TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC

Born Jason Chung, Nosaj Thing is an electronic modulator involved in the L.A. glitch-hop scene. His latest endeavour, a collaboration with Julia Tsao (his girlfriend), and Adam Guzman, is an audio-visual light show filled with geometric shapes and pulsing lines. It’s like watching a whole new universe being born. We talk to Nosaj Thing about his work, and more.

Ever considered producing a full-out hip-hop album?

That’s interesting that you asked that. I was 13 and in a drumline in high school when I first started producing. I was only DJing for about a year and all I wanted was to do beats like Timbaland, Dr. Dre or Neptunes. As I got older, I got into weird experimental music and indie rock… my sound was turning into songs instead of just beats and I wanted to push that idea further. But I think it’s because I didn’t know anyone in the hip-hop industry to get my beats out there.

Has any hip-hop artist approached you after Drift?

After I put out my first EP [called Views/Octopus] in 2006, I started meeting L.A.-based rappers from shows I go to or from friends of friends. I worked with Busdriver and Nocando… Kid Cudi contacted me on MySpace in ’07. That was before his Day ‘n’ Nite album and I’d never even heard of him then. He sampled Aquarium and then, 10 months later, after debuting Man On The Moon: The End Of Day, he became big and started working with Kanye [West] and all those people.

Tell us more about the visual component of your act?

Before I got into music, I studied design at the art centre in high school. I saw more electronic acts doing light shows and I didn’t want to be that guy just standing behind a laptop. I wanted to create a different experience for people and I saw that with bands like Cornelius in Japan and Daft Punk- [sees Julia approaching] Hey Jules! Come join in.

Julia, what’s it like working with Jason?

Julia: It’s a pain in the ass. [laughs] I’m kidding. It’s good. It’s been a good collaborative effort since the beginning. Adam [Guzman] and I worked together on a number of different projects. When Jason asked us, we just started off, basically experimenting. Jason: We didn’t know where we were going to go on this. I just bought a projector on eBay and it kind of progressed from there...

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Text by Wayne Cheong.

Images and interview courtesy of Heineken.