It is probably the mixture of pleasant spaciousness and intense emotion that makes Vertical Pool such a captivating song. The result of a collaboration between Japanese-born composer and pianist Koki Nakano and Nigerian-born, Berlin-based soul singer Wayne Snow, it is a prime example of successful teamwork. The subtly warped chords of the piano and the sustained notes of the synthesiser provide a strong foundation for the rich range of the vocals.
Breaststroking into the Sky
“I had a strong image in my head of a woman breaststroking vertically into the sky. In my head it is full of sun, a pool reaching up to the sky. Very surrealistic, but still imaginable. It feels like it is possible, something we can dream of,” Koki told me about the vision behind the song – and clearly how it got its name. I had the chance to catch both Koki and Wayne in a zoom call. They both give a calm and reflective energy, speaking softly about and with each other. Talking to them, you can tell that they don’t just think in music terms. The way they describe their sounds, and their work incorporates the language of many art forms. They talk of textures, movements, visuals. I am not surprised, it was easy for them to connect on a creative level.
Vertical Pool is the third single from Koki’s forthcoming album Ululō. The artist is well recognized for his mix of classical music and electronic sounds, full of heavy experimentation while maintaining an elegant ease. Any distorted or unexpected noises are balanced by strong motifs to hold on to. His classical training is evident in his precision, yet there’s always room for unpredictability. On his fourth album, the artist explores emotions, desires and childhood memories in his most open and raw form yet. “Singing is the most direct way to touch the emotions,” says Koki. He invited vocalists with unique sounds like Yael Naim, Jordy and Wayne Snow.
Natural Collaboration
It was at a festival in Hamburg where both were performers that Koki’s attention was drawn to Wayne’s extraordinary singing. Wayne Snow is known for his fresh approach to Neo-Soul and exploitative ways to reference his musical heritage and upbringing in Nigeria. His sensitivity to sound and space is almost spiritual as if he’s attuned to an energy beyond the music itself. Even before their first official contact, Koki began to compose: “This initial process was the most important for me; finding the space for our styles to overlap naturally, without forcing anything. Still keeping my style, but with his more sore, energetic style in mind. It took me some time, but when I finally approached him, he thankfully said yes. After I sent him the first file, I left him completely free”.
After sending recordings back and forth, they met for a one-day studio session to put the finishing touches on it, but the final record is in parts even Wayne’s first home demo. What makes their collaboration so unique is how seamlessly their contrasting approaches blend. Koki’s tendency to compose with the care of a sculptor, shaping each sound with precision, pairs perfectly with Wayne’s intuitive, flowing energy.
“I was immediately seduced by his music but I couldn’t see myself or a human voice in it. I felt that the instruments were already speaking. They carried all the energy and I felt it would be clumsy of me to come in and try to fit in with my voice. I just loved listening to it,” Wayne remembers being approached by Koki. But luckily he gave it a go anyway. “Then I had the idea of the voice dancing with the rhythm and moving around like two dancers. After that, everything came naturally.”
Unexpected Colours
There is much to be learned from both when it comes to collaboration. Koki has previously worked with renowned visual artist Kohei Nawa, acclaimed choreographer Damien Jalet and well-established fashion brand Issey Miyake. Currently, he is working on a project with a filmmaker. His music videos in the past are often full of rich visuals and expressive dance elements. Koki clearly transcends any lines between art disciplines: “Actually, most of my work is not influenced by music, but by other art forms, especially visual art. I have a strong belief that the result of any creation is a reflection of the time, the age, in which we live. So I’m always interested in how other people try to break that down. And what kind of texture they’re looking for to recreate their perception.” Wayne immediately picked up on this:
“That’s what I like about working with Koki, he’s more of a painter. I am a bit synaesthetic, so I can see colours in music. I can imagine where I think my voice could add some extra colours. What I love about working with other creative people is that sometimes they come up with the most unexpected colours.”
But not every collaboration goes so smoothly. “I’ve had a lot of difficult sessions where I feel I didn’t deliver because there was no space for the voice. And when there is no space, I just have to say no,” Wayne reflects. This longing for space, for room for imagination, is perhaps what most connects his work with Kokis: “He does exactly that, he leaves pauses. There’s space, silence, and things like that. And strangely enough, I do that a lot in my music. There’s always a pause of breath. I don’t sing with a lot of words. I always give space and I feel the same in his compositions”.
In the Morning with Coffee
Both Koki and Wayne see their music as part of a larger artistic universe. Whether drawing inspiration from visual art, dance, or even the silences between notes, they don’t restrict themselves to music alone. Their work reflects an awareness that sound is just one of many languages for expressing emotion and storytelling.
Listening to the entire album as I write this, I find myself drawn in by the raw textures and emotional depth that resonate throughout each track. Despite the occasional click and stutter, the music flows with poetic ease, blending percussive beats with sweeping piano melodies. A track with Franco-Israeli singer-songwriter Yael Naim is the first to feature the human voice. Her ethereal vocals contribute to a delicate, almost fragile-sounding piece. The feature of UK rapper Jordy takes me by surprise but fits seamlessly within the album’s broad sound design. And let’s not forget the soulfulness and warmth Wayne adds to the project. Reflecting on their work, Koki suggests the perfect moment to experience it: “In the morning with coffee, with good sunlight.”
Ululō will be released on October 25 on Nø Førmat. You can catch Koki and Wayne live at their Berlin concert on November 13 at Emmauskirche.