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One year after their last mini album, JILUKA are back with their new mini album IDOLA, presenting you a parallel world with the choices that weren’t pursued in XTOPIA. If you want to know more about XTOPIA, please check out our previous interview with them! Read it here.
IDOLA is a powerful and strong mini album with aggressive songs that are perfect for concerts!
Thank you very much for having another interview with us. After listening to SUZAKU, which was released in advance of the mini album, we were very much looking forward to the other songs on it.
We noticed a few parallels between your lyrics. For example the word “starlight” in KUMARI and “moon”, “sun”, “brightness” and “darkness” in Eclipse. Furthermore, the words “Break” and “Rise” in SUZAKU and “break through” and “fly out” in BaLa-DeDa. Are those songs in any way connected?
Sena: The connection between the songs is that they are about breaking out or waking up from the dystopian world of IDOLA.
We looked into the meaning of IDOLA, which is the plural form of “idolum”. “Idolum” means an “insubstantial image” or a “fallacy” and comes from the Latin word for “apparition” or “religious idol”. We also noticed many religious elements in your songs. The most noticeable element is the choir directly in the intro and in the beginning of KUMARI. The title of the song, KUMARI, is also religious. Even Zyean’s outfits resemble a priest’s robe. Can you tell us why you chose this element for your current work?
Sena: Although there are parts that overlap with reality, the world of IDOLA is not an actual portrayal of reality, it’s simply imagery. Also, KUMARI or PRG:KMR are part of IDOLA’s plot.
What’s more, the lyrics of KUMARI include religious elements such as “holy silence”, “You are God, Obey the rule” and “I’m not your God, I’m not God”. The song appears to be speaking against idolization. Is this only connected to religion or also to you as artists with a huge fanbase?
Sena: The religious connotation actually wasn’t intended, it’s meant to express the story of the unique world of IDOLA.
IDOLA is the parallel world to Xtopia. While Xtopia took place in an utopia, IDOLA deals with a dystopia. Even though the songs mention various hardships, the message seems to be to break out of the dystopia. The world is still in a difficult place at the moment. Was IDOLA your way of dealing with the current situation?
Sena: In terms of hardships, IDOLA does overlap with the real world. Maybe it was our way of freeing ourselves from those.
Eclipse is mostly in English but also has a few Japanese parts, while BaLa-DeDa is a complete mix, even within the sentences sometimes. Why did you choose to mix the two languages to this extent for that song?
Sena: It’s the result of the nuances the songs required.
The album cover for IDOLA is the first of your album covers that is only black and white. Is this another connection to the balance between brightness and darkness?
Sena: It’s related to the story that runs through IDOLA.
IDOLA is a very aggressive album. The instruments are also incredibly fast and the shouting and growling is quite intense. Were there moments during the song production where you reached your limits?
Ricko: At the very beginning of KUMARI, I expressed a sound that was far beyond a voice and had to raise my voice until I reached my limit.
Sena: For the guitar solo of Ablaze there was an incident where I was bleeding from my fingertips. It truly showed the fight to the death in the last chapter of the story.
Boogie: The skin on my fingers peeled off.
Zyean: There’s quite an aggressiveness to performing KUMARI. Especially the complicated and intelligent development of the song and the fast drum phrases tested my limits. But the other songs have many phrases I came up with intuitively.
While listening to the album, personally we think that BaLa-DeDa stands out quite a bit. The mix of different genres in the song is really interesting and we are really curious to see what kind of mood the song will create during live performances! Could you tell us your personal favourite song from the album?
Ricko: I can recommend all of them but, I recommend KUMARI.
Sena: PRG : KRM is a song I came up with that is a mix of many different images united into a story. I’m really attached to that song.
Boogie: Ablaze.
Zyean: I like all of them so much, I honestly can’t really choose one. I also like BaLa-DeDa a lot. When we worked on that song, I had a rough time coming up with the phrases for the drums and it took quite a while to finish the song. It’s also a song with a deep emotional attachment, isn’t it?
What is the part of music production that you like best and which the least?
Ricko: I love that I can push myself to the limits regardless of time. And I hate that I push my limits too hard and can’t get up the next day (laughs).
Sena: I like that I can express my own images, devoting myself to the work as if I’m working on a film production. I don’t like that the work is like the deep sea, while trying to keep yourself in place, you aren’t able to move freely anymore (laughs).
Boogie: I enjoy thinking about phrases and the composition of songs, and I hate when the PC isn’t operating well.
Zyean: The thing I like about the creation period is that I can confront the drums earnestly, or the amazing feeling of being able to release what is inside of myself into the world. It always gives me a sense of elation. What I don’t like is that you end up wishing for infinite time, I guess (laughs).
Also, what is the first thing you do after finishing a new single or album?
RIcko: I want to eat something delicious first of all.
Sena: I’m holding an imaginary DJ event where our fans listen to the new songs.
Boogie: I sleep a lot.
Zyean: I’m happy and drink a lot of my beloved alcohol.
And last but not least, what are your expectations for the mini album? Is there a goal you want to reach with it?
Ricko: We’ll present IDOLA during our tour, and my goal is to cheer up the people who come to see and support us.
Sena: I’m satisfied that we were able to create such a meaningful piece. I want many people to listen to it.
Boogie: I want many people in the whole world to listen to it.
Zyean: It’s a piece of work that will create an updated version of JILUKA, and I am proud of its high quality. It makes me really happy that this album will be listened to by people all over the world. We once again want to betray our fans’ expectations in a good way and aim for even higher standards, so please keep supporting us!
Interview: Chris
Translator: Jenny
English Edit: Franzi
It would be great if you could support us with a small donation.
It might not be much for you, but it would help us providing more and better interviews in the future.
With a little bit of your support we might be able to realize even more!
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