9/27（土）と9/28（日）にTOKYO ODAIBA ULTRA PARKで開催された＜ULTRA JAPAN 2014＞にて、大トリとして来日を果たしたAxwell Λ Ingrosso。元Swedish House Mafia（スウェディッシュ・ハウス・マフィア）の二人、Axwell（アクスウェル）とSebastian Ingrosso（セバスチャン・イングロッソ）が結成した新たなユニットです。
iLOUDでは、先日彼らの和文インタビューをご紹介しましたが、好評につきこのたび英文のインタビューもご紹介します。英語がネイティブという方は、ぜひこちらのインタビューをチェックしてみてください。新曲とデビュー・アルバムについて語ってくれています。（photo: Drew Ressler/rukes.com）
AXWELL Λ INGROSSO INTERVIEW (September 28, 2014 / Tokyo)
EDM, or Electronic Dance Music, has currently become mainstream dance music, including in Japan.
In huge festivals, tens of thousands of people from around the world gather around the main stage to feel the excitement and spread of the wonderful music as the DJs play.
One such DJ group, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, composed of ex members of Swedish House Mafia that previously reached the top of the EDM charts, announced that they too are going to enter the EDM scene on May 29, 2014 and debuted new music on June 8 at the Governor’s Ball in New York. Subsequently, though they did not even officially release their two songs entitled “On My Way” and “Sun is Shining,” these songs became a representative anthem for the excitement and energy demonstrated in their sets.
Consequently, Axwell Λ Ingrosso came to Japan to perform at Ultra Japan as one of the major core headlining artists, a piece de resistance, if you will. In this interview, they talk about their new songs and their debut album.
__Ultra Japan is probably the first time for you to do a set in Japan together. How was it and what was it like?
Sebastian: It was phenomenal. It was absolutely magical. We loved every minute, second, and hour of it.
Axwell: Yea we were really excited about being here and playing for such a big crowd in the middle of the city
__Was it your idea to have some Japanese words on the screen?
Sebastian: No, that was Axwell’s idea actually
Axwell: Yea…we don’t speak Japanese but we can try
__So you knew that Japanese people might not understand you
Axwell: Yea we wanted to make sure that the message came across
__What’s the message of “This Time We Can’t Go Home?”
Axwell: The message is that…
Sebastian: …exactly what it says I guess.
Axwell: …Yea, because obviously we went home a little bit when we stopped with Swedish House Mafia. You know that was going home a little bit and this song is our way of saying that this time, this time it’s for real and this time we can’t go home.
__Pusha T is a rapper, right? When that song was made, did you already know that you were going to be a label mate with him?
Sebastian: No, no we didn’t.
Axwell: It’s actually funny.
__How did you get to meet him?
Sebastian: Axwell had this idea that he wanted to have a rap song and he was kind of researching and said this guy Pusha T is amazing. I was in Las Vegas and he was in Las Vegas at the same time and our manager connected with his manager and he came to my hotel room and I played him a song and gave him a speech about what we were trying to do with the new album and what we were standing for and stuff like that and he really, really liked the song and the idea and wanted to be involved. After that we went back to Sweden while he recorded the rap in America in Los Angeles and sent it over to us and we kind of collaborated over the internet, I guess.
__Why did you choose Def Jam as your label even though it has a Hip Hop history?
Sebastian: I mean we had a listening session for different labels and we met different people and I think we chose the person behind Def Jam
Axwell: For us also in England and Europe it’s the same people that we have worked with before. It’s the same label that we worked with in Swedish House Mafia individually. So in Europe it’s the same, but in America we wanted somebody that really understood what we were trying to do and somebody that really was excited and we felt like Def Jam was the most excited about us.
__In Europe it’s Virgin (Records)?
Axwell: Yes.
Sebastian: It’s Virgin.
Axwell: Kind of yes, I’m not entirely sure, but obviously it’s Universal. But then if it’s going to be
Sebastian: Virgin-EMI.
Axwell: Yea something like that. Probably yea. They change names.
__Where did you get the idea of sampling audiences through crowd shouts and then using that in your tracks?
Axwell: That was a long time ago we were thinking we must do something with the crowd, you know, we wanted to find ways to interact with the crowd and the music – not just throwing champagne in their faces or cake or just screaming at them, you know, we wanted to find something else. Then, we were like – would it be possible to record them and use them in a song?
__You prefer to be more creative?
Axwell: Yea, we have more ideas like that.
Sebastian: We are saving them for the updates…
__So, that audience sound is part of “Can’t Hold Us Down” and then in the latter half of that song the tempo really becomes faster; is that a platform for a lot of experiments with that song?
Sebastian: Yea, I mean, we elaborate a lot with the tempo changes in releasing songs.
Axwell: Because sometimes electronic music stays in the same tempo for a very long time. We just wanted to try and do something with the crowd and make them feel something different and one way is making a song that is super-fast.
__Have you got bored with 128?
Axwell: Well it’s a good tempo, but definitely it’s a time to try different tempos than 128. 128 has been done for a bit, but its good – a very good tempo. So is 140.
__Axwell, you had some really fast songs in the past like Acid house?
Axwell: Yea, in the really distant past like when I made Trance records and Acid. Yea. It was like…. things were fast then like 140 and 150 for sure.
__going back to there?
Axwell: Yea, why not. We will make a slow one and a fast one. I think that the crowd has experienced 128bpm for a very long time and so it’s so much fun to play “can’t hold us down” because in the end it gets pretty crazy.
__So at this point maybe we can say “On My Way” is going to be the main song on your upcoming album?
Axwell: Well, it’s probably going to be one of the first songs, yea.
__Can you tell us the theme of “On My Way?
Axwell: The story you mean?
__Yea.
Axwell: The story is a little bit about our history of how we had sort of a really big thing going on with Swedish House Mafia and how we got the key to the city and then threw it away and now we are back on the grind – on the struggle to make it again.
__Who is the vocalist?
Sebastian: Its two vocalists. And it’s a voice made by two men who will be revealed later.
__OK…alright…
Axwell: Yea it’s two.
Sebastian: I think you know already.
__Is the rumor right?
Axwell: Yea yea.
Sebastian: What’s the rumor?
__(the voice on the track is) Salem Al Fakir?
Sebastian: Yea, he’s one of them.
Axwell: And we made a song with him called “It’s True” a long time ago.
__ Also, (for) “Sun is Shining” your last (song) at Ultra Japan?
Axwell: Yea, it’s the same combination of two guys.
__Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare?
Sebastian: Yea, yea that’s right. That’s the two people. So it’s no secret.
__Where did you get that idea?
Axwell: Yea, I mean it’s just Simon and Garfunkel.
__Simon and Garfunkel?
Sebastian: Yea, that’s exactly where we got the idea from.
__How (did you get that idea)?
Sebastian: I mean there was a lot of songs written and that was one of the songs we felt was different, but as for where we got the idea from I don’t know.
__Another rumor is that Elton John is on that song?
Axwell: No, I mean people thought that but it’s actually not, it’s the two guys that you already knew.
__Any guest artists on the album?
Axwell: Yea, yea I mean obviously Elton John. And Ryan Tedder, OneRepublic is also on there. Pusha T obviously. We are not really sure. You know we have some people that we have worked with before that we are thinking about working with again so we shall see.
__So, Elton is on the other track?
Sebastian and Axwell: Yea.
__Not played yet?
Sebastian and Axwell: No.
__Should be a bomb.
Sebastian: Hopefully.
__So how far are you into the new album?
Axwell: Halfway.
Sebastian: All the songs are there, but they are not produced, you understand? The songs are written, so it’s already mapped out; we just have to go and make the individual productions
Axwell: That’s what takes time.
Sebastian: And also we change our mind from time to time and want to put different suits on the songs, so to speak.
__So it’s going to be sometime around the release date?
Sebastian: As of now its next year. Quarter 1 I guess. Hopefully, we make it happen.
__And how many songs is it going to be?
Sebastian: Like 10.
__So there are more songs that we have not heard yet?
Sebastian and Axwell: Yes.
Sebastian: They are just not playable yet.
Axwell: But some of the best!
Sebastian: For sure, for sure.
__So maybe the first single is going to be something that we have not heard yet?
Axwell: No, no. Probably the first is something that you have heard, but on the album there is a lot more that you haven’t.
__And you are going to be playing and trying out your new songs?
Sebastian and Axwell: Yea.
__Is there a running theme throughout album?
Axwell: Not a theme, I don’t know. Like the fact that we can’t go home is a little bit of the concept. But we haven’t figured it out yet. I think that the sort of theme will be that it will all sound like us.
__Last question, do you like sushi??
Sebastian: We love it.
Axwell:It’s the best!
__What kind of sushi?
Sebastian: What do you mean what kind?
__Like what kind of fish?
Sebastian: I like Yellowtail. Toro is nice. Tuna always!
__Thank you very much for the interview
All: Thank you, thank you
Interview: Tomo Hirata
Translation: Kyoko Maruyama
Tape transcription: Risa Clark
Photo: Drew Ressler/rukes.com
http://axwellingrosso.com/
http://www.universal-music.co.jp/