We’re back with another incredible artist interview! Today, we’re chatting with indie-rock artist, Dejima, also known as Kaveh Hodjat. Dejima has just released his new EP, Swollen, last week! But he won’t stop there. Dejima’s also releasing a short film for Swollen on May 3, so be sure to keep an eye out for that next week!
We know you’re itching for your new favorite indie artist, and who would be better than Dejima? Let’s get into our exclusive interview with him as Dejima talks all things Swollen and its conception!
Welcome to The Honey POP! We’re super excited to chat with you today. What are three things you’d like current fans and new listeners to know about you?
Hi! Thanks for having me! Hmmmm, I think the people should know that my name is Kaveh, I’m 20 years old, and a big Liverpool fan. The basics.
The Creative Journey
Congratulations on the release of your third EP, Swollen! How would you describe the creative journey for this release?
Thank you! Swollen has been a long time in the making. It was mainly recorded at my home in Santa Cruz, CA, and at my Boston apartments while at school. I didn’t make the songs with the intention of it all being in the same EP. They happened to align after I chose 6 songs that were close to being finished and put them together just based on how it flowed sonically. Then a few weeks later, I realized that the whole thing had such a clear lyrical narrative and I had subconsciously been making something very personal to me.
I remember the day everything clicked very clearly and I was so mind blown that I was making a project I wasn’t even aware of. Me and my manager/roommate, Luke Huston, had a bunch of colored post-it notes on our wall deconstructing the meaning of everything. Once I got close to finishing it, I was having a lot of trouble bringing it to the finish line. That’s when I brought in Adam Thein for the first time to help mix the songs. This was a big turning point in the making of this record and it wouldn’t be the same without him, or any of the other musicians who helped on this EP.
You’ve revealed two songs from Swollen ahead of its release: ‘It Was Nice To Have Met You’ and ‘Nothing To Run From.’ What are your favorite things about each pre-release track?
I’ve been sitting on ‘It Was Nice To Have Met You’ for way too long, haha. Since 2021, it went through so many versions until it got released. I really love the bridge because we flanged the whole master, and that’s always fun. In the outro of ‘Nothing To Run From,’ I just had the synth chords on a loop and played a drum performance to it. Then I built the entire second half around the drums, which was very fun, especially at the hits around 3:31. Also, Adam added a Shepard Tone in that outro, which I think adds to the driving energy of it all.
Dejima Soars With Swollen
We absolutely love the title track, ‘Swollen.’ What is its origin story?
Thanks! ‘Swollen’ was written out of pure frustration. It was a time where my physical health was not great, and I would come home from several doctor appointments, and they wouldn’t know what to do with me or what was causing my issues. I wrote this song as a coping mechanism to tell myself I’d get through it.
Musically, I had the first half written very quickly. But the second half of the song was tricky. I brought it to Adam explaining my vision, but it was difficult for me to commit to anything. I recorded a keys solo, saxophone solo, cello, and guitar solo but none of them were working for me. One night before going out with my friends, I was showing Luke that section of the song and how I couldn’t think of anything. I played a synth lead line to him as a joke, but then we looked at each other and realized that was it. I showed it to Adam the next day, and we built the arrangement around that melody and used the other instruments I recorded to support it.
We think a lot of people can relate to the feeling of being swollen to the point where they can’t find their way out. What helps you the most when that happens?
Making music! Or any type of art. I think when I make something, whether it be film or music, I’m subconsciously processing whatever I’m going through into the medium. That way, I’m able to step back and view it as a project instead of my own problem, and it helps me understand it in a different way. Swollen definitely did that for me.
Your musical range for Swollen is incredible. Which song from the EP was the easiest to record, and which was the most difficult? Why?
‘Tastemaker’ was weirdly so easy to record. The night before leaving Boston for summer break in May 2023, I stayed up till like 5:00 am recording ‘Tastemaker.’ Every decision made so much sense, and I entered a deep creative flow that night. I was just alone in my bedroom, and it felt like I was on top of the world, haha. It’s funny because I recorded the second section in a 14/4 time signature, which I’ve never done before, but it just felt correct. I know a lot of artists say this, but it did feel like the song was just given to me at that moment. ‘Swollen,’ the title track, was probably the most difficult to finish because of arranging that second section I mentioned earlier.
His Music
How has your overall sound evolved since you first started releasing music? How has it stayed the same?
My sound has changed depending on my resources and what I’m listening to. For example, when I made my song ‘Never Gonna Believe You,’ I had just started listening to Kaytranada and learned what side-chaining was, so I think that correlation is pretty clear, haha. Even though to me, it feels like all my songs sound so different, I think to everyone else it sounds similar because it’s all coming from me and my artistic voice. With Swollen, working with Adam has totally changed the game! I think he brought the production quality up significantly. I heard Kevin Parker describe Lonerism as ‘cosmic crunch,’ and that perfectly describes what I was going for with Swollen.
Are there any instruments you’d like to learn or incorporate more into your music?
I really wanted to learn the saxophone! But then I met Emma Blanc (who plays saxophone on Swollen), and that was settled. Freshman year of college, I fell in love with a vibraphonist called Cal Tjader, specifically his album The Prophet. The vibraphone is an instrument that I think can be used in a really cool way and would love to explore if I can get my hands on one. Oh, and an electric sitar.
We think it’s so easy to vibe with your music and voice. What are some ways that you prepare for recording? How do you set the mood?
I usually record music in isolation. That way, I’m not worrying about anyone else’s opinions, other than mine at that moment. A lot of times, it’s very casual, and I just record vocals while holding a Shure 7B microphone in my hand. I used to be very nervous recording music with other people in the house, but I’m getting more comfortable.
I have a bad habit of getting sucked into the DAW while recording and forgetting to eat or take breaks, but I’m getting better at that, too. I’ve recently been recording music with my friend Will Kissinger, and I’ve been enjoying recording with someone else. It takes time to build that trust, but I’m realizing the next step for my growth is collaboration. A lot of my process is finding a creative flow and just trying to catch that wave, so it’s been a vulnerable yet rewarding experience to try and do that with someone else.
What’s Next
You’ll also be releasing the short film for Swollen next month! Can you talk about that filming and editing experience a little bit? How do you feel now that it’s nearly out in the world?
Yes! I’m deep in post-production right now. I can’t believe we pulled it off. It was one of the best-set experiences I’ve ever had, and also the most intense. We brought ~30 students into the freezing cold New Hampshire winter and filmed a 30-minute live music narrative short film.
It was a great atmosphere on set because we were all great friends wanting to make this project come to life, and we worked so hard to make it happen. We had to do a lot of finessing, like stacking 6 Focusrite audio interfaces on top of each other to record the whole band live. I think the film will give a whole different perspective to the music, so I’m really excited to get it out there!
What three songs or artists do you currently have on repeat?
The Lemon Twigs. I’ve been obsessed with all their new singles!
Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles. I’m always listening to the Beatles, it just depends what era. I switch almost every month.
Djo’s album Decide! I feel like there’s so many different sounds in this album that it always keeps me on my toes. I also love the lyrical themes. This album is how I became connected to Adam, and it’s still surreal to me that I got to work with him on Swollen.
Finally, what are some of your plans for the rest of 2024? Can you give us some hints?
The Swollen film! And hopefully some shows outside of Boston? And maybe a project longer than 6 songs?!? We shall see…
I think when I make something, whether it be film or music, I’m subconsciously processing whatever I’m going through into the medium. That way, I’m able to step back and view it as a project instead of my own problem, and it helps me understand it in a different way.
Dejima
You can listen to Dejima’s Swollen here!
We absolutely loved learning about Dejima’s creative journey for his new album, Swollen! What do you think of our Dejima interview, and of Swollen? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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