- Could you share the thoughts and ideas behind this mix? The enigmatic title "HTGY 33/45 -8 Screwed" also piques our curiosity — could you tell us what it represents?
About a week before the recording, I dropped by ELLA RECORDS and picked up around ten 7-inch singles. This mix is mainly built around those records. I’m playing 45s at 33 rpm with the pitch at -8—as usual for me—so that’s where the title comes from. “HTGY” refers to Hatagaya, of course, where ELLA RECORDS is located (and also where FORESTLIMIT, my home ground, is).
- The "screw" technique — slowing down the playback speed of a track — has become something of a signature for you. What do you find most appealing about the screw sound or approach?
What really draws me to it is how slowing things down can bring out the qualities of the music even more—whether it’s mellow, dope, heavy, or sweet. And of course, the fact that anyone can do it. I think it’s probably the simplest form of REMIX or DUB. I get especially excited when a track that didn’t feel interesting at its normal speed suddenly transforms into something special once the rotation is lowered.
- Could you tell us what first drew you to the screw sound?
I’d love to say it all started when I first heard DJ Screw’s mixes—but to be honest, they didn’t immediately click with me. Later on, though, I tried playing Cypress Hill’s “Hits From The Bong (T-Ray’s Mix)” at 33 rpm at home, and that’s when it all made sense. From that moment, I was completely hooked.
- What do you find most challenging about playing or performing with the screw technique?
There’s really nothing difficult about it—anyone can do it. But once you try adding “chops” with doubles, the difficulty level jumps up quickly. Screw and chop are originally a set, after all. In my case, instead of doing traditional chops, I use things like connecting cover versions, original sources, or tracks that share the same sample, which creates an effect similar to using doubles. I’ve gradually built up the fun and depth of this style over time, so if anything, the only real challenge is creating some kind of “plus-more” element to expand the style even further.
- When you’re digging for new music or records, do you usually test them at a slower speed to see if they “work” in a screwed context? Or can you intuitively tell from the original track whether it will sound good when slowed down?
When I decided to pursue DJing in this style, I started lowering the rotation speed even at the listening stage in record shops—right from the very first time I hear a track. After doing that for five or ten years, I’ve naturally developed an instinct for whether a song will “shine in a screwed style,” even when I listen to it at its original speed.
- Besides DJing, what stimulates your creativity?
I’m inspired by hip-hop culture as a whole. Lately, I’ve been especially interested in rhyme schemes in rap. There’s a noticeable difference—both for better and worse—between how rhyming works in English rap and poetry versus in Japanese rap. I’m really curious about how we can bridge that gap: how to honor the roots while still translating the approach into our own language and culture.
- Do you have any advice for those looking to start a career as a DJ?
If you’re interested in DJing in any way—whether in the role or the act itself—you should give it a try without worrying about age. I started when I was already in my thirties. And being inspired by DJs doesn’t mean you have to become one yourself. You might find it interesting to take a DJ-like approach or perspective and apply it to something entirely different.
- What plans do you have for 2025?
2025 is already coming to an end, but the third edition of “iNiTiAL iMPACT,” the party I host with soguragura at FORESTLIMIT, will be held on Saturday, December 20. This time, we’ll have Solvent Cobalt as a guest, performing a one-hour live set. And in January, I’ll be doing a mini tour through Osaka and Kyoto, so I’d be really happy if people who don’t usually get the chance to hear me play come out and join us.
