Subtropical rhythms with Nei-Nei
Shanghai based singer-songwriter Nei-Nei connects with nature through Launchpad-made beats
Combining nature inspired themes with hypnotic electronic beats is a core part of what defines the music of Nei-Nei, an indie singer-songwriter from Taiwan who currently lives in Shanghai. In her latest original work, ‘High Island Launch Wave’, she takes technology to nature to create evolving rhythms while connecting deeply with her natural environment.
Nei-Nei started learning classical piano at the age of three, forming her unique and diverse music style along the way. In junior high school, she got into pop music and started writing songs of her own. She creates music and soundtracks for artists, brands and shopping malls, and performs at various festivals for art, drama, coffee and lifestyle events. “Composing is a big part of who I am,” she says. “In addition to documenting each stage of my life, it gives me an outlet to share my thoughts with other people.”
“In addition to documenting each stage of my life, it gives me an outlet to share my thoughts with other people.”
Although she uses her compositions as signposts in her life journey, she hesitates to choose one composition as more important than the other. “It’s difficult to say which of my compositions is most important to me – in my opinion, the most challenging thing about composing is learning how to express real emotions at the same time as breaking new boundaries, and to define your own style. That might sound rather vague, but it requires lots of time and effort – it’s a never-ending process. However, I’m always up to the challenge; composing gives me new perspectives on music and on my own life.”
“It’s difficult to say which of my compositions is most important to me – in my opinion, the most challenging thing about composing is learning how to express real emotions at the same time as breaking new boundaries, and to define your own style."
Throughout the process of creating ‘High Island Launch Wave’, Nei-Nei used Launchpad Pro MK3 extensively. “I like being able to combine sounds from Session mode and Note mode,” she explains. “With a Launchpad Pro MK3 and a computer with Ableton Live, you can create rhythmic clips and improvised melodies – perfect for people who are into finger drumming and creating their own melodies at the same time.”
“I had just two weeks to prepare for the filming. At first, I wasn’t really sure how to use it,” she recalls, “but I gradually got to grips with my new gadget and discovered lots of interesting functions. I’ve certainly used it a lot.”
Nei-Nei also favours the Launchpad for creating music wherever inspiration strikes her. “In the past, I’d always want to rush home to my piano when I came up with a new melody. Now, I can record my ideas wherever I am, whether I’m in a cafe, at the beach or in the middle of the countryside. What’s more, I can even compose a full song on the spot without having to rush home.”
For her latest composition, ‘High Island Launch Wave’, she focused on subtropical themes as her main source of inspiration. “After all, I’m from the subtropics myself,” she explains. “I grew up in Taipei and as you can see from my music, I’m an impassioned individual. I really like going to the seaside and forest. Sunrise and sunset are my favourite times of the day, and as a musician, I want my music to be in harmony with nature.”
Nei-Nei’s sonic style comes from a mixture of samples and her own recordings of live instrumentation and vocals. “I’ve incorporated clips of myself playing the djembe, an African drum, and doing lip trills. The voice sounds were also recorded by me – my main aim was to communicate a sense of harmony between people and nature.”
“‘High Island Launch Wave’ features lots of samples from my first electronic composition ‘High Island Radio Waves’, which depicts Taiwan’s picturesque north coast. The melodies in ‘High Island Launch Wave’ are inspired by Taiwan’s indigenous communities. Although I’m not from an indigenous community myself, I’m fascinated by their culture and decided to incorporate their musical styles into my composition.”
‘High Island Radio Waves’ was produced by UJ He, who incorporated numerous different African rhythms. These rhythms also feature in ‘High Island Launch Wave’. “I’m really grateful to UJ and his wife Ramata from Senegal, who have had a big impact on my music.”
To accompany the song, Nei-Nei created striking visual elements to bring the theme of harmony between people and nature together with her music. “The props I used in the video are designed to complement the nature theme – there are lots of African rhythms in the song, so I decided to use the asalato, a small maraca-like shaker from West Africa, and borrowed some props from friends, such as a djembe drum, pinecones, and a flute-like instrument that contains water and mimics the sound of birds. The most unique item is a baton from a local tribal leader, which was brought back from the Masai Mara grasslands in Kenya.”
“I’ve incorporated clips of myself playing the djembe, an African drum, and doing lip trills. The voice sounds were also recorded by me – my main aim was to communicate a sense of harmony between people and nature.”
From props to costuming, all aspects of Nei-Nei’s performance are carefully considered to create an immersive experience of her music. “Preparing the outfits was also a lot of a fun. As we didn’t have much time, we had to make do with what we could find,” Nei-Nei continues. “Thankfully, our stylist Tommy knew exactly what I wanted, and managed to create the perfect matching look with just a few simple items, as well as a handmade necklace that I borrowed from a friend. Many thanks to Tommy for his professional advice and for working to such a tight schedule.”
Nei-Nei favours playing her music live when filming a performance, much like she did when composing ‘High Island LaunchWave’ with Launchpad. “Everything was performed live. I used Session mode to loop some drum clips, as well as the more straightforward Note mode to play some notes while we were filming.”
“These types of videos don’t have to be 100% live, but in my opinion, the Launchpad is at its best when you perform live,” she explains. “My aim is to showcase my skills to the best of my ability – not to try and compete with other people or pretend I’m the best. Of course, I did do some EQ mixing afterwards, but I didn’t let that get in the way of the live performance – I always insist on performing live.”
“These types of videos don’t have to be 100% live, but in my opinion, the Launchpad is at its best when you perform live,”
Creating subtropic inspired music and performing it in a natural environment drives home the connection between people and nature in a striking audio and visual performance from Nei-Nei. “Performing in the forest was really romantic. Although we were all attacked by mosquitoes, we managed to finish the filming pretty quickly, as everyone was well prepared. It was all worth it when I saw the final result – if you haven’t seen the video, just check it out!”