Dios have opened the doors to their CASTLE.
With the release of their debut album, the Japanese Pop-R&B trio have revealed every note that went into creating the leaf and flora that builds their mysterious forest. Floating above that forest is a phantom castle, which only appears when their music is played.
CASTLE is comprised of 12 chapters with themes that express universal human emotions that shift as time changes. From love to memories, happiness to relationships, each track offers a hand to hold as they tug at your heartstrings to feel a little more.
Bandwagon caught up with Tanaka, Sasanomaly, and Ichika Nito to talk about the music of Dios, how they conceptualized CASTLE, and their plans for the rest of the year.
How would you describe the music of Dios?
We are attracted to casual scenery and glimpses of human weakness - so we make music with the intention of carefully picking up the beauty of these flawed aspects.
[何気ない景色や、ふとした瞬間に垣間見える人の弱さなどに惹かれるので、そういう欠陥した部分の美しさを丁寧に拾い上げるつもりで音楽を作っています。]
Your concept for CASTLE is fascinating! Tell us, how did you come up with the concept behind it?
It all started when Tanaka (vocals) produced an image board. The word 'CASTLE' was the name of an apartment in the neighbourhood, and we thought it had a really nice vibe/atmosphere – It’s like a ' CASTLE ' which contains a lot of the scenery visuals, similar to what Dios originated from. When you access the music inside the 'CASTLE', you are connected to different worlds.
[たなか(vo.)がイメージボードを制作してきたのが始まりです。「CASTLE」という単語は近所のアパートの名前だったのですが、すごく雰囲気が良いなと思ったんです。Diosの原点となる景色をたくさん閉じ込めた「城」だと思っています。「城」の中にある楽曲にアクセスすると、様々な世界に繋がっているイメージです。]
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The tracks on CASTLE also feature different themes and genres. In what ways does that give your album a coherent feel without making your songs feel too different from each other?
We as members are consistent in what we each want to express in our music. It was also significant that the three of us were able to share an image board for the album at the beginning. By sharing images and pictures rather than sounds, we were able to express the sound of the 'CASTLE' as each of us wanted it to sound, without blurring the concept.
[Diosの3人が各々持っている、音楽に対する表現したい事がぶれずに一貫しているからだと思います。
最初にアルバムのイメージボードを三人で共有できたことも大きかったです。
サウンドの共有ではなく、映像や画像を共有することで「城」というコンセプトはぶれることなく、それぞれが思う「城」の音を表現できました。 ]
You describe yourselves as three artists with different music sensibilities. What goes into your experimentation process of creating music together?
We try to create without deciding on a production flow. We pass data to each other, and not only Sasanomaly, but also Ichika sometimes does the creation. It's interesting to see how this allows us to transcend our individual boundaries and create things that we didn't imagine.
[制作のフローを決めずに作っています。データをパスしていって、ササノだけじゃなくIchikaがメイキングすることもある。そうすることで各々の枠を超えていって、自分たちでさえ想像していなかったものが出来上がったりして面白いです。 ]
It's amazing how a relatively new band, such as yourselves, has already been able to lend their music to J-dramas. How does it feel to have reached a milestone so early in your career together?
We are very grateful to achieve that! That’s the beauty of sound and visual. From here on, we want more people to experience the scenery and music Dios creates.
[とてもありがたいことだと思っています。これから先、もっと多くの人に、Diosの作り出す景色を体感してもらいたいです。]
What other Asian bands and artists have you been listening to lately?
たなか Tanaka：水曜日のカンパネラ Wednesday Campanella
ササノマリイSasanomaly：SHOW-GO
Ichika Nito：Elephant Gym
What are your plans for next half of the year?
We will be touring for the first time in Japan. Upcoming, we want to release both original songs and remixes.
[これから初めて日本国内ですがツアーを行います。オリジナル曲もリミックスも出していきたいです。]
Do you have a message you'd like to share with your fans?
Tanaka: May I be a colour in your life, may I be a castle that can enchant you. [たなか あなたの人生を彩れますように、あなたを魅了できる城であれますように。]
Sasanomaly: May I be a museum piece in your heart [あなたの心の中の美術館のピースになれますように。]
Ichika Nito: Listen to me a lot! [たくさん聴いてね。]
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