- This time, you created the mix using only your five previously released albums. Could you briefly explain the concept or unique characteristics of each album?
Caput (2021)
I made Caput in the desert of California at a time when I was really missing New York. So it’s a bit of a contradiction in that sense. I was staying in a house in Joshua Tree alone for about a week dreaming about being back home on the subway or at my friends’ apartments in Brooklyn. Since I recorded the album on the west coast, I wanted to ask an east coast guy to play the horns, so I wrote to David Lackner who has become a cherished collaborator ever since. He also mixed Caput.
Wave to Mikey (2022)
Wave To Mikey was a love letter to one of my best friends, Mikey. We hadn’t been seeing each other or talking as often as usual and I missed him. Our friendship had music at its core so I thought it’d be nice to make an album dedicated to him. We are actually working on my next album together!
Home Decor (2022)
This album came at a time when I was moving into a new home and I was really obsessed with the decorating process. I’ve always been a bit of a homebody, but this was during the pandemic so it was next-level home-time! I was just thinking about how nice it is to have music playing in a space that feels sacred, a personal oasis. When I was making the album, the music became part of the space in a really organic way. This felt significant and I tried to bottle that up as much as possible.
Shower (2023)
This is a more narrowed down version of Home Decor. I love a good shower! I’m not really sure what else to say. Shower sex, a shower after the gym, showering while drinking a beer - these are a few of my favorite things.
Songs for Sex (2025)
I made this album when I became single for the first time in a long time. Sex felt brand new and it was the topic of a lot of conversations. I’d have a good steamy talk and then I’d run home and make a demo while it was fresh in my mind. Part of me regrets this title because it’s a nice album to listen to in any situation. I don’t want people to think it’s just a sex album, but fuck it. We all love sex all the time. Sometimes I feel the sexiest when I’m on the subway.
- Is it common for you to DJ using only your own music, like you did this time?
No not at all! I DJ from time to time and I always work a bit of my music into my playlists, but I’ve never played my music exclusively. I don’t have a band so I figured this was a good way to play a live show in a way that felt comfortable, but still got the point of the music across.
- Do you find that playing only your own music leads to any new insights or discoveries about your work or even yourself?
Actually yes, it's funny you ask that. After playing this mini tour in Japan and China, I feel super inspired to take my music back to its original mindset. I’m finishing my first album with vocals right now - a more groove inspired effort. When I am finished with this, I am eager to work on something more ambient, atmospheric.
- Do you also DJ in the usual style, mixing music from different artists? And when you do, what kind of genres do you tend to play?
I do, but not that often. I definitely don’t consider myself a DJ. I do enjoy it though and I tend to play mostly downtempo, ambient jazz, loungey kinds of stuff with a hint of house and electronica, sometimes wonky funk and disco, but never too hypey. It’s a pretty chilled out approach. I don’t beatmatch or anything, I just try to go with the flow.
- What methods do you prefer when searching for new music? Do you still enjoy browsing for music in record stores, or have you come to prefer online purchases?
This is and will forever be my lifelong obsession. My record collection is growing out the door and I am constantly online searching for music. It’s maybe bittersweet, because I genuinely don’t have favorites anymore. Is that sad? I’m always looking for something new. I can happily spend 3 hours in a record store and I’ve got my discogs filtering technique down to a science.
- In Japan, music like yours is often described as "ambient jazz" and has been quietly gaining popularity. What do you think about that label? Also, in the U.S. or Europe, how is this kind of sound usually categorized or described?
I am back and forth on this. I hear that specific phrase a lot and I think it’s the same in the US and in Europe. Ambient jazz. It’s nice. but I personally think my music goes beyond those two words. So I’ll sometimes throw a “downtempo” or a “minimal electronica” into the mix.
- You've worked with artists like John Carroll Kirby and Joseph Shabason, who are also well-loved in Japan. Is there a tight-knit music scene around you that includes musicians like them?
I’ve had the super pleasure of working with those guys. John and I have done some photos-for-music trades, ha. I’ve taken press photos of him and he’s played synths on a few of my songs. He is a great player. And Shabason graciously played on my very first album How To Empty A Cup. He plays on 3 of my records and he mixed Wave To Mikey. These are two very nice, handsome guys - John and Joseph.
I see that my friend Simon Herody’s album Hard Lounge is making its rounds in Japan too. I was happy to see that! And you would love David Lackner’s project YAI. Their album Sky Time is excellent.
However, I wouldn’t say I am part of a music scene. Sometimes I wish I was.. I am not really part of a photo scene either. I still hang out with my friends from High School and spend most of my time with my wife and family.
- You're not only a musician but also a photographer and actor. What usually sparks your creativity across these different forms of expression?
I think of them all as one big thing. THE big thing! Nothing specific sparks creativity for me in an isolated way, it’s always there, I find everything inspiring. Sometimes I want to cry out of nowhere and I’m not sure if I should make a song, shoot a roll of film, or cut my hair. Does this make sense?
- As a musician, what plans do you have for 2025? If you have any announcements or activities outside of music, please feel free to share those as well.
I am about 70% finished with my new LP! I don’t know what I will call it yet. I am also welcoming a new collaborator - Mikey! From Wave To Mikey! And David Lackner is playing all the flute and synth. It’s an interesting album, I am really excited about it!
Oh and I have a new hardcover photo book out called LANE! Actually, there are 3 copies for sale at Kankyo Records in Setagaya. Run!
Other than that, I am just getting my film back from Japan and China and I am very excited to put together a new series of photos to present somewhere, somehow. Stay tuned.
