The experience of watching Maywa Denki perform is more than difficult to explain. Perhaps it’s because the strange, dreamlike combination of man, machine and music transcends language, expands our imaginations and sends us to an almost transcendental level of stomach-knotting laughter. I’d say that watching Maywa Denki reminds me of being young, but that would be a lie: I certainly wasn’t this imaginative in my youth. But, were I the chairman of a quasi-fictional Japanese electronics company, maybe I too would create a dazzling display of superfluous mechanical instruments (”products,” if you will).

The trio of musical engineers of Maywa Denki create a dazzling spectacle with overworked combinations of moving electronic and mechanical parts. Somehow, the haphazard collection of these “instruments” manages to create a sound — a sound that the entire audience can dig. It’s incredibly Japanese, and yet, so utterly understandable by all. Speaking to Maywa Denki about their creative process doesn’t reveal much: it does however, confirm our sneaking suspicions that maybe, just maybe, there’s an incredible method to this relentless madness.

Interview and more after the jump.

New York-Tokyo: How did Maywa Denki get formed? What was the inspiration behind its creation?
Maywa Denki: I made a series of work “Naki” while I was in a graduate program of art at Tsukuba University. I exhibited these pieces as though these were the electric products or something displayed at an electric store. I did it because no one would have paid attention to my work if I presented it in a typical way.

NYT: Was it easy for people (producers, fans) to understand such a unique concept?
Maywa Denki: Our concept is similar to Surume (smoked squid). One bite tastes good, but it gets better as you chew.

NYT: What was the very first product designed by Maywa Denki?
Maywa Denki: “Maywa Denki” as a style.

NYT: Which comes first when designing a product for performance: its visual aesthetics, or its musical properties?
Maywa Denki: Visual aesthetics comes first. Then its musical properties come next. This is opposite to usual musical instruments.

NYT: Once a product is made, how is music composed for it? How do your musicians practice using each product?
Maywa Denki: Visual atheistic is the most important part for our music instruments. So, it is no surprising that you get injured or have tremendous difficulty to perform each product. You adopt yourself to machines. Machines rule us!

NYT: Have there been any disasters with the products during your concerts?
Maywa Denki: We’ve experienced a lot of disasters with the products. Otherwise, we start worrying if something bad will be happened like earthquake.

NYT: In Japan, many CDs have been produced featuring Maywa Denki’s music. Why do you think Maywa Denki has been so successful in Japan?
Maywa Denki: Japanese love funny/weird stuff.

NYT: Is performing to an English audience very different than working with a Japanese one? How so?
Maywa Denki: Nobody understands English in Japan. We (Japanese) are the poorest at speaking English among developed countries.

NYT: Do you believe Maywa Denki may be “too Japanese” for an American audience?
Maywa Denki: “Ninja, Fujiyama, Geisha, … Maywa Denki.”

NYT: It’s been over ten years since the group’s first album — is performing something Maywa Denki will continue to pursue?
Maywa Denki: Producing, performing, selling and living. This principle will never be changed in my life.

By Andrew Yoon
Translation by Don Jones