{"id":21250,"date":"2020-06-07T13:39:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-07T17:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/panm360.com\/?post_type=interviews&p=21250"},"modified":"2020-08-05T13:08:01","modified_gmt":"2020-08-05T17:08:01","slug":"harikuyamaku-okinawa-dub-version","status":"publish","type":"interviews","link":"https:\/\/panm360.com\/en\/interviews-panm360\/harikuyamaku-okinawa-dub-version\/","title":{"rendered":"Harikuyamaku: Okinawa dub version"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Above: Yukino Inamine and Harikuyamaku<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PAN M 360:<\/strong> Your main intention as a musician is combining Okinawa minyo (folk songs) with dub reggae. This is a nice mix \u2013 the two music styles fit well together, even though their energies work at different levels. By the way, I think Okinawan minyo might be the happiest music in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harikuyamaku:<\/strong> Okinawa minyo is very unique music, different from other Japanese styles. It\u2019s part of everyday life in Okinawa. In fact, until the reversion of Okinawa to Japan in 1972, it had been the popular music of the Okinawan people. I\u2019ve heard that so many new minyo songs were being recorded and released on seven-inches every day, like in the \u201970s Jamaican reggae scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okinawa minyo is on the offbeat. That\u2019s also like reggae music. But it doesn\u2019t have bass. When I rediscovered my country\u2019s music after traveling abroad, I was also becoming affected by \u201970s dub music from Jamaica. I was a bass player, I like low-end sound. Then I thought to match Okinawa minyo with dub. I added bass, drums and other things, collected analogue mixers, a Roland RE-201 Space Echo and \u201970s effectors like digital delays and phasers. Then, I dubbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The melodies of Okinawa minyo are very beautiful. As for the lyrics, there are many varieties. Classical songs to be played in the royal court have beautiful words, but many minyo have sad, suffering lyrics. There are many songs about the war in Okinawa. In addition, there are songs about changes in society and life. And also, there are many with dirty lyrics. I like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PAN M 360: <\/strong>On your first album, Shima Dub<\/em> (2013), you mostly used samples from old records. More recently, you\u2019ve started working with musicians in the studio. In fact, you have a new single with the sanshin player Yukino Inamine. Tell me more about her, and about \u201cOhshima Yangoo Bushi\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harikuyamaku:<\/strong> Yukino Inamine<\/u><\/a> is a new-generation singer of Okinawa minyo. I think minyo singers are mostly so typical that they just sing in a faithful manner. Yukino is free and alternative. She plays live sometimes with bass, drums, and other things, and also makes new minyo songs, with words for our time. I had hoped to record with real singer for a long time. I just discovered her this year, and we\u2019ve played live together three times. \u201cOhshima Yangoo Bushi\u201d is our first recording. It\u2019s a very old Okinawan song about Amami Island, and love. We consulted an old SP record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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