TEKE::TEKE Announce New Album Hagata, Share Origins of “Garakuta”: Exclusive
The post TEKE::TEKE Announce New Album Hagata, Share Origins of “Garakuta”: Exclusive appeared first on Consequence.
Origins is a recurring series giving artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, TEKE::TEKE’s Sei Nakauchi Pelletier and Maya Kuroki dig into their new single, “Garakuta.”
Montreal-based Japanese psych-rock band TEKE::TEKE have announced their new album, Hagata, out June 9th via Kill Rock Stars. In anticipation, the band has released the lead single, “Garakuta,” and its accompanying music video.
“I wanted it to sound like a big protest song from the point of view of the so-called trash, the garbage, as if they were living things, rallying and rebelling against us, humans,” vocalist Maya Kuroki explains to Consequence. “I started thinking that it could also be an analogy for anyone who’s being cast out of society for being considered ‘useless’ or just different.”
Serving as a battle cry for rebellion, the exhilarating “Garakuta” features steady, pounding percussion and grimy guitar riffs juxtaposed with an ever-present flute that creates a dreamlike atmosphere and adds a sense of whimsy.
Check out the music video for “Garakuta” and read band members Sei Nakauchi Pelletier and Maya Kuroki’s Origins breakdown below.
Hagata marks the follow-up to TEKE::TEKE’s 2021 debut, Shirushi. Scroll onward for the artwork and tracklist; pre-orders are ongoing. In support of the album, TEKE::TEKE will open for reunited post-hardcore band Unwound for a pair of March shows in New York and Philadelphia. See the full itinerary below and grab your seats here.
Hagata Artwork:
Hagata Tracklist:
01. Garakuta
02. Gotoku Lemon
03. Hoppe
04. Onaji Heya
05. Me No Heya
06. Doppelganger
07. Setagaya Koya
08. Kaikijyu
09. Yurei Zanmai
10. Jinzou Maria
TEKE::TEKE 2023 Tour Dates:
03/12 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *
03/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
03/24-25 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
04/08 – Iowa City, IA @ Mission Creek Festival
09/02 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Psych Fest
09/03 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Fest
* = w/ Unwound
Waste/Garbage:
Photo by Evan Demicoli on Unsplash
Garakuta is a term used in Japanese to describe goods that are considered to have no more use, are of no more value, and thrown away by humans. That was the main and initial inspiration for the song’s lyrics, which Maya came up with instantly after hearing the first few bits of music. — Sei Nakauchi Pelletier
I wanted it to sound like a big protest song from the point of view of the so-called trash, the garbage, as if they were living things, rallying and rebelling against us, humans… and then I started thinking that it could also be an analogy for anyone who’s being cast out of society for being considered “useless” or just different. — Maya Kuroki
Matsuri, Chindon’ya, and Marching Bands:
Photo by Julie Fader on Unsplash
The inspiration for the music of “Garakuta” comes from the sounds of Matsuri, a traditional Japanese festival, revisited here with a modern punk take on it, to support Maya’s idea of a delirious parade of rebelling wastes.
I was working on this riff that I really wanted the whole band to play in unison, an idea I had been tackling for a while. It even has a New Orleans street band meets Chindon’ya (Japanese street performers from the late 19th century) feel, courtesy of the trombone in the bridge part of the song, which I think is pretty cool and enhances that parade vibe. — Sei
1970s TV Newscasters:
The bridge part of the song sees Maya embodying a ’70s TV newscaster to depict with a pinch of sarcasm, a rather gloomy reality of “mountains of cellphones that shine beautifully at night’’ and ‘”snow made of polystyrene,” ending by saying “in the blink of an eye, this city has become a completely inorganic crystal.” Maya came up with this idea the first time she recited the part in a spoken manner. Musically, we added some vibraphones and an old school organ to play with that TV vibe and visually, we had a blast relying on the good old green screen trick. — Sei
The Video:
TEKE::TEKE’s “Garakuta” video (via YouTube)
We knew from the start that we wanted the video for “Garakuta” to have some animation in it — we thought it would be the best way to capture the energy of the song and illustrate its lyrical content. When we finally decided that it would be our first single off the new album, we were extremely limited in time, and Maya and I had to make this video at full speed and in true DIY fashion. Fortunately, this sense of urgency influenced the style of drawings and animation, coinciding with the rawness and punk feel of the song.
TEKE::TEKE Announce New Album Hagata, Share Origins of “Garakuta”: Exclusive
Grace Ann Natanawan
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