Interview: DJ-producer Yohji Igarashi weaves new wave of Japanese hip-hop, club music

Music producer and DJ Yohji Igarashi is seen in a photo provided by the artist. TOKYO — From humble beginnings spinning wax as a DJ at a high school festival, Yohji Igarashi now produces songs for many nascent stars in Japan’s new generation of hip-hop and club music, including Hiyadam, Yurufuwa Gang, Jubee, Yo-Sea and Dongurizu. He is also known for lending a hard techno edge to an official remix for overseas breakout act Atarashii Gakko, who have toured across the globe from the U.S. to Indonesia and boast over 14 million fans on social media. The Mainichi Shimbun spoke with the Tokyo native about his collaborations, the gear he uses and his path as a rising producer of genre-melding dance music. (Editor’s Note: The interview was held in Japanese and has been edited for length and clarity.) — Question: To begin, how about a quick self-introduction? Answer: I’m a DJ, producer and trackmaker. I make primarily club-style dance music and I’m a composer for Hiyadam and other vocalists. Q: What led to your remix of Atarashii Gakko’s “Pineapple Kryptonite?” A: I was asked to arrange the music for another of their videos, After School Karaoke, where they covered classic...