After years moving between psychedelic rock, blues, and avant-garde releases, guitarist and songwriter Duran is about to release ‘Vornak’, his most untreated garage rock release yet. The fifth album under the DURAN name, and first to portray the project as a fully fledged band rather than a solo venture, was tracked live in single takes straight to tape, embodying the unfiltered sound of Duran, bassist MASAE, and drummer Shiho in the room together, no overdubs, no clean-up.
Recorded at his mother’s live bar in Yamanashi, ‘Vornak’ arrives after a career that’s taken Duran from major-label rock with The Rootless to a run of fiercely independent solo albums to performing alongside Japanese hit makers like Fujii Kaze and Vaundy.
Speaking with Electric Bloom Webzine, Duran discusses the moment DURAN truly became a band, the value of imperfection, and the spirit behind ‘Vornak’ as he reconnects with the roots of rock as a living, breathing form.
You’ve described ‘Vornak’ as the moment DURAN became a band rather than a solo project. Was there a specific turning point in rehearsals or on tour when you felt that change take hold?
When my band first broke up and I started going solo, I told myself, “Let’s do things I couldn’t do in a band”.
But to be honest, I think I was pushing myself a bit too hard back then. At the end of the day, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of a band. It just feels right for me. Shiho and I were in a band called Made in Asia before and I think both I and the other members already saw DURAN as a band from the start even if it was technically a solo project at first.
That feeling really started to take shape around the time we were working on ‘Kaleido Garden’.
The two of them have always had my back, and at some point, I started to feel like, “I wanna make something happen for these two”. It wasn’t forced, it just came naturally.
So even though we’ve had that “band” mindset for a while now, I feel like with this new album, we’ve finally been able to show it clearly to the outside world.
Recording live in single takes straight to tape is a bold choice. What made you commit to that method?
For me, if it’s not real, it’s not worth doing. That’s always been the mindset. Especially with the kind of music I make — it’s not commercial, it’s not polished for radio, it has to be authentic. That’s the whole point.
Most of the records I grew up loving were done on tape. There’s just something about that sound — it pulls you in. It’s got flaws, grit and life. I’m drawn to that kind of texture. And look, these days you can do anything with a click and a plugin. But that’s exactly why I wanna take the long way when it comes to the music I truly care about.
If I’m gonna make something that means something, then it’s gotta come with time, effort, and soul. That’s what making music really is to me.
“You never really know what counts as success or what the right move is. But to me, what matters is doing what lights my heart on fire.”
The album was recorded at Live Music & Bar Maman Yamanashi, which gives a raw live recording vibe. What made you choose this specific venue for the recording?
That place is actually my mom’s bar. It’s a small live space out in the countryside of Yamanashi — retro, dusty and full of character. The kind of room where sound doesn’t just bounce, it lives.
For me, garage rock only really breathes in a space like that. A studio couldn’t give me the same atmosphere, the same grit, the same air. I wanted to capture that raw smell of wood and dust and press it straight onto the record.
The album closes with ‘Mondo Blues’, the only track credited to all three members. How was it producing the track together?
That one came straight out of a jam. Most of the songs on the record were built from riffs I brought in, and then we’d work them out in the room together. But ‘Mondo Blues’? That started from absolutely nothing — just the three of us messing around after realising we had space for one more track.
I said, “Screw it, let’s just jam and see what happens”, and that became the last song on the album.
We’ve been through so much together on tour, good times, rough times, and this was us building something from zero to a hundred, side by side. It wasn’t just a song. It was a moment. And it felt damn good.
“That “raw anger”, that “scream of the soul” — it hit me hard, beyond race or background.”
Most of the songs are written by Duran, but how would you describe MASAE and Shiho’s role in shaping the sound of ‘Vornak’?
Most of the time, I’d bring in a simple riff and describe the sound I was hearing in my head — just talk it out — and we’d start tracking from there. But that doesn’t mean everything was pre-decided. I actually build the songs in a way where they need MASAE and Shiho’s feel and groove to come alive. Without their touch, the songs wouldn’t stand.
And since everything was recorded live, every take changed. Phrases evolved, the playing shifted. We didn’t even use a click, so even the tempo was alive, breathing, moving. That’s where their raw spirit lives in this record.
Atsuo from Boris created the album artwork. Boris are known for their analogue-first ethos, which isn’t far from DURAN’s own approach on ‘Vornak’. Was that part of what drew you to him, and how do you feel his hand-drawn piece connects with the record?
I’ve been a fan of Boris for a long time, and I’d always hoped I could do something with Atsuo-san someday. He actually came out to one of our shows before, and when I knew this release was going to focus heavily on analogue vinyl, it just clicked, there was no one else I wanted to ask. It had to be him.
The artwork he created cut deep into the atmosphere of the record and made everything feel sharper, more layered. It really elevated the whole thing. I’m honestly so glad I asked him.
RELATED: Garage rock trio DURAN return with one-take album ‘Vornak’
There’s also a cover of Kanye West’s ‘Black Skinhead’ on the record. Given how loaded that track is, both politically and culturally, what drew you to it, and how did you approach making it your own as a rock trio?
I’ve listened to the album this song came from quite a bit. I really like it. ‘Black Skinhead’ is such a raw, explosive track. It rips open with rage, pride, and loneliness from the perspective of a Black man facing society head-on.
I’m not Black, so yeah, I definitely felt like I had to be careful about covering a song like this. But still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the track held something deeper, something human. That “raw anger”, that “scream of the soul” — it hit me hard, beyond race or background.
What I really connected with was its energy, the primal groove and that fearless stance. To me, this song isn’t about who’s saying it. It’s about how you live and how you fight.
That’s why I chose to face it in my own way and put it on the record as a cover.
“As a support musician, I try to become a part of their music, like stepping into the world and story they’ve created.”
Your catalogue has moved through psychedelic rock, avant-garde, and blues before arriving at the garage/hard rock core of ‘Vornak’. Do you see this record as a culmination of those shifts or the start of something new?
I wouldn’t call it a culmination or a new beginning. It’s more like this is the most natural I’ve ever felt making a record.
We wrote the songs on the spot, then just hit record. No overthinking, no polishing. If anything, we stripped things down. It felt like sealing pure rock in a vacuum pack. Raw, simple and straight to the core.
The Vornak tour starts in Japan before heading to the Philippines and Thailand next summer. What can audiences expect from the live shows, especially hearing this record in full?
Since the whole album was recorded live in one take, we’re bringing that same raw energy to the stage. We don’t use a setlist. We just dive in and let the vibe of the crowd and the room guide the show.
We never try to recreate the recordings. That’s the point. Every show is different. What happens in that moment only exists in that moment. That’s what real live music should be about, and I think people will feel that.
You’ve recently shared stages with Fujii Kaze and VAUNDY, and even played the Saitama Super Arena date where Kaze supported Billie Eilish. How have those experiences shaped your perspective as a live performer?
When I’m on stage as DURAN and when I’m supporting another artist — those are two totally different headspaces. As a support musician, I try to become a part of their music, like stepping into the world and story they’ve created. I’m just one of the characters there, and that’s how it should be.
That said, I’ve had the chance to play on so many different stages, and through those moments, I’ve witnessed some truly incredible scenes. It reminded me of how powerful music really is.
Duran performing Saitama Super Arena alongside Fujii Kaze
Looking back at your journey — from The Rootless and a flood of circle to RED DIAMOND DOGS, solo albums, and now DURAN as a band — what feels like the biggest turning point for you personally?
Honestly, it’s hard to say what the real turning point was. Because I still feel like I’m in the middle of the run haha.
Before I debuted with Rootless, I was mostly just playing in jam bars. The major scene felt like something totally separate from my world. But one time, I was talking with some session buddies, saying stuff like, “Man, the major scene these days is so…” and suddenly I thought, “Wait, I’ve never even been part of that world — who am I to talk?”.
So even though I wasn’t into the idea, I decided to take the Rootless audition. Somehow, I passed. If I hadn’t taken that chance, I might’ve ended up on a totally different path. You never really know what counts as success or what the right move is. But to me, what matters is doing what lights my heart on fire. And right now, I’m doing exactly that, so I feel like I made the right choice.
