Conjuring the history of monsters is one way to banish the monstrosity of history. At least it’s an attempt to do so—and to cope with the demons of the present, for that matter. Tokusatsu movies did exactly that. The film genre moving between haunting fairy tales, science fiction, and horror was hugely popular in Japan in the 1960s. This was partly due to the appeal of inventive, sometimes handmade special effects, but mostly because the stories told of the ever-relevant struggle between devastation and salvation.

DIEMAJIN, the collaboration between producer DJ DIE SOON and vocalist MA, is all about that struggle. For them, the universe of Tokusatsu movies is not simply a resource—of sounds, stories, imagery—it is the starting point for their own ventures and explorations. MA’s dramatic monologues, hisses, and muffled screams collide with elements from hip-hop and noise in DJ DIE SOON’s production.

DIEMAJIN’s eponymous debut album, released as a strictly limited cassette, is a homage and a sonic sequel to these films, most of all to the eerie atmosphere they evoke. Exactly one year after the album’s release, the duo celebrates this anniversary with a live performance at KOOKOO.

Musician and composer BERENICE LLORENS picks up the thread in her DJ set. She approaches mixing as a space of improvisation and intuition, inspired by nature, technology, and their relationship to human intervention. In this way, BERENICE LLORENS creates new sonic ecosystems in which she connects her background in composition and sound art with the immediacy of club culture.

The two long-time KOOKOO collaborators CARLY FISCHER and YUKIHIRO TAGUCHI contribute visual art for this special night, and the KOOKOO hosts MIEKO SUZUKI and ARA present a musical selection that invites everyone to think twice before claiming that there is no such thing as spirits in this world.

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:: music
DIEMAJIN (live) // https://drownedbylocals.bandcamp.com/album/diemajin
BERENICE LLORENS // www.berenicellorens.com
MIEKO SUZUKI // www.mixcloud.com/mieko
ARA // www.mixcloud.com/kookoo

:: art
CARLY FISCHER (sculpture & photography) // www.carlyfischer.com
YUKIHIRO TAGUCHI (installation) // https://yukihirotaguchi.wordpress.com