Nedry

Nedry Interview

In the past couple of years Nedry has steadily developed a reputation in the UK electronic music scene with a number of positive media coverage and airplay by XFM, BBC Radio1 and so on.
Nedry comprises of Chris Amblin, Matt Parker (mad scientists) and Ayu Okakita (energy inducer). With interwoven contrasting characters, different backgrounds and experience, they create a diverse range of sounds which is at the same time fused perfectly due to their shared interest in electronic music. It sounds distinctively lyrical vocals from Ayu produce synergetic effects on the combination of electronic and analogue sound Chris and matt create.
UK Adapta was invited to an exclusive press showcase where I could feel feverish excitement from their live set and at a later date grabbed the opportunity to have a friendly chat in East London before they left for an extensive UK and European tour.
Nedry’s new album ‘Condor’ is out in the UK and the US and set for release in Japan in September.

- First of all, could you give us a brief background of Nedry?

Chris Amblin: We first heard each other’s music on myspace when we were playing in different bands. I met Matt and we got to know each other. We then arranged a meeting with Ayu in April 2008. We met up and discussed the project we were thinking of. Matt had a particular gig lined up, festival called Truck, so we started working together towards this target with an the idea of playing at the festival. That’s how we got together, we were basically being interested in what each other was doing and seeing that the combination could work nicely.

- Could you also introduce your partners in turns? How do you describe each other?

CA: We could describe Ayu and she wouldn’t be able to defend herself! (Ayu was running late)

From my point of view, she has a kind of excitement and energy, element of the band, the person who gets us into the frame of mind to be creative.
Matt Parker: Yeah, Ayu is the artistic influence, and we are more like technicians.�

CA: We are kind of like mad scientists.

MP: She’s an incredible singer. That’s ultimately her contribution.

Ayu Okakita: Sorry I’m late. (Ayu turns up)

- Can you tell us what you think of Chris and Matt?

AO: I think Chris is the most organized person I’ve ever

met. When I first met them, I thought their sense of humour very British. I like the way Matt tells jokes and the language he uses in email, which I think quite young.

MP: I am the youngest member of Nedry!

- Is there any story behind your name?

CA: Nedry is the name of the character in the book called Jurassic Park, which is also a famous film. It doesn’t really carry extra meaning. We both are fans of the film.
MP: The character is great, kind of a technology geek.

- What have been your direct influences on the making music?

CA: The scene of music inspiring us is that trying to do something that’s live but also electronic, so it’s not just live band playing and not a DJ either. I think it’s an important influence musically for us, going to see electronic artists play and having good experience. It’s the starting point influence.

MP: Before I was 18, I used to listen to pretty much exclusively, rock bands, metal, post rock… and then I started going to clubs and got into electronic music but haven’t lost my interest in bands. I like both electronic, dance music and bands putting together. I like Pixies, Massive Attack, Radiohead, Bjork… Although they are influential, they don’t define my sound. There are also smaller bands and producers that make dubstep and drum’n’bass that I’m interested in.

AO: I’ve been influenced by big bands such as Radiohead, but especially since I came to London, I’ve experienced so many things by going clubbing and dancing and I got into electronic music, also instrumental music that had not much singing but beats and grooves. These are things that I didn’t really experience when I was in Japan where everything was more about chords and melodies rather than vibes. I’m quite extreme so I started listening to such music a lot. For me to feel beats in London clubs, to understand what they were, was a big impact on me.

- I found it's very unique that having a Japanese vocalist in a dub step band. What’s your view on this?

CA: I don’t know… If you look at the dubstep element of the band, the proportion of our music that has dubstep rhythms etc that influences our music is mainly instrumental, but with such a blend of different types of music, that doesn’t really feel unusual to have a female vocalist. We have no definition of what we do. We didn’t aim to do anything but just comes together and when we make it.

- Choose one word best describes your sound.

MP: fused.
CA: organic.
AO: I don’t know…
CA: You could do in Japanese.
AO: 光合成 (photosynthesis)

- What’s the best memory of your gig?

CA: That was when we played in Japan, for the first time we went on tour, played a number of shows in a row. We got better with each show. That was a different experience.
MP: We were headlining one of the shows in Tokyo. We found the audience very patient because a lot of the times we play in the UK for example, we’d play to the audiences that want to be instantly involved. You need to hit it quickly otherwise they’d get bored, just drinking and talking, but in this place in Tokyo everyone was very patient sitting and waiting quietly. They were really nice audience although it’s a bit weird when you finished a song as you’d have to finish it completely just like “It is finished.”

AO: It’s interesting to hear what they say… because I prefer the British audience. I think a Japanese audience is quieter, whereas here, people would “whoo” anyway even though they don’t necessarily like what they see. That “whoo” sound is something that I’d miss in Japan. However my ideal situation is to leave the audience speechless.
CA: You’d need to create the atmosphere which people pick up as really special.

- How do you work together? What is the process of making music like?

MP: At the moment we are trying to write stuff…�
CA: We’ve been learning different ways because initially, for me to write the music that’s gonna be released it has to have a sort of 'demo' stage.

Over a long period of time, an instrumental track would come together and Ayu would add the vocals bit by bit. As we got to know each other towards the end of making the album, more and more ideas were actually from the 3 of us involved in the initial idea. So it’s based around vocals instead of vocal being based around instruments. But, there’s no one set way that works.

- Who writes lyrics?

AO: I do write lyrics but sometimes there are titles already.
MP: We didn’t really relate to the concept or the titles of the songs. We didn’t make the titles up, as we didn’t know how important the names are. We don’t really think it’s important.

- How would you come up with ideas?

MP: We can’t really give away that much, It’s open to people’s interpretations.

- So how does it work when titles come first?

AO: For example, ‘Condors’, the song I had lyrics for already but the song originally had a different track name ‘72’ due to its bpm. I had lyrics about wind but I knew we couldn’t call it ‘72’ so I was thinking. Then they said ‘How about Condors?’ and I agreed.
Do you sing in Japanese as well?
AO: I include Japanese in some part but not much.
MP: Mostly English. There are some phrases in Japanese. I think it’s kind of cool mixing two together.

- How are you getting on with the Japanese market?

CA: We are on UK label called Monotreme but our releases are available through Japanese partner called Zankyo Records. In Japan our album will be out in September.

- Apart from music, are the any other hobbies/skills you have that you'd like to tell us about?

CA: It’s gonna be your football career! (laugh)
MP: Yeah I quite like football. But, the team I play for doesn't play in the summer… Now Chris and I have no hobbies. (laugh)�
CA: I spend a lot of time in music.
MP: Music is my hobby, my profession and my life.
CA: I watch films, read books… you know normal things.

AO: My hobbies are films, going for a walk and also, recently and finally, I got into cooking.
MP: Yeah you bring in your portable bento box. Awesome!

- Finally, any message for your Japanese fans?

MP: Sugoi koko ga daisuki desu! (I like to be here)
CA: Hopefully we are gonna play in Japan again this year.
MP: Here’s a pro message… Condors is gonna be available soon, release drop date is September 20th 2010! Check us out on tour etc.

Nedry : http://www.nedrymakesmusic.com

Photos by Andy Parker

Written & left photo by Chika Aoki