The first full-length album in pursuit of new expression .
. From right, backing DJ Ryo Ishikawa, leader Sart, and MC Weird the art.
-I think the fact that "Flat Line Classics" has been consistently releasing new works since its debut in 2019, while steadily establishing a fan base through energetic live performances as well as sound recordings, has also led to the group's rapid progress. Can you tell us about your thoughts on live performances?
FLC:As for live performances, there are members who work at the places that serve as the "box" for our live activities, and we are friends with the staff at the spots where we have been hanging out since our school days. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to organize and host events. I honestly feel that I have been blessed with a good environment.
. So your connections on the street are expanding the scope of your activities.
FLC:That is exactly why Daz works at "LIQUIDROOM" and has been able to regularly perform at events at "BATICA" in Ebisu and "Solfa" in Nakameguro, as well as host events because of his communication with the people behind the scenes of music. Also, BIG FAF also works at the select store "GROW AROUND", where I have become friends with people in the music industry in the Shibuya area, and I have been asked to participate in "HARLEM" events.
. - It is very meaningful for an artist to be able to continue live performances in a place with which he has a connection, and it strengthens the bond with fans. Are there any particular live performances among them that have left a particularly strong impression on you?
FLC:Each event has its own memories, but "BATICA" is a special place for us. It started out as a year-end party for our family and friends, but it is now recognized as a signature event of Flat Line Classics. The guests get better and better every year, and we, as well as the guests, enjoy it together, so it is one of our most important events.
Also, when we held the release party for our first full-length album "THROW BACK LP" at "TIME OUT CAFE," we had a very memorable live show with guest appearances by beatmakers and fellow artists with whom we had worked hard together.
-By the way, your latest work, "THROW BACK LP," as you mentioned, has attracted a great deal of attention because of the lineup of gorgeous beatmakers, including DJ SCRATCH NICE and GRADIS NICE.
FLC:For the two EPs you have released so far, Sart was the main beat-maker. However, for "THROW BACK LP," I wanted to express my work more freely by adding objective ideas and inspiration. . So, I asked beatmakers with whom I have a close relationship and whom I admire to participate.
-It was a convincing casting given the affinity with the boom-bap style that is at the heart of "Flat Line Classics," and I felt that it was truly a new era of classical music embodied through a single album. How did the offer come about?
FLC:. We discussed the selection of people among the members, and each of us went to meet directly with people we thought would be ideal for the project. Especially GRADIS NICE and DJ SCRATCH NICE, when they actually had events in Tokyo, we went to see them and expressed our thoughts to them, which made it possible.
I think it was a different kind of production from what you have done in the past, but what did you notice or gain from it?
FLC:HOT MAGIC," for which MASS-HOLE provided the beat, has become one of our signature songs, and the opportunity to work with dhrma and GQ, with whom we have always had a close relationship, not only enhanced the quality of the work, but also stimulated us in many ways, such as the way we put rap music on the beat, the way we write lyrics, and the way we think about beat-making. It was a valuable experience that stimulated me from various perspectives, such as how to rap, how to write lyrics, and how to think about beat-making.
