heRajiKa tracks are an instrumental duo from Canada.  Some readers might be familiar with their work through Bob42jh’s dope compilation releases (check previous posts) but for those who aren’t – let’s find out!

Thanks for giving WIB the chance to talk with you, please introduce yourselves for readers who may be unfamiliar with you and your work…

Ruto: We are heRajiKa tracks with myself Ruto

Koki: And I’m Koki

Am I right in saying that you guys came together officially about 2 years ago? How did you find each other and what prompted the union?

[R]: Yes, we came together around that time, and one day Koki e-mailed me out of no where, told me that he heard my music, and wanted to collab with me.

[K]: Yeah, a friend of mine gave me a list of music to check out on Youtube and Ruto was one of them. After hearing a few songs of his, I felt his style and taste really matched mine so I knew that we would work well together, so I gave him a shout.

Continue Reading After The Jump (Track Previews)….

Were you producing music before this?

[R]: I was just making music for the fun of it. I started posting my stuff on youtube with some slide show images to go along with my sound.

[K]: Right before heRajiKa tracks I was making synth-pop songs under the name Konsept & Kontrol.

With regards to influences, what shaped your desire to make music in the beginning?

[R]: I was heavily influenced by the art of turntablism. When I was about 15, or 16 years old my brother gave me a video tape of the 95′ DMC World championship. I was very inspired by Grandmaster Roc Raida (R.I.P.), Q-bert, and Mix Master Mike . They all made me want to start dj’ing. Through dj’ing, I discovered the art of beat making.

[K]: I’ve been playing classical piano since I was 4 years old, so I’ve been exposed to many styles of music growing up. But I guess the actual music “making” process began in 2nd year University when I switched my degree from Music Performance to Music Composition at which point I began to write more material seriously.

Has this changed now? If we were to have a peek into your music collection today what could we expect to find? Would there be any extreme differences in musical taste between the two of you?

[R]: My base will never change, but I could definitely say that my musical range have gotten wider, and have broaden than before.

[K]: I was really heavy into Punk rock growing up…I listened to punk and drummed in punk bands pretty much all the way up till University, all the while playing classical piano. But after that I started getting real heavy into Hip hop and Electronica. So I guess there’s some diversity there.

Memories of youCLICK IMAGE TO VIEW VIDEO

How do the 2 of you work together? What are some of the dynamics or processes that go into making a track?

[R]: We usually start making a track by Koki creating a melody with a piano, and he would send the piano riff, then I would create a beat to it.

[K]: It’s crazy how music is such a Universal language. Ruto and I didn’t even know each other during the creating process let alone talk to each other really other than through emails. I would make a riff and email Ruto and he would know just what to do to the track…the right sounds, the right beat and the right vibes. And we did that back and forth back and forth with emails till the song was complete. Finding someone with the right musical chemistry is super important for sure.

What are your ambitions with regards to music?

[R]: I want to share the goodness that music brings to people.

[K]: Spreading positivity through our music is our goal. Whether your happy, sad, angry or whatever, I would want the music to help you get through it all.

Where do you source your inspiration from?

[R]: My inspiration comes from everything that you can see as well as the things you can’t see. Once you have the mind set to accept and appreciate everything that surrounds you, then anything can become inspirational.

[K]: Sometimes I’ll look at my surroundings and try to be inspired by the elements/nature around me. Look’n out at the rain or a snow storm, or like a super sunny day will definitely stir up some different emotions and will help bring up some new ideas. Also like if things are gett’n stressful, then head’n to the mountains to snowboard and surround yourself in nature gives me inspiration too…makes things real calm.

Do you have plans to work with any lyricists? Given the chance, who would you love to produce a track for?

[R]: I would love to work with lyricists in the future, but I’m not concerned about that right now.

[K]: Yeah this album was all about purity, so we wanted to just have our sounds in it. Who knows what can come up in the future though…

Paint My WorldCLICK IMAGE TO VIEW VIDEO

Coming at this interview as a huge fan myself, I found it really hard to pick less than 10 favourite tracks to talk about – are there any that you are particularly proud of?

[R]: Thanks! I appreciate it. I can’t pick one because i’m proud of all the tracks that we have created.

[K]: That is a hard one for sure. I don’t think I can pick just one either cause each of the tracks have different meanings and feelings behind them.

You have an album planned for release this month right? What was the motivation behind this and what can we expect from it? What else is in store for you guys in 2011?

[R]: Yes, we are releasing an album called “Love Universal” which will be in stores Jan 19, 2011 in Japan. I think you can expect to hear some Japanese feel through our sound since that is our background, and is what keeps us motivated in creating our music. Hope to start on another album, and keep making music that people can feel.

Lastly, would you like to say anything to our readers or fans of your music?

[R]: I want to say thank you to everyone who have listened to our music, and have supported us. Thank you!

[K]: Thanks WIB for the interview. Thanks to all the loyal Youtube fans and to everyone else out there who supports our music.

A big thanks again to heRajiKa tracks for taking the time to talk, WIB wishes you the best with your album and the future!

Check out and support their music:

heRajiKa tracks: Website • Myspace

Thanks also to Abe Spiegel for co-ordinating the interview.  Abe is a filmmaker/journalist whose current projects include “The Nujabes Documentary: An Eternal Soul”…

…the theme of which was produced by Ruto.  You can follow and support this project via tumblr, twitter and youtube.

Credit goes to Aoi Yamaguchi, Isabella Kung and Chris Andersen for the amazing cover artwork!

soulquarian14