INTERVIEW: NEVERSPEAK links with JedLi on “Moneymaker”

Originally hailing from the UK, artist and producer NEVERSPEAK has more recently moved to Japan to bring to life his sonic vision. Driven by his passion for music, NEVERSPEAK finds inspiration in the gritty, dimly lit environments and pulsating beats of underground electronic scenes.

From his base in Tokyo, he crafts a unique style of electronic music that stitches together analogue modular synthesis with the precision of modern digital production, resulting in a sound that’s at once raw and refined. First unveiling the NEVERSPEAK project in 2020 with the debut single “Push,” he’s since dropped a string of singles over the last few years.

Now he brings us his latest release with the brand new single titled “Moneymaker,” this time linking with talented hip hop artist JedLi, a friend NEVERSPEAK met while living in Japan to collaborate on the track. Laying down a dark and moody electronic soundscape, thumping beats and buzzing synth textures kick off the track with intense energy.

Cutting elements of electro house and dubstep, the two artists serve up a thrilling ride that’s exhilarating and impactful from start to finish, all wrapped up in slick sound design. Sampling vocals from JedLi’s 2021 single “Good Writtens,” the spacey processed vocal elements bring in an explosive drop where punching beats drive gritty synth sweeps and deep bass pulses.

Injecting a hip hop twist into his sound via collaborating with JedLi, “Monkeymaker” delivers a potent dose of pure musical energy. It’s a raucous electronic music experience that showcases the creative synergy and talents of these two exciting artists.

With “Moneymaker,” NEVERSPEAK continues to go from strength to strength and confirm his status as a must-watch producer in the electronic music sphere. We caught up with NEVERSPEAK to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “Monkeymaker (feat. JedLi)” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with NEVERSPEAK below.

Hey NEVERSPEAK, how’s things?

I am good, thank you. It’s always an exciting time getting ready for a track to drop so you can see the reaction. I’m also always so curious to see where it grows an audience too, it’s always in the places I’d least suspect.

Is there a story behind the name?

It’s so hard to find a good name that hasn’t already been taken! And I really wanted something that had a little mystery to it as I always believe in letting people find their own meanings.

NEVERSPEAK really worked for me when I landed on it because it is a little abstract and although it has somewhat of a darker more sinister vibe to it, there’s a lot of positive spins too… which is kind of how I like to approach writing music.

Maybe one day I’ll give up what it means to me but for now, I just want to let it resonate with people on their own terms.

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

As a kid, we always had a keyboard around for as long as I can remember. One of those old chunky Casio ones with those cheesy drum patterns. That thing was amazing and had a really basic recording memory too which I loved messing around with – that became the first MIDI keyboard I used too later on when I got in to producing. It was all just experimenting with noise though, I had no idea what I was doing musically. I think I still work off the same energy creatively if I’m being honest.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

There’s so many! Creatively I’d say most comes from a lot of other producers that make what I’d called filthy bass music… which can cover a lot of sub-genres… all linked by the common trait of having heavy, noisy, distorted and generally powerful filthy bass.

There are some amazing producers out there bring some really heavy electronic music, especially in the mid-tempo bass genres. Artists like Rezz, One True God or KLOUD. I also love electronics artists who can bring it but don’t always take themselves too seriously, like Boys Noize, Mr Oizo or Two Fingers.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

Other than just experimenting whenever I have a chance, I love to just draw from the energy of a place, which is why living in Tokyo is awesome. There’s a unique pulse to the city that keeps me inspired. There’s so much happening… people, places, stories… it never stops. For me here, a new idea is never far away.

For Moneymaker, that initial inspiration came from a summer for watching a lot of Japanese pro-wrestling for the first time ever. That is a world in itself!

What was your highlight of the year for 2023?

Artistically I’d say releasing The Runner. Is that answer cheating?

That was the first time working on a release with a vocalist and her presence on the track really made it. Then to see how it was received and grew was really cool. It ended up getting listened to in places I’d have never expected and then seeing where people were Shazam-ing it brought a whole perspective I’d not had before. Like where are these people hearing music out in the wild? What are they vibing with? And what does it mean to some of those people?

Seeing your stream count go up is one thing but knowing there is this real world interactions going on with your music in that way is a little mind blowing as an independent artist.

What do you love about the Tokyo music scene?

There’s just so much going on, so many small venues and clubs and a hell of a lot of creativity. The Japanese musicians and artists aren’t afraid to take their influences and blend them to something that is uniquely theres. A lot of it can be such a push back against the daily grind lifestyle too that it just hits a certain way. The international community here in Tokyo too are making some great music. It’s infectious!

I feel like I still have so much more to discover here.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

Anytime that it’s “go time”. You got something you need to push to get done or through? That’s a good moment. And listen however you like, preferably on something that’ll do the low-end justice.

Perhaps one day I’ll release something that’s for more of a chilled moment… buuut Moneymaker is not that track.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

When I first started making music properly I was making it with a few rock bands mostly with some fun production-driven electronic stuff on the side. I always loved electronic music but didn’t really dedicated myself to it until I ended up in a small apartment with thin walls out here. Guitars wouldn’t go down well with the neighbours!

So I really leant in to that. I loved getting deep in to designing bass sounds on the computer and then getting hands on with hardware and modular synths to bring some analogue grit and human factors in. That’s still a balance that I’m working out and evolving with… it’s an ongoing journey!

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

That’s a real tough question! I think there’s a couple of directions for it too and there’s artist producers I’d love to work with and also singers I’d love to work with. For a artist / producer, it’d have to be Trent Reznor, no doubt – his work has always been hugely influential, especially when I first got in to music production.

For a vocalist, I could rattle through so many but right now to stay true to my metal roots, how could I not say Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle). Killer voice, great lyricist…

The a-game I’d have to bring to a collaboration like that would be insane.

How did you find making your new single “Moneymaker”?

Some tracks take a ton of work to get to the finish line and some come much together so much more easily. Moneymaker was one of the ideas that just came together naturally and was so fun to work on. Nothing too technical, just a sonic chair shot to the cranium.

How was it working with JedLi on the track?

Jed is an amazing hip-hop artist and rapper with such a positive vibe, so bringing him in on a track a track where I subvert that a little is always something I’m trying to gauge a reaction on. I think that’s what excited him though with this, getting to be part of something different and just seeing where it goes.

We’ve got some other tracks in the works too, so I’m hoping we can wrap those up by the end of the year. I’ll work with Jed any chance I get.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

This one is more about the energy than anything else. I hope it’s a track that can get people pumped up and ready to go. It’s got a comic book type vibe to it and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. So I guess the message is go all out but after all is said and done, make sure you’ve enjoyed yourself.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

Aside from the influences I mentioned earlier, I like to listen outside the genre a lot. I get a lot of hip-hop on the rotation and am loving Coast Contra at the moment. And then going back to my more rock roots, Mars Volta or At The Drive In are never out of my playlist rotation for long.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

Take the energy and run with it however it vibes with you. I hope it gets people pumped up and feeling ready to take on anything. More than that, I just hope that for those who listen enough can find their own meanings and make it their own. That’s one of the coolest things for me as an artist to see.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

The only advice I can give with any conviction is just get things finished and get things out there.

Any time I over polished something in search of perfection, it didn’t stick with people. But the work that was honest and felt a bit raw was what people loved the most. I feel like too much polish tries to direct people too much but with something raw they can really find their own meaning and that is something far greater than I have control of.

Give your work that chance. Perfect is the enemy of (really) good.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2024?

I’ve got a few more tracks close to wrapping up and have been experimenting with my live setup for some small sets around Tokyo later this year. I’m looking forward to being able to announce more about all of that.

So I’ve got some grind to get on! Feels good. And this has been fun, thank you.

Listen to Moneymaker (feat. JedLi) below