Newspeak, a three-piece band consisting of vocalist Rei, drummer Steven and bassist Yohey, have released their third full-length album. Newspeak. Newspeak has been praised for its bold, no-holds-barred sound, influenced by British and American rock. He is attracting attention from all corners, having been selected as an open act by artists such as The Fratellis and Mando Diao. Billboard Japan spoke with the trio about what happened on their new album.
After naming the new album newspeak, I have a strong feeling that you see it as a crystallization of who you are as a band.
Rei: After we finished our last album, Turn, we decided to work with Warner Music Japan. We were thinking about what kind of album to do next, and our minds kept going back to why we started Newspeak in the first place and why we were making music. We kept thinking about how we started this band because we wanted to make this kind of music and share this kind of message, so what else could we do other than make it a self-titled album?
Starting with this album, I have for the first time a feeling of hope and anticipation for the future from you. The songs are strong, positive and energetic. It is as if they have the power to banish any uncertainty or worry. I think you can feel that power especially in what is essentially the first song on the album, 'White Lies'.
Rei: We wrote “White Lies” after “Be Nothing” and the director of the music video asked us to send photos of moments when we were at crossroads or critical moments in our lives, along with photos of people who are important to us. Looking back at my own photo albums, I remembered how I felt when I was 20 years old, in America, looking out over the landscape below me from the top of the Empire State Building. I think everyone feels that way when you climb somewhere high: “I'm going to make it!”
This characteristic of youth!
Rei: Yes, exactly. Like, I had no particular basis for this belief, just this vague desire to make my mark on the world. I was like, “I'm going to hit something!” [Laughs] But even now, looking back on it, I feel like it was meant to be. Now, I want to express this unfounded confidence.
The songs are so powerful, it's like they can rekindle that dormant motivation within you — tap into that well of energy deep within.
Rei: That's why the album starts with the question “What would you do if you weren't afraid at all?” This idea is at the root of everything I do and I feel that I have finally been able to express it very well.
Having a strong will is important in anything you do.
Steven: I like strong songs with that confidence of “I am the best!” “Nobody's stopping me!” no deeper thought, but the songs that speak to me even more are the ones that demonstrate an understanding of the darker aspects of reality. In this sense, Newspeak songs like “White Lies” are well balanced, showing that we also see the negative parts of reality.
Most of Newspeak's lyrics are in English and your sound is heavily influenced by the UK and US rock scenes. There's a strong sense of focus on the foreign music scene, but you've also created a unique niche in the Japanese music scene. How much attention do you pay to trends or fashion?
Rei: Trying to revive old music all the time would be fruitless. As a musician, I think it's important to enjoy the music, convey a message and create a new sound, so I listen to new music and when I hear new or interesting sounds, I try to incorporate them.
Yohey: I don't just listen to rock. Lately, I've even been thinking about going to see Dua Lipa (Author: It is scheduled to appear in Japan in November). Trying to incorporate every kind of different sound into our own style of music would be impossible, but there are some sounds where I think 'this might be interesting to work in our music'.
Rei: We like sounds that are really impressive. Not stuff we've heard before, but more like “boooooooooooooo”. [Laughs]
Steven: Sometimes we use modern synth sounds, but sometimes we go the opposite way, using old school drums or old bass sounds. It is a mix of classic and modern. I think there is some originality in this approach.
“Alcatraz” is a dance song with a catchy melody. The phrase “So many faces and faces to please” stands out.
Rei: No matter where you go, there are always people who thank you, whether it's other comrades or even in situations like this interview. On “Alcatraz,” we sing about how you can't let yourself get caught up in worrying about it all the time. You have to make yourself happy, or what's the point?
We live in an age where there are many “people to please” on the internet.
Rei: That's true, of course. But the message of this song is more about 'let's enjoy the music'. The main message is to have fun and let yourself go.
The song “Tokyo” has a line that stands out: “This city can hurt you or set you on fire.” What is your image of Tokyo?
Steven: It's huge — I think it's the biggest city in the world. It is always busy and so many people come to Tokyo from the countryside to make money. I think that's why even for people who love Tokyo, there are times when it's difficult. The song “Tokyo” sends the message to these people that “We understand. We think the same way. I know it's hard, but you're not alone.”
Rei: There are many songs about how difficult it can be to live in Tokyo, but what I wanted to convey through this song is that no matter what city or community you belong to, it's the same. I mention it in the lyrics as well, but we use Tokyo as a symbol to represent being part of a community, so instead of Tokyo it could just as easily be London or New York or Kuala Lumpur. Everywhere you go, there is stress. How you answer this is up to you. You may find school or your company boring, but when you get out, you realize you were agonizing over something trivial. So what I was trying to say is that all you have to do is just get out. Why are you so clingy? Why do you see the world as your enemy? I think the same about myself. Just because I'm in Tokyo, or just because I'm in Japan, doesn't mean I can't go abroad.
The last song on the album, 'Nokoribi', closes with the line, 'A believer without wings the night before the revolution'. You feel like you're singing about Newspeak itself.
Yohey: The lyrics of this song are an answer to the question posed in the intro of “White Lies”. It's the kind of song you'd expect from Newspeak, but surprisingly, we'd never actually written a song like it. We have a lot of songs that are like 'just be yourself' or 'don't give up', but we haven't written any songs that celebrate the beauty of moving forward. It's a song with the power of self-affirmation, as if to say “we shine because we act.”
Rei: It's a song about how there's a beautiful world out there, so why don't you go out into that world? You've got “Tokyo,” being stuck in a community, not wanting to get out, and then there's this song, his last album, about when you finally take that step forward. We thought it would bring the album to a nice close. We actually wrote the song a long time ago, but it just happened to fit here really well, so we were like, 'Now's the time to use it.'
Finally, what kind of future do you want to see for the band?
Yohey: I want to play at Coachella.
Rei: I used to play as a musician in Liverpool, so I would like to make a triumphant return by playing at Glastonbury festival.
Yohey & Steven: Yes!
—This interview with Azusa Ogiwara first appeared on Billboard Japan
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/newspeak-self-titled-new-album-interview-1235745640/
