-- You're currently active not only as a DJ but also primarily in the field of meditation. Could you start by introducing yourself?
I'm Atsuko Satori. Alongside my work as a DJ, I run meditation and yoga classes, as well as work as a therapist, all under the name TARA TRIP. Earlier this February, I relocated to Takayama Village in Nagano Prefecture, and I'm now living surrounded by the mountains.
-- You also host a program under the TARA TRIP name on dublab, don't you?
That's right. dublab is a non-profit online radio station based in Los Angeles, and I host a program called TARA TRIP -Music Meditation- on its Japanese branch, dublab.jp. The show explores the relationship between meditation and music.
-- How long have you been involved in meditation?
I actually started with yoga about 15 years ago. People often describe yoga as moving meditation, and that's what first led me into this path. Then, about five or six years ago, I began focusing entirely on meditation and dedicated myself to the practice.
-- Has your experience with meditation changed the way you listen to music, the way you DJ, or even the way you relate to music itself?
It has changed the way I hear sound. Music is made up of so many different layers, and I think everyone naturally gravitates toward certain sounds. Some people are drawn to particular textures, while others instinctively focus on the high frequencies or the low end. We all listen differently, depending on our own sensitivity. Since I started practicing meditation, I've begun hearing sounds that used to exist outside my awareness. It's as if I can now hear the layers beyond the ones I naturally focused on before. My sense of the music's depth has expanded, and I find that incredibly enjoyable.
-- Could you share the thoughts and ideas behind this mix?
Because meditation is such a big part of my life, I'm naturally drawn to ambient music and environmental sounds, and I'm always exploring that kind of music. At the same time, I don't want to limit myself to that world alone.
Rather than defining myself by a particular genre, I'm more interested in moving freely across different styles while creating a set that feels cohesive and has a clear sense of continuity. That's what I wanted to express with today's mix.
-- The mix evokes a strong sense of nature and the atmosphere of early morning. Was that something you had in mind?
That's interesting! Actually, not at all. I had no idea what kind of set it was going to turn into. I just packed whatever records felt right in the moment and brought them with me. (laughs)
-- That's a bit unexpected. (laughs) If you had to give today's set a title or sum it up with a single keyword, what would it be?
A title? That's a really difficult one. (laughs) ...Hmm, maybe Water. It wasn't something I consciously set out to express, but looking back, I feel there was an underlying image of water, or something fluid and constantly in motion, running through the set.
When I listened back to it later, I also felt a sense of earthiness. (laughs) Maybe it could have been Earth.
-- Among the records you played today, were there any tracks you were especially excited to play or particularly wanted to introduce to the audience?
I opened the set with Dee Dee Bridgewater's "Afro Blue." ...And that's Water again, isn't it? (laughs) I hadn't even noticed! When I arrived at ELLA RECORDS and started browsing the shelves, this was actually the first record I picked up. I already knew Afro Blue through versions by John Coltrane and Erykah Badu, so the title immediately caught my eye and I decided to give it a listen. It completely blew me away, and I'm so glad I discovered it. There's something deeply soulful and wistful about this song that really speaks to me. I later learned that the original dates back to 1959, and it made me realize how that bluesy feeling has been carried through every interpretation ever since.
Another record I'd mention is... well, this one is also called Water Live. (laughs) I guess I'm unconsciously drawn to water after all. It's an album released in 2021 by DFU, an artist based in Xiamen, China. The music has a meditative quality, but at the same time the beats have a streetwise feel that reminds me of hip-hop. Every track is fantastic. I've loved this record for a long time, so I knew it had to be in my record bag today.
He's an incredibly original artist who combines turntables with a variety of percussion instruments, creating a truly unique live performance.
-- While you also perform digital DJ sets, what do you find most compelling about playing with vinyl?
A record contains not only the music, but also the photographs, typography, jacket design, and the atmosphere and background of the time in which the work was created. I find it very appealing that a single record can feel complete as one whole piece of art.
That record has passed from one person's hands to another's, moving through different places, touching people, and carrying many layers of time and stories before arriving in my hands. Thinking about that process of encounter is one of the pleasures that is unique to records.
When I DJ with records, it feels like taking a small journey, freely moving across countries, genres, and eras. The greatest appeal of playing with vinyl is that I can enjoy that journey myself and share it with the audience.
-- What kind of mindset is important to you as a DJ?
What matters most to me is to keep harmonizing with the space.
At any venue, I value communicating through sound while sensing the atmosphere of the space and the energy of the people gathered there.
I try to feel what is happening in that moment, understand what kind of sound or flow is needed, and put a message into each track. For me, DJing is about creating one shared space with the people there through music.
-- Do you have any advice for those looking to start a career as a DJ?
This is something I also tell myself, but I hope you keep exploring your own sound, trust your own sensitivity, and continue without giving up on delivering that to someone.
I also think it is very important to go to as many events as possible and physically feel the atmosphere of those spaces and people's reactions.
A party is alive. The same thing never happens twice, and there is an atmosphere that can only be born in that particular moment. Please enjoy those organic changes and keep communicating with people and spaces through music.
The longer you continue, the more your own sound and the expression only you can create will gradually grow.
-- What plans do you have for 2026?
Since I am currently based in Nagano and also working as a therapist, I would like to hold retreats that incorporate sound and physicality.
I have also continued making experimental music in nature, and I want to create spaces where people can experience sounds born from dialogue with the atmosphere of a place and with nature itself.
DJing, therapy, and connection with nature: I hope to gradually link these activities together and offer experiences that help people connect more deeply with themselves and the world around them.
-- Finally, how did you feel about playing at ELLA RECORDS today?
First of all, the DJ booth is so cute. (laughs) The sound was fantastic too, and it was just a really enjoyable place to play. More than anything, though, I loved the atmosphere of the space itself. The wooden beams and all the natural textures made it feel incredibly comforting. Being in an environment like that really helped me relax.
