Every day, someone’s past words get dragged into the spotlight, dissected for inconsistencies on screens big and small. And while the talking heads debate, I quietly avert my gaze, pretending not to notice. Instead, I wait for my indulgent, topping-loaded meal to arrive, already breaking the promise of restraint I made to myself just yesterday.
Enter Helsinki Lambda Club’s latest EP, “Gekkan Escape (The Monthly Escape)”—a soundtrack for all of us who stumble through our contradictions. With tracks that effortlessly swing from nostalgic indie rock to bewildering yet brilliant pop experiments, the band refuses to be pinned down. This is music born from instinct, not obligation, shaped by frontman Kaoru Hashimoto’s unwavering pursuit of whatever feels right in the moment.
Hashimoto’s candid embrace of life’s inconsistencies shines through—not as a weakness, but as a strength. Ahead of their EP release and tour, he opens up about staying true to his creative impulses and why he resists the pull of being easily understood.
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Music Crafted from the Heart
In 2024, Helsinki Lambda Club (referred to as Helsinki) performed at events like the American SXSW and their first UK tour, marking significant milestones in their musical journey. How did the experience of performing on stage in the UK feel?
Hashimoto: Both the band and my personal journey started with a deep admiration for and influence from Western music and culture, so it was truly gratifying and relieving to receive positive feedback on the tour that we approached with great anticipation. Because of the sense of “acceptance,” I’ve let go of the obsession with how to infuse my individuality into the foundation of Western rock that influenced me. Now, I feel that I can simply do what I love without being restricted by formats or expectations.
Kaoru Hashimoto (Vocals, Guitar) is the lead vocalist of Helsinki Lambda Club, a three-member band formed in Chiba in the summer of 2013, alongside Koudai Inaba (Bass, Backing Vocals) and Taiki Kumagai (Guitar). In 2023, the band celebrated their 10th anniversary and released their third full album, “Welcome to Helsinki Lambda Club.” In 2024, they performed at the American SXSW and completed their first UK tour, including the THE GREAT ESCAPE festival in Brighton. In November of the same year, they released their EP “Gekkan Escape” and are currently touring across 11 cities in Japan with their live tour, which started in December.
Many bands have mentioned that the songs that get the crowd excited differ between Japan and abroad. How was it for Helsinki Lambda Club?
Hashimoto: It definitely was the case for us too. In the UK, there’s a similar focus on melody as in Japan, and I was really impressed by how the crowd would sing along to the riffs. But more than that, what stood out abroad, in every country, was how the beat was always emphasized.
Did your approach to the audience during live shows change?
Hashimoto: I’ve become able to stand my ground more than before. As long as we’re confidently enjoying what we’re doing, there’s no need to overly focus on the audience. It’s all about pursuing what we want to do and our performance to the fullest. By sticking to the purity of that, the satisfaction ends up being much higher. When lacking confidence, you tend to read the room too much and put effort into irrelevant parts. By staying grounded, I think we can build a healthier relationship between performers and the audience.
If there’s a public impression that “Helsinki is a band known for catchy indie rock,” do you think that’s an essential part of the band’s identity for you as well?
Hashimoto: Originally, I never had a strong sense of belonging to a particular framework, and I feel like that awareness has faded over the years. The core of what we do is creating music that follows our hearts. I want to be an honest person. It may be difficult to always live according to your heart in everyday life, but when it comes to making music, I can be true to my feelings. If I don’t, it just becomes something created for the sake of making money. At the heart of it all is a pure feeling.
