cute girls answering cute questions
10 Slices of cute girls doing cute things' Life
by: deliriously...daniel
What brings you to this web page, fellow web traveler? Wait, don't tell me: you're in search of neural respite from the ambient gloom that coats the globe. Well you're in luck! The music of artist cute girls doing cute things is a plucky panacea that can balm any sadness.
With poppy beats that sound straight out of the whimsical anime genre from which the project gets its name, cute girls doing cute things' most literal sound can be found in albums Slice of Life & Slice of Life 2. Despite this, recent releases and a large number of diverse singles prove that CGDCT is much more than a pigeonholing pen name. Between 2019's Scene and this year's Ideal, the producer has turned his anime music into an electro-funk fusion.
d...d: Okay, let's do introductions. As a largely anonymous artist, are there any identifiers you're comfortable sharing for this interview?
cgdct: I am 25, he/him, been making music for 5+ years.. From 2014-2016, I was active in future funk–vaporwave communities, first as a listener, then as a producer. Then I was not so happy with my music and direction of the genre, so I made a new BGM/IDM alias in mid-2016, learned a lot about sound design and stuff, then decided to switch to cute music in April 2017. I’ve been active with this project for the last 3½ years.
What was the origin of CGDCT as a project? Did you have any previous musical pursuits or experience?
I started CGDCT as an outlet for me to have fun with music and anime media. I made it right after I abandoned my IDM project because I was not satisfied with my creative direction. I also previously had a few vaporwave and future funk aliases back in 2015.
Were there any specific anime, manga, or characters that have most inspired your musical direction?
Nothing specific, just the vibe of slice of life manga and anime. For some reason it connected with me back then so I decided to express my feelings through music.
What does the CGDCT genre of anime mean to you? What are some of your favorite motifs?
Peace of mind. It helps me relax and forget about all the IRL stress I accumulate throughout the day. I can just turn off my brain and enjoy cute girls doing cute things. It’s great! Back in 2017 (when I made this project), I was going through my last year in uni so I was tired literally every day and CGDCT anime was just keeping me sane.
How would you describe the artist avatar or character that recurs in your work? Does she have a backstory or a personal significance?
She is a main heroine of the journey!
How did you first start to explore the soundscapes of a CTDCT-style of anime? The “Slice of Life” sound is very distinct; are there particular techniques, instruments, samples or soundfonts that have most helped you solidify your style?
My Slice of Life sound is: tons of soundfonts from old games, resampled anime voice shots into percussion and just self-made cute sounds. Literally anything can be processed so in the end it sounds cute! I wanted to create my own vibe back then and I think I got it. It was a trial and error process so I’m glad in the end I got something that sounds decent.
Despite this recognizable style, many of your singles and new releases diverge with more intensive beats, funk or electronic elements. How have you seen yourself grow as a producer, and what are some of your goals for the future?
Well, it always comes down to my desires. Lately I’ve been enjoying making heavy electro a lot, so I’ve been doing just that, and I improved in that field! But my goal still has not been achieved so I will keep making more hard-hitting songs until I’m satisfied. Not sure how much time it will take, but I hope I’ll eventually get there.
Honestly, it’s not like I quit my Slice of Life series, it’s just I feel like I can’t bring anything new to the table yet, so it’s currently on hold. Exactly 1 year ago I was working on Slice of Life 3, made like 8 songs, one day woke up and realized that this is not it. I will make Slice of Life 3 when I’m totally confident in my songwriting abilities. So yeah, my goal for the future is to just get better.
Are there other artists you collaborate with or are inspired by? And are you into future funk?
I don’t collaborate with anybody, though I would like to collaborate with singers. Also, I haven’t been inspired by anyone in over three years I think. I love future funk! Used to listen to it a lot back in 2014-2015. If not for future funk, I don’t think I would be making music at all, so I am extremely grateful for the community and all the people that have been involved back then. Shoutout to my boys Desired, Aests, and the whole Future Society Collective.
You mentioned that your latest single, "Daydream," is your favorite track yet. Do you frequently feel this way about new tracks, and do you have other standout favorites from your discography?
Lately I frequently feel this, probably because I keep getting more confidence in my music. My favorite songs are the songs I made during the last eleven months. Other favorites would be "Main Heroine," "Unexplored Dungeon" and a few songs from Slice of Life 2.
What might readers expect from you in the near or distant future?
There are some things planned that I can not yet disclose. New music-wise, there is one track to go in 2020!
Finally, just for fun, since you have a cassette out with Neoncity Records, if you could pick any physical format to release an album on, what would it be—and which album?
Ideal on all formats. I am really happy with how the EP turned out. It’s my best cohesive work yet.
Thanks again to cute girls doing cute things for making this article possible!
