Faster Than Sound: Versatile Electronic Producer Qrion Finds Calm in Austin: I Hope It Lasts Forever arrives Friday at the Concourse Project – Music

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Photo by Jana Birchum

Producer Qrion (aka Momiji Tsukada) moved from her hometown of Sapporo on the northernmost island of Japan to the United States after a series of digital connections.

SoundCloud gems, such as a remote collaboration with Canadian artist Ryan Hemsworth, sparked excitement among the then young artists in the Vice and Fader blogosphere. Internet lovers hosted their first US show in 2015 in San Francisco, where a clip of Qrion bouncing around to a mashup of Juicy J and a song from Legend of Zelda went viral on Vine. Her first visit to Austin for South by Southwest in 2016 introduced her welcoming, cloud-cushioned electronic realm to Texas, which she now calls home.

“What a crazy trip,” she remarks on a video call from her new studio room. Qrion moved to Austin last month after five years in the Bay Area, bringing back a roundup of releases with outlets like Diplo’s Mad Decent, Moving Castle, Ultra Records and Last Night on Earth. The versatile soundscaper is wearing a quarantined debut album I Hope It Lasts Forever on her current label Anjunadeep.

As the perfect welcome party, their release show lands on October 29th at the Concourse Project, a huge new dance hall near the airport run by the RealMusic Events promotion team.

“During the pandemic, I had really little energy and little inspiration, but people on Twitch and Twitter who gave me warm comments motivated me to finish the album,” says the 27-year-old. “I’m just grateful to you.”

After frequent livestreams last year, Qrion has returned to headlining live performances with an album tour from August to December. While speaking earlier this month, she rested for a week between appointments in Seattle and Orlando. Frequent travel inspired her to move to Austin with a roommate, as well as other well-known factors that attract Californians.

“It’s very convenient for a tour,” she explains. “Instead of 6 hours from San Francisco to New York or Miami, it’s three or four hours from here. Taxes are cheaper, food is cheaper, everything is cheaper than San Francisco. It’s nice for a smaller artist like me. “

I Hope It Lasts Forever is a balanced reintroduction of Qrion’s musical breadth. The LP follows various solo EPs and a productive output as a remixer. While earlier candy-covered works created a playful, non-linear ambience (like the 2015 Apple-based “iPhone Bubbling”), Qrion geared her new album to a growing live audience.

“I like a danceable set now,” she says. “Before, I didn’t know how to mix my own music [live] because it didn’t have a kick or mix part at the beginning or the end. It was listening to more music. But I think this album can reach people who play music in a club with more options. “

Take Proud, which stands out from the crowd as a sample-based house track. On the dollar section of San Francisco’s Amoeba Music, Qrion pulled out Deniece Williams’ version of “I’m So Proud,” originally a 1964 hit by Impressions. With a lyrical loop like an encouraging parent’s, the instant boom aids the album’s deep immersion in Qrion’s childhood memories.

“I love Mall Grab or Ross From Friends, all those lo-fi house people,” explains Qrion. “So, I’m like, ‘Why not?’ I want to keep my productions melodic and relaxed, but I thought it would be a good idea to have a song that is just great house or more aggressive than my usual stuff. “

The visual accompaniment of “11-11” expands the reminiscence and contrasts delightful home videos of young Qrion playing the piano with modern recordings that lead a densely packed, laser-lit crowd. The artist learned the piano from her father, who played keys for Japanese pop “idol” acts in the 80s and 90s. The cheerful, subtly exuberant track is reminiscent of her late father indulging in the comforts of the past.

“Actually, I just talked to my therapist about it,” says the producer with a smile. “My dad went through a super deep depression when I was 9 years old, and after that my parents separated. Those moments before that were the time we spent as a family, all together. I love doing my music with it because it gives me peace of mind. “

The artist hopes that the audience will feel the same way.

“I want people to feel sentimental, nostalgic, or a little bit sad, like emo,” she says. “I want people to dance and cry on the floor at the same time.”

A representation of the proposed Violet Crown Amphitheater

Crosstalk

Violet Crown Amphitheater – a planned huge 20,000-seat amphitheater at the center of an entertainment and residential project – aims to be the size of the Hollywood Bowl in southwest Austin. The 71-acre site is northwest of State Highway 71 and the Southwest Parkway, apparently the highest point in Travis County. The International Development Management Company intends to open parts of the project in 2023. Priced between $ 600 million and $ 750 million, the Wonka-like plans include two luxurious apartment towers, a top golf-style driving range, a distillery and tasting room, and promises of a dance club, a rooftop nightclub, and a pool club the roof and a “traditional dance hall”.

Paul E. Scott

The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians has announced a new CEO following the resignation of beloved leader Reenie Collins. Paul E. Scott will now lead the major health care organization, which has grown by 40% in its eight-year tenure. Scott joins Vivent Health (formerly AIDS Services of Austin) where he has been since 2010. As a former competition pianist, he is also a singer and former member of the Austin Gay Men’s Chorus. “I have a deep appreciation for what music means to both the artist and the listener, which is what makes HAAM’s mission special to me,” said Scott. “We help them keep singing, playing and creating.”

Alejandro Escovedo (Cover photo by Todd V. Wolfson)

Bloodshot Records, the longtime home of indie roots and Alt.Country in Chicago, is undergoing a change of ownership affecting the catalogs of prominent Austin area artists such as Alejandro Escovedo, Rosie Flores, Scott H. Biram, Wayne Hancock and Jesse Dayton . Following the recent departure of co-founder Rob Miller, the label was taken over by the investment fund Exceleration Music. Bloodshot joins Alligator and Candid Records in the Exceleration roster.

The Red River Cultural District is opening the last phase of the COVID-19 aid measure “Banding Together ATX”, which was started after the SXSW 2020 was canceled. Apply by November 25th at redriverculturaldistrict.org.

Posted in the Starrs: Gossip Column Time! Under the rules of the tabloids that appearing on the red carpet seals the deal, Austin-based Ringo Deathstarr bassist Alex Gehring is now officially dating Hollywood actor Martin Starr (Freaks and Geeks, Silicon Valley). The two recently appeared together at the premiere of the new Marvel Studios movie Eternals.

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