Friend is the suitably vague moniker for Jesse Kanda, a music producer based in London. Tracks from his own EP "Shima", can be heard at myspace.com/friendddd. The EP is set for release in the coming months and is perfectly timed to soundtrack the summer, with floating vocals mixing with hazy ambient sounds and synths, along with some far-eastern inflections and the odd steel drum or two. Two tracks can already be downloaded; one from The Fader and the other from RCRD LBL.

Here's a copyright busting video for the track Doki which utilizes clips from various Wong Kar Wai films...



I dropped Jesse a line and sent him a few questions. Here's what he had to say for himself.

Tell me a little about yourself - what's your musical background?
Friend is just me - Jesse Kanda, 21, half Japanese half Canadian living in London. Music is my eternal love!

Have you been producing for long?
I've been making music for one year now.

Do you produce for bands or is it just remixes and making your own tunes?
So far it's been my own songs and remixes... I'd rather be part of a band than produce one, but who knows!

Do you dj as well? Did you begin by djing?
Yes I've been djing for about a year as well. I started getting invited to play as a result of making music. It was always an interest though, I used to make mixtapes for fun.

You've done remixes for some high profile people - how did they come about? Did they approach you?
Most of the time my manager Stephen goes "wanna do this? wanna do that?" and I pick out the ones I think I can work with or look fun to do.

I believe you are a photographer and film maker too; can you tell me a little bit about your work here? Do the three processes inform each other much
I'm really neither of those but I'm a graphic designer/visual artist so as a result have to dabble in those areas sometimes too. They're all the same in that it's coming up with an idea and figuring out a way to do it.

Tell me about Friend? Why Friend?
It was a terrible idea, you can't google it! I don't know, I'm not very creative with words and it felt like a sincere, simple name. I don't think some artsy band name would suit me anyway.

 When is the EP due?
It's finished but I'm thinking about what to do with it... I don't think there's a point in selling it unless it's a physical record and it's only a headache trying to deal with label people. I don't like waiting.

Are you planning an album?
Don't know! I like the idea of making music that I want to make and releasing it how I want to release it. Go with the flow I guess. But you know, I do prefer the format of EPs.. They're more frequent concentrated bursts of ideas instead of long drawn out pain and misery. Yeah, I want to stay away from misery and just be happy making music.

Where do the vocals come from? Samples? Your own? Do you get people in?
That's me!

The steel drum sounds and some sitar like and eastern sounds give the music an unusual feel - how did you land on these sounds? Are they from particular genres of music that interest you?
I just love the sounds that those instruments make. I think it's an interesting combination of origins, but it's only by chance that they sounded decent together. Yeah, I listen to all kinds of music from all different times, as long as its got qualities I like about it.

Are there other people making electro and ambient music at the moment that you like?
In new music, I think there are more Swedish artists that I relate myself to than any other country right now. Air France, Studio, The Tough Alliance, The Knife, Boat Club, etc. Musically, I don't think I belong in London. To me most new British indie sounds very angry and un-melodic. It's the complete opposite of the madchester days when everything was much cheesier. Not to say there isn't great new stuff.

The EP has quite a hazy/summery feel, was that intentional?
Yes, everybody loves summer!

There is quite a psychedelic feel to the music and to your images (on MySpace etc) - does early rave culture interest you? Is 60s/70s psychedelic a reference point?
Sure! Not so much the culture but the sounds from it are really beautiful. I can't get enough of electric guitar delays, tremelos, etc.

What further plans have you got?
Piña coladas on the beach.

The video for Doki uses images from Wong Kar Wai films - are you expecting a law suit soon?
I hope so! Even if it's in court I would love to meet him in person.