The Japanese underground has a reputation for extremities of emotion, usually harsh: the dark emotional landscapes of Keiji Haino and Fushitsusha, the twisted prog spasms of Ruins, the sheer sonic brutality of Boris. On the opposite extreme is Ai Aso, a Tokyo based singer / songwriter whose music hardly rises above a whisper.

That whisper has caught the attention of some important people: she collaborated with the aforementioned Boris on the epic "You Were Holding An Umbrella" from the assorted permutations of "Smile," appeared on the split single "She's So Heavy" with Boris guitarist Wata, and guested on White Heaven / Ghost / Stars / etc. guitarist Michio Kurihara's solo album "Sunset Notes." She also caught the ear of one Hideo Ikeezumi, head of the legendary PSF Record label, who released "Aida," her most recent album, in February of this year. Oh yeah, she released a DVD too: "The Chamomile Pool Show," a live document featuring performances with the above musicians and more. Whew.

Despite all this exposure, the woman herself has remained a somewhat mysterious figure: precious little information has found its way to the internet, even in Japanese (which has resulted in some imaginative rumors, like Aso's supposed marriage to Kurihara. Not true, unfortunately.) Recently, Jrawk tracked her down, meeting her in a Shinjuku izakaya to discuss silence, self consciousness, and...hardcore punk.

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JR: What did you listen to growing up?

AA: A lot of different things, but mostly rock music. I started getting into it during Junior High. I really liked the Velvet Underground.

JR: I can certainly hear some influence, especially the self titled third album. What about Japanese artists?

AA: I don't know it too well, but punk, older rock, underground stuff. There was other stuff I liked in the same vein.

Chamomile Pool (2007)

JR: When did you start writing songs?

AA: I'm not sure, I think it was around 2000. When I was 23 or 24. I started playing guitar around the same time.

JR: Did you start off writing the sort of music you do now?

AA: (nods) Yes, I've always written songs like that.

JR: Why are you attracted to that kind of music?

AA: (stops, thinks) Hmmm...I don't know! (laughs) I've never thought about it. It just comes from natural inspiration, I guess. It comes from me.

I can't really write when I'm happy with everything. I need a little stress in my life.

JR: How did you get started? It's very difficult to get noticed in Tokyo, and you've managed to work with some very well known people. Michio Kurihara, Boris, You Ishihara...

AA: When I made the first album for Oz Disc, (label head) Taguchi-san introduced me to Ishihara-san and Naramura-san, he thought we could make good music together. They introduced me to a lot of well known people, sometimes at live shows. Ishihara-san started producing me after that.

Aida (2009)

JR: How much of, say, Chamomile Pool is collaboration? Your songs are very simple, and the extra instrumentation is also pretty light. How do you work together?

AA: Sometimes I'll have a finished idea, sometimes I'll come in with something and we'll finish it together. We do both, really. I try to keep it simple, because if I started to add things, I'd never stop. I'm never totally satisfied with anything, so I keep it simple to avoid overworking it. Not just Chamomile Pool, that's how I've worked on everything. If I try to make it perfect, I'll end up with nothing. I eventually just let it go.

JR: I've noticed a feeling of nature in the artwork of your albums, from the blurry landscape on "Chamomile Pool" to the dandelion seed on "Aida." It all seems very relaxed and positive.

AA: When I try to think of what would fit my music, or what I'm trying to do, I just let the idea come to me, like the dandelion. The music works the same way, it comes from who I am. Even if an idea is sad, I'll try to keep it positive, try to turn it around.

I'm influenced by a lot of things, I can't say I have a specific influence, though. I'll listen to things like punk, or folk, and it all mixes in and comes out of me. My friend said once there was some similarity between my music, which is very calm, and hardcore punk. They sounds like opposites, but he felt there was a similar attitude in there somewhere, just a small piece.

JR: What was similar?

AA: I thought I knew what he was trying to say, but it's hard to explain! (laughs)

JR: Hmmm...do you think your music is gentle as a reaction to how loud and busy Tokyo can be?

She's So Heavy (2007)

AA: (pauses) I never thought about it before! But I don't really think about my environment when I'm writing.

JR: How about covers? You did King Crimson's "Islands" on a split single with (Boris guitarist) Wata.

AA: Ishihara-san suggested it. I had been trying to think of something, but everything I thought of had a lot of baggage for me. So I ended up trusting his choice.

JR: It's a curious cover. There's a loud drum in the middle of this soft, quiet song. It's probably the loudest thing in your catalog.

AA: We talked about it together...but the drum was Ishihara-san's idea. We already knew Wata was doing a quiet song. The packaging was Atsuo's idea! I was a bit surprised, but he thought a picture book was a good idea.

JR: The most recent album ("Aida") is on PSF. What attracted you to that label?

AA: When I first started recording, I brought some cassettes to (Modern Music owner Hideo) Ikeezumi-san. I was just starting out, and that seemed to be the best way to promote myself. I also knew that Ikeezumi-san only sold music he liked, and I wanted to see what he thought, since he sold music by bands I admired, like Nagisa Ni Te. He liked the tape, so we recorded "Aida" at a PSF live function.

JR: It's interesting that your music is so quiet, yet you collaborated with Boris on "You Were Holding An Umbrella," which is a very, very loud song.

AA: It started with the melody line, and I gave it to Atsuo. I also came up with the arpeggios in the song, and Boris did the rest.

JR: "Aida" is a very sparse album: most of it is you alone, and there's no additional instrumentation to fill in the space. Do you ever feel self conscious, or exposed by such unadorned music?

AA: Anytime I play, I feel nervous. I think the audience in a live setting may feel the same way, since everything is so quiet. In an environment like that, mistakes really stand out, so yeah, I get self conscious sometimes!

When I play solo, it's always quiet, of course. But playing with a band is a completely different experience, and I'm interested in creating more music that way, adding more and more elements. Like the drum in "Islands," I'm curious where that sort of experimentation will lead.