I Am The Band is the main musical outlet of Paul Takahashi, a French and Canadian illustrator currently living in Vilnius.

The praxis of the project is simple: a human-machine interaction as direct as possible, away from computers. Short and long loops are bouncing back and forth between the sequencer and the synths and every change in the sound is at the fingertip. I Am The Band is playing his machines like physical instruments.

The music adapts itself to the situation, but for the most part it is meant for people to dance. It is, and always should be, tactile rave music. Neanderthal trance.

Aesthetics matter greatly. To pretend that the project is purely musical would be insincere, as it is a companion to Paul’s primary mode of expression – visual art. Just like in his illustrative world, the influence of 90’s dystopic science fiction, with cables running in and out of human flesh, is strong. Chaos, grittiness and error margins are essential clues towards a broader reflection on life and consciousness in the age of technology. This is why the physicality of the hardware is essential.

As part of his work Paul has provided artworks and layouts to various bands for their physical releases – Sleep Museum, Troum, AES Dana, Otavan Veret, Slownoise, Mind over MIDI, among others. If you have a fitting project, be sure to get in touch.