Today is a date of release new Alcest album, „Kodama”. I had great opportunity to talk with Neige, band leader, about the album and his influences.
It’s a a great honor and pleasure for me, not only journalist, but also a big fan to talk with you. So, let’s begin. Hello, how are you? What are your thoughts for upcoming album and following tour?
It’s always exiting time to release the record. We are very happy. So far reactions are very positive, so we hope we will do nice tour after that. For the moment I’m doing a lot of promotion, interviews, but it’s cool, cause I could take some holidays before, so my batteries are recharged now, and I’m ready to start working.
Your new album “Kodama” has it’s name from Japanese legends, where kodama were spirits inhabiting trees. You also mentioned in another interview about Princess Mononoke and other Miyazaki movies. Does Japanese animation influence you in your music creation? Have you came across other anime in this setting, like Mushishi, Natsume Yuujinchou, Mononoke series?
I always liked Japanese animation and manga. I think it always had a kind of influence in my work but in very subtle form. Now I felt need to assume bit more of this influence, that’s why I wanted to do Kodama. I’m fan of Miyazaki movies, also things like Ghost in the Shell, Akira. I’m little kid, I always liked Japanese culture. In fact we went two times to Japan with the band. It was a big shock for me, it was exactly like I imagined it would be, even better, and it was very inspiring. When we came back to Europe, I still had this feelings inside me, and I felt it could be nice to create a record mixed up with usual Alcest themes and spirituality.
For the title, „kodama” means spirit of the tree, and also echo (yamabiko, sometimes refereed as kodama – red. not.). I always was very connected to the nature, it’s very inspiring for me. The echo thing wasn’t actually me, but the guy who write our promo, that it was echo to our older record. I think it’s quite true, because in a way we came back to this very dynamic sound, that we had in the beginning.
First released song “Oiseaux de Proie” is bit “heavier” than songs from previous album. Do you want to go back to old sounds, or is this something new, some kind of improvement?
It’s definitely something new, because it has some elements of previous formula, it’s different record. The mood is different then before. It’s an album of it’s own. But in aspect of building the songs, structure of album, it’s similar to the two first records. It’s a mix of older things and something new. I don’t think it’s one hundred percent metal, even if it sounds very powerful.
Also, during the song I got some “Amesoeurs like vibes”. We both know that Amesoeurs is dead, but do you consider starting another project in future?
I don’t have the time to make another project. We are already busy with Alcest.
As I was reading one of interviews with you, I came across the statement that this album is about two different worlds living together? Can you elaborate more on this topic?
It’s not like a concept album with story from like Princess Mononoke, but the idea is going through the record, with contrasts. Like nature and urbanity, physical world and spiritual world, youth, death. It’s also in the music, it’s very contrasted. This album has two sides – modern and very old. I think it’s about how I feel in my own life, living in the city, but always missing nature. I think it’s very important to remind people that we have to take care of nature.
Your album covers almost never fail to amaze me, and this time it’s the same. It’s really beautiful, interesting piece of art. When I saw it for the first time, I thought of “tabi wo suru numa” (“The Travelling Swamp”), story about girl entrapped in swamp and forced to travel with it. Can you tell us more about the cover, how it came to be in this shape, what’s the story and inspiration behind it?
Since album is Japanese orientated, we needed to have this touch on the visual two. I went to my friend, designer, called Førtifem. Amazing artist, he did covers for Opeth. I told him that I want something very Alces, but also has this bit of this Japanese touch with it. I really like this artist, Takeko Yamamoto. We were very inspired by his art.
For the story of the cover I would say, it’s again a duality thing. There is a young and beautiful girl, but also very hostile environment, death turning around her. I would say, that in a way, death has been very present here in France, cause we had those terrorist attacks. I feel some connection to this cover. You can also see elements from previous records, like water from „Écailles de Lune”.
What are your thoughts about second band with whom you’re going to play in Poland, Mono? Have you ever played with them before?
It’s going to be our first tour together. They came to see us in concert when we played in Tokyo. That’s how we met. We didn’t speak a lot, but I really love their music. We also are on the same booking agency. We thought it would be really nice to do a tour together.
Once again, let me say – it’s been an honor and pleasure to speak with you! Thank you!
