Shing02×Cradle Orchestra "Zone of Zen"
Interview & Text by: Hiroyuki Ichinoki
A spiritual state of Zen = [Zone of Zen] woven by a tranquil but uplifting flow, masterfully crafted lyrics and beautiful sounds! First collaboration between two great artists broadening their range of activities beyond national borders, conscientiously pursuing artistic endeavors!
Every song, every perspective
After releasing the collaboration album "1200 WAYS" with DJ $HIN, MC Shing02 has proved his unchanged popularity through making guest appearance on many works including that of DJ Deckstream, GAGLE (Japanese hip hop group), and DJ BAKU. Meanwhile, Cradle Orchestra, Japanese music unit led by beatmaker/producer Tomoki Seto, has delivered their signature jazzy sound on the collaboration album "Wherever To" with Dutch R&B singer Giovanca released in 2014. The two great artists have completed a collaboration album "Zone of Zen." Although their earlier released song "Chasing Tadpoles" included in the above-mentioned "Wherever To" is regarded as their first collaboration, they said they started working together on this album even before that. In fact, "Windy Chimes" included this time is the first track they recorded together. The good impression of the song led them to more recordings, finally resulting in this album "Zone of Zen."
"We used a variety of ways to create music while frequently sharing the image of songs. One time I first made a track or music for Shing02 to write lyrics for it, and other times an idea coming out of a daily conversation triggered an inspiration, like 'let's make this kind of song.' Also there is a song for which I created the track based on Shing02's ideas." (Seto)
Shing02×Cradle Orchestra Zone of Zen Palette Sounds／Village Again（2015）
'Every song has its own perspective and world view,' says Shing02 about the album. Although it's a stretch to make the title represent the whole concept of the album, the feelings reflected on the album that seek peace and a kind of full enlightenment as well as Cradle Orchestra's signature lyrical tracks appear to be completely opposite of the bearing of Shing02, who, in particular, makes no bones about sharpening his critical awareness and sound through delving into his thoughts and words on various events in his own lyrics in Japanese. (Listening to "Nihonkoku Kenpo," the 22-plus-minute big piece in a total of 6 chapters he released online this spring, would make you feel it all the more). But for Shing02, exactly because the two approaches are completely opposite to each other, they are also two sides of the same coin. This relates to the fact that all the lyrics on the album are written in English. When I try to ask him the difference between writing in Japanese and writing in English, he says:
"Irrespective of being based on personal experience or imagination, writing lyrics or singing is like playing a role. Each language contains its own way of thinking and seeing things as well as range of expression. The abstract beauty created by Ayumi Kato's piano on the waltz-ish title track is antithetical to my usual approach of posing questions in Japanese. But in the sense of weaving necessary words into a song, they are directly linked with each other." (Shing02)
Renewing commitment to artistic endeavors
Looking closely into English lyrics together with their translations on the booklet of the album helps you understand what Shing02 says. The title track with warm piano lines and the backing track highlighting backing vocals on the main chorus delves into a wide range of issues from cosmos and earth to very small atomic nucleus. "Windy Chimes" with dynamic band sound pierces your heart with the phrase 'Art is a lie, or it lies in the art?' posed in light of the reality. "Mad Stressor" with a conspicuously hip-hop-ish track composed of tight drums and looped horn phrases depicts a person who is trying to play the role of the 'savior' who sees 'the truth (that) seems to hide from the public eye.' "Searching For (Remix)" backed by heart-quickening machine-programmed beats portrays a person who holds on not to lose oneself in the forest of the internet by having a relaxed mind. With ear-catching, masterfully-crafted figurative expressions everywhere, the collaboration with Shing02, as he says, 'my personal experience in life is also incorporated into the rhymes,' proved to be a great experience for none other than Seto.
"No song has been completed in such a way that ‘I give a backing track for him to write lyrics before recording, and that is it’. I struggled to work out how I could finish products that differentiate themselves from other pedestrian songs, but it became a wonderful experience for me. Watching how Shing02 worked with music by his side reminded me of the importance of conscientiously focusing on each and every action while posing such questions as 'What is an artist?' 'What is music?' 'What is composing?' 'What is writing lyrics?' 'What is singing?' It served as a trigger for me to renew my commitment to my artistic endeavors." (Seto)
The collaboration mainly led by, as Shing02 further expressed it, 'physically busy' Seto and 'mentally busy' Shing02 will be followed by a live tour. Since the performance of the musicians plays an essential role on this well-produced album, it goes without saying that their live performance will be awesome.
"Each and every sound used in the arrangement and beats reflects the intention of the two of us, which enriches the album." (Seto)
"I'd like to thank all the musicians and vocalists taking part in the album for their contribution to the well-balanced live instrumentation. For me personally, the album coming out in the year I turned 40 has been a milestone. This is a commonplace remark, but I hope the album will be for people of different countries to listen to even after a long time." (Shing02)
