The Power of Stories with Elijah Nang

Storytelling in music is essential.

Whether through impassioned lyrics, conceptual albums or simply performing with your heart; musicians have sought to express stories through their works through generations. The desire to share an experience with your audience is at the core of what makes creativity so inspiring, thought-provoking and essential. One artist who fully embraces the tradition of musical story telling is Elijah Nang. This British producer has made a name for himself through he’s various concept Albus and projects. Telling stories through the medium of his highly produced and high quality beats. We sat down with him, fresh off the release of his latest albums and with much more to come.

So let's kick off by talking about Gaijin 3000. Congrats on the release! What's the general concept or idea behind this album?

Thank you! Well you know it wasn't pre planned if I'll be honest. It started off with me making a lot of beats during lockdown. I was making a variety of beats, trying out new stuff I've never really tried out before. For my self development I kind of wanted to get better at certain things, like mixing for example, or just create more variation in my productions. Most of the tracks I ended up making throughout lockdown were a-lot more futuristic type of beats. So it was just during a pause after listening to these tracks when an idea came where I said 'Oh, let me just do like a spin off to the Gaijin series' which ended up being Gaijin 3000. That was pretty much it.

I mean, it's a real diversity in your sound. Was it just lockdown that fed into your experimentation or was there a conscious decision to start compiling stuff that's a bit different to what you're known for?

Yeah, I wanted to add some versatility into my arsenal this time around. I felt quite intentional about what I wanted to do. I kind of wanted to just explore what other genres were out there, other than just what I'm used to making like the Lo-Fi Hip-Hop, the Ambient, the Jazz. I think that's proved to be a huge benefit for me as an artist and also just shows a bit of versatility for myself, you know? So yeah, it was quite intentional about the music making process on this one.

Do you think it represents a kind of a turning point within your career? Like when you look back could this be the moment that stands out as the fork in the road?

I think you're on the right track. I do believe that. Who knows? Maybe seven years down the line I'm gonna look back at this album, particularly, as like the beginning of me being a complete artist. I do think with this album I'm actually evolving. So yeah, I definitely think so.

We kind of left the story of the album on a cliffhanger, but is there more of the story to come or are there other adventures for the protagonist to take?

Yes there will be a continuation of that story for sure. I've got something kind of in the pipes behind the scenes. I'm working on an audio drama. I just finished writing the first draft of that, so yeah, there will be an aftermath to what has happened.

Amazing! I'm excited for that! So I wanted to move on a little bit and talk about the Gaijin series. I think it's fair to say you're probably most well known for that series of albums. For people who may not have heard the albums, can you lay out a little bit what the series is about?

I can't give you too much only because I don't want to spoil how this is going to end, but I can tell you the idea is that I'm doing a series of this story. I have a good idea of when I'm going to finish this, so I just wanted to say that before I explain. The series revolves around two characters. The protagonist and antagonist. The protagonist was introduced in Gaijin season one and two and in Gaijin season three, the antagonist will be introduced. The protagonist is named Rai. He's on a quest to kind of regain his identity that he lost. I think, for him, he finds himself in this world and pieces of his memory start to fade. He kind of loses a bit of his identity and so he's on a quest to regain that. The antagonist, I can't quite share his story just yet, but yeah the whole tale is kinda inspired by all my influences over the years. My love for Japanese culture, for samurai culture. The influence I get from watching a lot of movies, anime and stuff. I'm someone that is a huge nerd when it comes to all of that stuff. Like I'm the kinda guy who when my favourite manga drops (One Piece), I'm always on the forums with the community talking about the latest chapter. It's a big dream of mine to do the same with the Gaijin series. The way I approach these albums now; I don't approach it like it's music. I approach it like it's actually a book I'm writing or movie I've just finished directing. I look at it that way. When it's all said and done, I feel like a lot of people within the Lo Fi community or even communities beyond that will be talking about these albums for a very long time.That's the ultimate dream and the vision that I have for this project.

You call yourself an audio novelist and the general theme of stories can be found in all your work. For you, how important is storytelling in music? Especially in instrumental music?

I think growing up I always used to think that you could just tell a story just through words, right? But being in the Beat scene or the Beat culture, I realised that you can actually tell stories through your instrumentation as well. I feel like with the platform I have and with the people following me, that's the message that I want to convey to my audience. You don't have to just tell your stories just through words. You could do it through instrumentation as well. Really storytelling through any creative medium is possible. Maybe you could speak through a movie or comic books or anything! Why do we have to just limit ourselves to just rapping or singing? Why can't we do it through just instrumentation? I feel I speak for those that prefer to just be in the background, that just make music and don't want that much attention. I speak for those people. Like, you don't have to be centre stage and tell your story by rapping or singing, you can just do it in your bedroom and put it on the internet for the world to hear. I feel like storytelling is bigger than ever based on what i’ve seen so I think it’s a good opportunity to utilize that.

I think you're so well known for your storytelling, but do you think there's anyone else out there plumping the same story telling depths?

There are a few people I would say that I feel are close to what I do. Kalaido is one, WEI another one and that’s just to name a few, I've actually worked with them on the Gaijin project and when I listen to their music we do have similar music taste.

Do you draw from your own experiences when crafting these audio stories? I mean how do you sort of find that emotional connection between you the person and you the storyteller?

Um yeah I feel like every track I make is inspired by my life, by my faith in God. I think all of that translates into my music because I'm taking not only that by everything I see and experience. I also pull in my feelings from things I read or watch. You know, from graphic novels or anime and stuff like that. I think that all translates and feeds into my work. 

 I mean, talking about your creative process, what does that generally look like?

What I like to do is listen to a particular type of genre of music first. I tend to listen to music while I'm sleeping as well. I'll give you an example. I'm currently working on a Garage track for a few artists. So that's going to require me to actually listen to some Garage music. Whether it is the new wave of Garage or the classics, it's just to get my ears in tune to the genre. To understand the instrumentation, how the drum patterns work, what I need to know to make sure it sounds like a Garage track. I will tend to also listen to it while I'm sleeping as well and then the next day, I'll probably listen to a little bit more then get to work. That kind of works out for me because I'll end up making something from that. That's pretty much my workflow. I used two DAWs as well, Maschine MK3 and Logic. With the Maschine I tend to sketch out my beats and then I'll just leave it for the day. If I like it the next day, I'll just finish it off on Logic. Arrange it, mix it and that's pretty much it.

I love that you are using active listening as part of your process! So In terms of specific musical inspirations or influences, what are some of those artists or bands that inspire the way you create or what you're creating?

I mean, to go from the start there's Nujabes and J Dilla. Those guys for sure were massive inspiration. Then we got Flying Lotus. One thing I like about Flying Lotus is that his music's just weird, in a good way. 

The final two musicians I will name are important to me because that’s how I was able to find my niche. Tim and Bob and Hiroshima, when I heard of these guys for me it was the first time hearing Eastern music being infused with Hip-Hop/Jazz influences, that changed everything for me.

Are there any kind of genres or styles that you haven't touched or experimented with that you'd like to take into a certain direction with your production? Or even the ones that you have explored, that you want to specifically deeper into?

Vaporwave is definitely one. Like after listening to Gaijin 3000 back, I felt like yeah, Vaporwave is definitely something that I would like to kind of do a bit more of. I'd like to do some more ambient music with no drum patterns, just still music. In terms of any that I've not really touched on? Honestly, not really. Although I will say I'm composing a bit more epic music right now, similar to movie or soundtrack type music. I feel like the next step for me is actually getting people to play for me when it comes to composition and stuff like that. I think that's the next step.

 Very exciting! Do you see that sort of kind of coming out in an orchestra situation or band or? How are you seeing that  vision shake out?

I could see that'd be an orchestral situation. Yeah, I can definitely see that. Of course, I  can see it being a band as well, but I'm definitely leaning more towards the orchestra. 

I see a Quincy Jones kind of situation for sure! Yeah, that'd be very cool. So going to influences, you're really influenced by Japanese culture and East Asian culture. What's the sort of the main draw for you with those cultures? like why do they resonate so strongly with you? 

Well, I think it really started with just influences that I was into when I was younger. Like, the manga and the anime stuff. Honestly, I didn't really feel like I was going to like the country when I went there for the first time. But ever since I visited I just loved it ever since. I felt like being around the culture, being around the people, getting to know the culture and getting to know the people as well; really inspired me. I feel like that transferred into my music, you know?  There's so many issues that's going on in our world today, especially in Japan, and I feel quite attached to all of the issues that's going on out there in Japan. Whether it's the suicide rates or the earthquakes that happened recently; I just feel like my heart is connected to that country.  One day I want to go out there and document those issues. I could see myself being one of those YouTubers or filmmakers that just talks about the good and bad of Japan. Like I could see that. The music's there, but I feel like it can end up becoming more than just music you know? I feel like there's gonna be a cause in what I do, when it's all said and done. But yeah, I think of everything that's going on in the world, especially Japan, I think that's what's inspired me. Or, in other words, that's what's transferred into my music.

So I wanted to talk a little bit about your photography. You released 'Lost in Japan', a collection of coloured and black and white photo books last year. How did these pieces come about? 

Yeah so I took a lot of photos when I was out there back in 2019. I took as many as I could. I didn't really know what to do with these photos at first and then I thought how could I maximize these photos? So that's when the idea came to do a few photo books. I did the black and white and coloured edition as well as a short film documentary. In terms of the print, I mean, it was quite straightforward. I was able to do this through a website called blurb, which is known for publishing photo books from independent photographers. So that was quite straightforward.

Has photography always been a passion? How did photography come about?

Yeah, I think it was just quite an organic thing?  I think it all started when I first jumped on Instagram and I was just looking at the beautiful photos on there. I had an iPhone at the time and the pixel quality was nice, so I was taking pictures from my phone but through that it just became an organic expression. As years went by, I said you know what maybe it's time I invest in a camera you know? So yeah, everything just happened naturally to be honest with you.

Is your photographic creativity different to you musical creativity? Does it overlap anywhere?

I feel like my music and the imagery in terms of photography and visuals, feel like they both complement each other, They're both my way of expressing myself. There's a lot of artistry that uses a lot of animation within the Lo-Fi community, so this is my way of representing that. It's just my way of expressing myself so my audience see what I've seen, through the lens, and hear what I hear with the music. It intertwines with what I've experienced while I've been in Japan, and from my sound.

Do you have any future plans for more photo books?

Yeah I'm looking at South Korea at the moment. I'd love to get some shots out there as well. I've always wanted to explore the country and so I'm definitely interested in doing some shooting out there too.

Who's coming up right now that you really think people should know more about? You mentioned Kalaido & WEI but are there others?

Yeah so for sure Kalaido and WEI. I just really like what they’re doing. I feel like they help me out in terms of learning new stuff. There's also Tenno, Dokkodo Sounds and an upcoming singer called Daughter of Eve. I've watched her for years and to see how much she's grown as an artist is amazing. She keeps getting better and better. So she's someone I'm excited for. 

What's next for Elijah Nang?

Yeah, so I have Gaijin season 3 coming this summer, hopefully. That's the next project and I'm really excited by it. I feel like Gaijin 3000 was kind of like the beginning of the evolution of my sound, but I feel like this album, Gaijin season three, will kind of be like my homecoming. It will be something that the audience that have been following me for years will be familiar with but it's an evolved version of me. It's 2.0. basically. It's me re-introducing myself as Elijah Nang 2.0 so I'm excited about that!

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