Last Updated on 2025-12-20 by a-indie
How the Refined Sound Design Was Born
Collaboration with David Wrench
-Yuuki Takita: I understand David Wrench, who has worked with Frank Ocean and FKA twigs, handled the mixing for this album. What kind of discussions, exchanges of ideas, and collaboration took place between you during the production process? I’d also like to know what led you to work with him and your impressions from the collaboration.
David Noonan: We worked with David on heart under as mixer also and loved his work so we’re delighted he was happy to work with us again. We went to him initially as we wanted someone who had experience in mixing a variety of music styles, especially both indie and electronic music. His mixes feel very alive and colourful and have a motion to them that I love. Collaboratively we tried to hand the reigns over to him as much as we could, as we had been self recording and producing up to this point a fresh perspective was needed. He worked in a great way where he goes for it initially without too much input needed from the artist and finds a direction and then you refine as you go.
Sound Creation with Club and Dance Floor as the Stage
-Yuuki Takita: Sonically, I was captivated by how the design maintains industrial noise textures while presenting something sweet and melodic. Compared to other rock bands’ work, the sonic design feels quite refined. I wondered if approaching the production with a club and dance floor aesthetic in mind contributed to this refined design. What prompted you to adopt a club and dance floor perspective?
David Noonan: Absolutey, we love dance and bass music and wanted to try and inject some of that energy into the songs, it has an immediacy and a power that you dont get in indie/rock music usually. The ability for dance music has as an instrumental or synthesised music to carry emotional weight is also something that inspires us.
Sound Imagery Where Diverse Genres Intersect
-Yuuki Takita: Could you tell me a bit more about the sonic approach? When I focus on the coexistence of industrial noise and colorful melodies, I sense echoes of artists like Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. Did you draw reference from these artists? If not, what works or sonic imagery did you reference or envision for this album?
David Noonan: Some of us do like NIN especially the industrial tone but also ive always loved the Ghosts series. We draw from a wide scope of artists including the industrial, shoegaze, electronic, indie, grunge, bass/dubstep, jungle, breakbeat, post punk, trip hop and many more and we hopefully fall in a good place somewhere in the middle of them.
Vocals Fusing with Sound
-Yuuki Takita: Moving to the vocal approach: similar to vocalists in My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive, your vocals seem to float and glide over the soundscape rather than dissolve into it. Were there any conscious choices or particular focal points you prioritized in the vocal approach?
David Noonan: For this album we wanted the vocal to sit a bit further out the front than previously. In the past we treated the vocal as equal to the instrumentation in leading the arrangement. For WWJH we tried to let the vocal lead the band more often, we felt we wanted follow “the song” in terms of lyric and voice and not just textures, tones and mood.
Breakthrough and Coexistence of Light and Darkness
New Possibilities Shown by “ENDLESS DEATHLESS”
-Yuuki Takita: Which track on this album feels like a breakthrough moment for you, or which best demonstrates the most significant evolution? Personally, I believe “ENDLESS DEATHLESS” achieves that sense of euphoric intoxication—both physically and mentally—and represents a redefinition of industrial noise while opening new possibilities for band sound.
David Noonan: Yes! ENDLESS DEATHLESS was the breakthrough track. It was the first song that felt like we have achieved the sound and feeling we were searching for on this project. It redefined everything else we’re doing and set a tone for the album, every song after had to be as exciting to us as that.
Intoxication and Euphoria: Happy or Unhappy?
-Yuuki Takita: The album’s thematic core seems to contain elements of intoxication and euphoria, expressed sonically. Light and darkness coexist as two sides of the same coin. What mindset or motivation drove you toward this work? Was it coming from a place of happiness or unhappiness?
David Noonan: We are writing from all angles and exploring these themes from a variety of positions. We, like everyone have gone through different periods of joy and sadness and everything in between since the last album and we try to write honestly from these places.
Who Should Listen?
David Noonan: Anyone
Message to Japanese Fans
-Yuuki Takita: Finally, many Japanese fans, including ourselves, are looking forward to your upcoming live performances at Rockin’on Sonic in Japan. Would you mind sharing a message with them?
David Noonan: We are very very excited about coming to Japan. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time and we can’t wait to see you!!!
Just Mustard Album Release
3rd Album ‘WE WERE JUST HERE’
Release Date: October 24, 2025 (worldwide simultaneous release)
Catalog Number: PTSN3061-2J (CD) PTSN3061-3J (LP limited color vinyl)
Price: 2,900 yen + tax (CD) 6,200 yen + tax (LP)
Production: Just Mustard
Mix: David Wrench (Frank Ocean, FKA Twigs)
Distributor: Big Nothing, Ultra Vybe
Label: Partisan Records
Tracklist:
1. POLLYANNA
2. ENDLESS DEATHLESS
3. SILVER
4. DREAMER
5. WE WERE JUST HERE
6. SOMEWHERE
7. DANDELION
8. THAT I MIGHT NOT SEE
9. THE STEPS
10. OUT OF HEAVEN
View CD on Amazon
View LP on Amazon
Just Mustard Japan Performance Details
Event Name: rockin’on sonic 2026
Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Doors / Show: 12:00 / 13:30
Venue: Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall, Chiba
Performers: Pet Shop Boys, Underworld, Travis, Wolf Alice, Kneecap, Blossoms, Just Mustard, ZUTOMAYO
Tickets: 1-day pass 19,500 yen (on sale now)
Official Website: https://rockinonsonic.com/
Just Mustard Band Profile
Just Mustard is a rock band formed in Dundalk, Ireland in 2016. The lineup consists of Katie Ball (Vo.), David Noonan (Gt.), Mete Kalyoncuoğlu (Gt.), Rob Clarke (Ba.), and Shane Maguire (Dr.).
Their 2018 debut album ‘Wednesday’ was praised by Fader as “intense and lush. Shoegaze-meets-noise sound” and by NME as “a two-tone masterpiece,” and was nominated for Album of the Year at the Choice Music Prize, an Irish music award.
In 2022, they released their second album ‘Heart Under’ on Partisan Records, receiving acclaim from numerous media outlets including The Independent, Pitchfork, NME, The Daily Telegraph, and Loud & Quiet. The subsequent world tour saw them handpicked by Robert Smith to support The Cure, and they also performed with Depeche Mode and Fontaines D.C.
On October 24, 2025, they released their third album ‘WE WERE JUST HERE.’ While their previous work ‘Heart Under’ focused on themes of sadness and longing, this album depicts a broader range of emotions and sensations, evolving toward a warmer and more anthemic direction. Pitchfork described it as “immersive and bewildering,” while NME gave it five stars, calling it “thrillingly iconoclastic.”
Writer: Yuuki Takita
Born in 1991, freelance writer from Tomakomai, Hokkaido. After graduating from the same university as TEAM NACS, he entered a music vocational school and majored in the writing course.
There he produced three music free papers, conducting everything from artist interviews to editing.
Utilizing that experience, he joined a cross-media music company with both free papers and web media, where he gained experience in writing reviews, editing, and sales.
After leaving, he transitioned to working at a major record shop, where he also wrote disc review articles for their in-house media.
This led to the start of his activities as a freelance music writer. Currently, he is a salaried worker and music writer who dreams of hosting an outdoor music festival in his hometown of Tomakomai.
He enjoys cats, watching movies, and reading. Komatsu Nana and exploring curry & biryani are his lifestyle.
Articles written so far can be found here
Articles written for other media can be found here
Twitter: @takita_funky
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