[Honey’s Anime Interview] Void_Chords a.k.a. Ryo Takahashi

What is the meaning of your solo project name Void_Chords?

A void is a region in space where nothing exists. The name represents exploration into a musical realm that has yet to be discovered. It also refers to extracting sound from a void in my mind (outside of my neural pathways) that I am not even aware of.

You’ve been working on the soundtracks of numerous anime and games. Can you tell us about the ideas and sound behind your most recent song “Infocus,” the ending theme of the TV anime Tribe Nine?

Tribe Nine has a vivid design with intense, flashy battle elements. To properly express the setting and create music worthy of the ED theme, I tried to approach it with cool electronic elements, which I haven’t done so far as Void_Chords.

The static part, which is based on machine drums and synths, contrasts more emphatically with the dynamic part, which represents the pulsating physicality of the latter half of the song.

“Infocus” features LIO, who participated in “FLARE” as a guest vocalist. But this time, she helped produce the song too. Can you share with us the dynamics of you working together in the songs?

While I was brainstorming ideas for the music, I thought LIO would be a perfect fit for this song as well, so I offered it to her. I had the song written up already and asked her to freely express the “playfulness” part of the vocals. Not only did she skilfully capture the groove of the song, but she was also proactive in giving positive feedback, so we were able to finish the final version right away.

We are curious to know which anime songs were your favorites when growing up.

I particularly recall the Lupin III theme, which was probably the first time I became aware of jazz, and the Tribe Gundam soundtrack. I enjoyed music that helped me discover new genres.

What are your plans for 2022? More releases, maybe a tour?

I have lots of releases planned for 2022, so please stay tuned!

Please, share with us a message for your fans overseas who have been following your career.

I’m grateful that we can transcend distance, language, and environment to share the same values. I’ll do my best to bring you lots of exciting music in the future!