see the short video here
Intentional or not, there is an air of mystery surrounding Barbican Estate. Japanese band based in London, named after a 60’s London housing development just outside the city that divides opinions, an absent drummer who has remained in Tokyo, a Flute, a Mellotron, a Sitar…. I could go on, but for sure they are the best gigging band around town at the moment. Intense, disturbing, menacing, beautiful…are amongst the terms I have heard mentioned from those who have witnessed their shows recently. Following the release of their most recent EP, Viscum, I thought it was time to demystify them…. At least partly. We meet between soundcheck and show at the Sebright Arms, an East London boozer with great food and an even greater basement gig venue. Miri (flute, Bass & Mellotron, often all played at the same time) and Kazuki (Guitar, Sitar) make a stylish and striking couple. Official drummer, Ko, is thousands of miles away and stand in drummer tonight, Sparrow, is keeping a low profile elsewhere in the pub.
Q. What is your home town In Japan? M. Tokyo… Well Chiba really. Close to Tokyo Disneyland! K. Tokyo.
Q. How did you two meet? K. We met in the crowd at a Thurston Moore gig in Shibuya in 2018.
Q. What musicians do you most admire and have influenced you? K. There are a lot of them, Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth come to mind as well as Pink Floyd, Hendrix. M. Mainly 60’s bands and American Psychedelic bands like The Doors, Jefferson Airplane. K. We like to combine, 60’s psych sounds with 90’s Sonic Youth.
Q. Favourite bands? K. Sonic Youth. M. Pink Floyd maybe…no… The Doors!
Q. If you could only take 1 album with you, what would it be? M. Wish You Were Here. K. Evol.
Q. Why London? K. I got a visa to work here
Q. Is it your long term home do you think, or maybe you will try somewhere else? K. Yes I want to stay in London for a long time if possible.
Q. You have an interest in Brutalist architecture, did that influence the bands name? I think its a great name but a very unusual one too. Despite me living here it’s somewhere I rarely ever visit. M. Yes that's me, mainly, and yes it did influence our name, plus its a name no one really knows in Japan.
Q. Interests outside of music? K. History. My major was in History so I love visiting Roman ruins and old historic places around Europe. M. Film, Cinema.
Q. You play some unusual instruments, Flute and Sitar, which add a very unique sound to your music. How did you arrive at playing these? M. I played in a brass band in elementary school which is where I started playing flute. K. I went to India when I was, like 20 years old and found myself in a Sitar class and then practiced there for a month or so, I really love the sitar sound and admired the musicians who play the Sitar so that is why I learned the instrument. I also sometimes play the guitar in a sitar style. Q. Are there any other instruments you may introduce into your music in the future? I could see you playing a Theremin for example. K. Yeah, I sometimes use guitars like a Theremin, bringing it nearer and away from the amps to induce that sound using the effect pedals. I would like to experiment with old style synthesizers, like old Moog’s as well in the future. M. I want to play Oboe, I love the raw, organic sound of them.
Q. And, what’s next for Barbican Estate? K. We want to make another album, maybe for next year, and keep playing more gigs. Let’s hope that is the case. Thank you both for your time and have a great show tonight. Viscum EP is available now to buy in our
store. here
