Imagine a sonic ambiance, not describable with words, yet illustrating to the deepest detail an environment and set of mental surroundings. Electro-abstract vision and imagery, a sweltering mist of pulsating neon and fluorescence, disturbingly soothing in the abstract and digitized music that supplements and promotes the experience. In the middle of media, surrounded by new and insightful technologies and art forms. Futurist philosophy, outlook, influence; high-tech Japanese popular culture. Hosted by: MIRAI. MIRAI is a thirty-one year old Englishman who happened to be lucky enough to have a life highly exposed to this very revolutionary and idealistic culture. Starting out as a highschool student helpless to anything of the "physical" genre, his body and mind seemed to lean more towards the artistic and technology-based fields (such as computers, art, and religion). But it wasn't until the video-game scene emerged during his adolescence that his unique and esoteric intellect was on the road to revelation. He dropped out of highschool, and sold his first video game at fifteen years. He continued this temporary vocation of computer programming over a course of four years, selling thirteen games overall. He was not satisfied, though. There was something missing. Programming video games, which he described as being "ninety-percent math and logic and only ten percent art" led him to living a life of no social interaction, what he now describes as simply "not good". But this period eventually led him into realizing his true passion: music. He decided that instead of paying people to write the music for his programs, he could arrange the notation himself. Purchasing a Casio-tone keyboard and a Yamaha CS5 analog synthesizer, he initiated a profession that is now is the most dominant focus of his life. It was when he became exposed to alternative and unique lifestyles that Mirai discovered insight with which he could identify. Such musical artists as Jean- Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, and the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) exposed him to a new type of life. When discussing Jean-Michel Jarre, his main inspirational figure, Mirai noted, "Not only the music style, but his overall concepts in art and music technology; the clothes, instruments, graphic images; all followed a progressive, futuristic leaning that I was in tune with.". It was mainly through the inspiration of YMO that led him to become more aware of „high-tech‰ Japan, the main factor for his decision to relocate in Tokyo, Japan. The tall, lean, sun-glasses-wearing MIRAI is currently a professional sound engineer and composer Officially, he is employed by DIGITAL FAMITSU, one of the top design groups in Japan, with its own magazines, television programs, and video game production departments. He is also a graphic designer and arts promoter, specializing in what he calls "futurist-art", an art form focused on representing perspectives on the state of futuristic humanity. He is also a networker and a producer of an independent record label and radio station on Virgin-Tokyo. He organizes club events focused on electronic and avant-garde music, and fills in spare time as a disk-jockey and model for Japanese media/pop videos. His life is his work, for it fulfills his needs and interests to a full extent. Also, as being in the center of media and pop-culture, he happens to associate with a number of celebrities. He describes himself as "someone that enjoys to make an impression, but in an aloof way... which makes me a celebrity within a certain context." MIRAI says that he doesn't much consider his associations to be an achievement in any way, for he more prefers "people with integrity who feel real emotions in art, and who follow noble ideas - not apathetic, shallow types who lust for money and power - that is too obvious." Of course, he suggested, not all celebrities are this way. There is yet another aspect of Mirai's continuing life experience that is very connected to his ambition towards increasing the collective awareness of like-minded people; that is, the internet. He utilizes it to share ideas and visions, to "get more people involved.", loving it "for its ability to bring people together." One of the most impacting and uniting tools he uses for this motive is a network of people known as INTELLIGENTSIA. A global futurist network for the twenty-first century. My personal interpretation of Intelligentsia,after reviewing its internet site, is that it places a particular emphasis on the development of futuristic vision, technology, and art, and the integration of this development into the modern conscious of humanity. Intelligentsia stresses an open-minded, creative outlook on life, an enthusiasm in artwork and creativity, and a unique philosophical interpretation of space, time, and existence. Along with this theme of ideology, the Intelligentsia team creates electronic musical scores, soundtracks, and albums for Japanese video games and other media, and also develops new technologies in sound creation and performance. MIRAI is indeed at the center of Japanese media and is a major influence in its particular evolution. Not only is he this, though; he represents, contributes to, and promotes a progressive development of cultural innovation based on the natural flow of social cooperation and an acceptance of the thoughts of many thinkers. But he didn't get there by accident. I quote MIRAI: "Don't waste your time thinking you cannot achieve your highest aspirations," he says, "anything is possible. When you focus on one idea or need, you eventually attract it." Interview: Jake Enk |
INTERVIEW Dec 1998