musical culture and
forcing them together in new and (to us) ever more exciting ways. I
guess we just make what we want to hear and if we get somewhere with
it as a result, then that’s a bonus. The most we can do is be 100% into
our sound and hope that when people hear that dedication and they are then drawn
to it. That’s what all of my favourite bands from history appear to
do; just engineers inside the sound, manning the controls.
MB: Were a blank canvas filled with a million transparent brush strokes.
FS: It's one thing to be neither one thing nor the other, organic and
electronic and one thing to turn out a load of junk with no
discernible identity. I think we’ve managed to make those shifts in
style and still keep a breadcrumb trail leading back to the heart
of the sound; you’re still aware of our identity even though we keep
swapping costumes on the listener.
What influences do you have?
FS: Everything that has gone before us albeit in varying degrees.
NL: 70's/80's horror soundtracks, Early Warp/Rephlex records
MB: krautrock & prog
DA: Childrens TV theme tunes.
NL: Hearing J M Jarre's Oxygene for the first time when I was 6 years old.
MB: Shapes, colours, flashing lights, childish exuberance, unnecessary
introspection, taking things too far and paying the price for it.
FS: A sense of adventure.
How many releases have you put out so far?
DA; We've put out two self released EPs as yet ('Ryoga' and 'Meme')
and were currently finishing up our third.
FS: Infusing it with our collective mojos. or should that be 'moji'?
Which band(s) would you like to support?
NL: With the aid of a time machine? Floyd.
FS: Goblin.
DA: Tangerine Dream.
MB: Kraftwerk.
FS: Current bands I'd say the mighty Mogwai.
NL: Emperor Machine.
MB: Zombi.
What's on the Horizon for Ryoga in 2009?
NL: Hopefully, a UK tour and a full LP.
FS: Getting signed to a like minded label would help make both a reality.
MB: Gigwise we are playing a nice little north-east festival called Narc-fest in July
DA: Some remixes and work from our solo projects.
Who are your current favourite bands?
NL: Air France, Kavinsky, Zombi.
MB: Explosions in the Sky are up there for me.
DA: Us!!!
FS: I’m always stumbling across noteworthy new sounds.. Most recently
been enjoying 3 trapped tigers. Errors and Vessels are both
brilliant - we were lucky enough to support both of them last year.
Also, Sigur ros live is the most ethereal experience you could imagine, a truly remarkable band.
Anything else you would like to add?
FS: Hmm, thanks for wanting to know a bit more about what goes into
our musical cooking pot!
MB: Look out for an album late 2009/early 2010 and check the myspace
for live dates and other wonderful stuffs.
DA: Tatty bye now ...careful on them stairs!
http://www.myspace.com/ryogapower
Introduction and interview by Nicky.
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