We caught up with Japanese electronic music producer Chizawa Q, who released his latest single ‘Beluga’ featuring Masaki Sakamoto on October 4th, via the renowned R&S Records imprint. ‘Beluga’ serves as a teaser for his forthcoming album Xenoverse slated for release on November 22nd. Chizawa Q is breaking ground with his otherworldly fusion of jazz, soul and techno, with ‘Beluga’ leading the charge. To date, he has worked with the likes of the legendary Jeff Mills as well as the revered anime composer Yoko Kanno. In the interview, Chizawa Q reveals the inspiration behind ‘Beluga’, how his love for film and anime influences him, and what else he has in the pipeline.
Stream ‘Beluga’ while reading the interview below:
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
“It’s like a soundtrack to a universe that doesn’t exist yet — a sci-fi score that awakens memories from a world we’ve never seen”.
Congratulations on the upcoming release of your single ‘Beluga’. What is the inspiration behind the track?
I wanted to create this emotional fusion between jazzy piano and a pure, dubby techno track. I had this vision of a pianist with a techno backbone, and Masaki Sakamoto really fit that image perfectly. Together, we found this unique direction — something that feels fresh yet familiar.
The music video for ‘Beluga’ is incredible and fits the track so perfectly. Can you tell us about the vision behind the music video?
The video was crafted by a filmmaker called Infinite Vibes. We’d been talking about themes like “unknown universes and creations” for a while, and his style naturally aligned with that. He uses elements of AI, which I think was the perfect way to capture something that feels beyond our imagination.
How did the creation of your forthcoming album Xenoverse challenge you as an artist?
R&S Records is a legendary global label, known for featuring Japanese artists like Ken Ishii and Boom Boom Satellites, who made waves internationally. Being able to release my album through such a renowned label is a major achievement for me.
Is there any “non-musical” ingredient that is essential to crafting your sound?
Definitely film. I’m really inspired by the works of Alex Garland and Denis Villeneuve. Plus, games like Zelda, and anime by visionaries like Mamoru Oshii and Yoshiyuki Tomino, always spark something in me.
Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you in the near future?
I’m planning to drop a conceptual mix set that aligns with the themes of the album. And if the opportunity comes up, I’d love to do some DJ sets at events.
Follow Chizawa Q:
Spotify – Instagram – Soundcloud – X
