Torii Wolf – Wash Away

By starrymag | October 22, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) My sound is more of a feeling than a sound I believe. I hope to build a place to feel deeper into the emotional body.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) I am very musically influenced by Sigur Ros, Thom Yorke and Nicolas Jaar to name a few.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Wash Away.”

A) The meaning behind “Wash Away” for me, personally, is the symbiotic relationship between the masculine and the feminine. The balance of energy – dark and light.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I am not sure what others might connect to, but I hope that when they listen they feel a sense of grace and forgiveness compassion and warmth.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) Kayko Tamaki director and founder of Memento Mori Productions with Kylie Hazzard as Director of Photography make an excellent team in bringing a concept to life. Israel Valencia custom made pieces for this visual – a big black flowing piece with a hood for me and a gorgeous white Kimono style piece for Kayko.  With the drone shots really giving such a beautiful perspective of the symbiotic relationship of yin and yang energy.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) I usually find a melody first. A song comes through me as a feeling and then I shape it into melody + lyric +sound.

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) It truly depends on what I am working on when it comes to my hand in the production.  Most of the time I am a part of the production all the way through.  I love the collaborative process of the entire build.

Q) With such intense themes and powerful music, how do you shake off a long day in the studio?

A) I don’t usually shake anything off it all feels transmuted. It is always there. The intensity is a part of my every breath in or out of the lab.

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

A) I have committed to releasing at least a song a week. For now, I will be releasing a stream of singles/ EPs. I do have a full-length album that I did out in Bergen, Norway that is being mixed and mastered now. I would love to release this body of work in the winter. The album is called Night Bloom in collaboration with GunderZheng.

Q) We loved your Silverlake Rooftop performance. Do you have any plans for live performances?

A) The Silverlake Rooftop performance was Kayko’s vision. I have decided to split the songs up from that performance and release a song on my VEVO channel each Friday.  In working with BETAWAVE.TV, I have been doing lots of live performances. I will be doing a live Performance with VOX on their Instagram 9/24.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) From Rockwood Music Hall in NY to Red Rocks in CO all venues that I have performed at in the US have been incredible. I do prefer smaller intimate venues of course it depends on what style of music I am performing. Performing in European cities such as Berlin, Bergen, Denmark, many others I feel have such a deep passion for live music in ways I have yet to experience in the US.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) There are many artists that I would love to collaborate with in the future. Jonsi, Thom Yorke and Justin Vernon to name a few.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

A) I have been really hooked on the new Son Lux album Tomorrows I.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) Social Media is the best and the worst! I do love to find new artists and share my makes through all platforms. I am a private person but I do love to create and share and collaborate with others. For me, social media is a great way to connect and share all that you create.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Stay open! And I appreciate your presence more than you will ever know. I will keep showing up. I am grateful for you all.