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February 25, 2015
INTERVIEW | Kyowa Kirin's "10 SOUNDS OF LIFE SCIENCE" Special Talk: Shun Kawakami x Open Reel Ensemble
A project by the research-driven life science company Kyowa Kirin.
『10 SOUNDS OF LIFE SCIENCE』: Musicians Visualize Ten Themes.
A Special Conversation: Shun Kawakami × Open Reel Ensemble
Life science company Kyowa Kirin is currently presenting a web content series, 『10 SOUNDS OF LIFE SCIENCE』, which conveys the company's initiatives through collaborations with musicians. This time, we present a conversation between Shun Kawakami, who initiated this project, and Open Reel Ensemble, who created a piece themed around 'Place.' We revisit the project's origins.
Photographs by SAITO RyosukeText by TOMIYAMA Eizaburo
The Workflows of Researchers and Musicians Are Similar
—Could you tell us what inspired you to express Kyowa Kirin's work through ten musical pieces?
Shun Kawakami (hereafter, Kawakami)Initially, I considered visual expressions like video or graphics. However, as I learned more about Kyowa Kirin, I felt there were similarities between researchers and musicians.
While researchers have a clear disease they want to cure, the process and the path to the goal are not always apparent. Musicians are similar; they have a music they want to create, but they don't always know exactly which sounds to capture. The way they meticulously try things out, drop by drop towards a goal, felt akin to trying out sounds one by one. In fact, the musicians who visited the labs were excited, saying, 'It's just like us!' The idea of connecting it with music seemed to fit better than I imagined.
Shun Kawakami, Representative of artless Inc.
—How did you decide on the number '10' and select the musicians?
KawakamiIt could have been twelve songs, one each month, but 'Ten Sounds' has a better ring to it (laughs). 'Twelve Sounds' is a bit awkward to say, so that was a copywriting choice – it's also easier to search online. From there, Kyowa Kirin selected ten corporate concepts, philosophies, and activities. As for the musicians, I have many around me from way back, so I chose from my archive. Deciding who would work on which concept was entirely my own decision. For 『Place』, there was really no one else but Open Reel Ensemble. Since they emphasize 'sound collection' in their creative process, I was very curious how they would interpret Otemachi, where Kyowa Kirin is located, and the area around Tokyo Station.
Masashi Yoshida of Open Reel Ensemble
Takumi Namba of Open Reel Ensemble
—Have the members of Open Reel Ensemble ever created music for corporate PR before?
Takumi Namba (hereafter, Namba)Existing songs of ours have been used in commercials, but this was our first time creating something from scratch.
Listening to 'Otemachi Recording Ensemble' While Viewing Google Maps
Masashi YoshidaFrom the first meeting, we decided to record the sounds of the city, but we discussed various ways to output it. In the end, we created something that effectively showcased the characteristics of our open-reel equipment with minimal musical alteration.
NambaOtemachi is a place where about 100,000 people gather daily, yet very few actually live there. We thought we could approach the theme of 'Place' by recreating that flow. So, we decided that the five members would each start from a different location and head towards the same goal: Kyowa Kirin's headquarters.
Yu Yoshida of Open Reel Ensemble (center in photo)
Yu YoshidaWith open-reel, once you record something, you feel like you can manipulate the flow of time captured within it. Since we all started from different points, our arrival times at the destination varied. However, by using open-reel as a medium to bring it all together, we could freely adjust the endpoint. To express this clearly, we opted for a method that wasn't overly musical, but rather conveyed the sense of the tape being moved dynamically.
KawakamiI never expected that. I listened to the finished sound in this conference room (Kyowa Kirin headquarters) while looking at Google Maps, and it was fascinating. I had never listened to music that way before. It felt like a true artist's approach to expression.
Yu YoshidaListening while looking at a map is a wonderful way to enjoy it. We also planned using maps initially, and then experienced the flow of Otemachi by walking through the city before creating the piece.
KawakamiAs a side note, I thought this project could become something substantial on its own. Perhaps by making it interactive and mapping it, allowing people to walk while listening to the sounds. Or having it operate remotely in various ways. And it would be interesting if it were on a global scale. Speaking of which, someone asked you for directions during recording, didn't they?
Kimitoshi SatoThat incident was quite memorable. I thought it would be interesting to incorporate elements of everyday occurrences into the recording of time. The unpredictability is also similar to open-reel, isn't it? It's just a recorder, but as we intervene, various uncertainties arise and the sound changes.
Kimitoshi Sato of Open Reel Ensemble
KawakamiIn that sense, this project also incorporates elements of unexpected events. I didn't want it to be just a collection of commercial music. I wanted it to be a work of art.
Yu YoshidaFrom the moment we received the theme 'Scientist = Musician,' we felt we were representing researchers rather than just promoting the company. We explored how we could connect from a musical perspective.
KawakamiWhen selecting musicians, I asked people who were more like sound makers than melody makers. Those who seemed to research music like scientists.
I think listening with an awareness of that affinity might open up new ways of enjoying it.
＜About 10 SOUNDS OF LIFE SCIENCE＞
『10 SOUNDS OF LIFE SCIENCE』 is a project by Kyowa Kirin, a research-driven life science company that continuously observes and engages with life. It weaves ten musical pieces with ten artists from ten perspectives. The project delivers their organic activities through beautiful sounds. With the passion and aspiration to 'become the world's kindest company to life,' Kyowa Kirin utilizes cutting-edge biotechnology centered on antibody technology to create groundbreaking new drugs and contributes to the health and prosperity of people worldwide through its global expansion. This project is produced by artless Inc., led by art director and artist Shun Kawakami.
10 SOUNDS OF LIFE SCIENCE
http://www.kyowa-kirin.co.jp/10_sounds/
Open Reel Ensemble
Formed in 2009 around Nagashi Wada, with Kimitoshi Sato, Takumi Namba, Yu Yoshida, and Masashi Yoshida. This project uses vintage open-reel magnetic tape recorders, integrated with modern computers, as 'instruments' to perform. By manipulating the reel rotation and operations by hand or computer, they create music through ensemble performances using sounds recorded on tape in real-time. They have received acclaim for their live performances, appearing at events such as Sonar TOKYO, Sense of Wonder, KAIKOO, and BOYCOTT RHYTHM MACHINE. Internationally, they have performed at SONAR 2011 Barcelona and ARS ELECTRONICA (in Linz, Austria).
http://www.steamblue.net/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/OpenReelEnsembleBraunTubeJazzBand
Shun Kawakami
Representative of artless Inc. Born in 1977 in Fukagawa, Koto Ward, Tokyo. Based on art and design, he engages in activities unbound by genre or category, including branding, design consulting, corporate and brand logos, video, and architecture. His global activities are remarkable, with numerous participations in festivals, exhibitions, and conferences both domestically and internationally, such as the Centre Pompidou (Paris), Musée des Arts Décoratifs (within the Louvre Palace), Milan Salone, TENT LONDON, and BODW (Hong Kong).
http://www.shunkawakami.jp
http://www.artless.co.jp
