Clash Magazine interviewed Japanese musician Keigo Oyamada, known as Cornelius, about his musical journey and the making of his eighth solo album, "Refractions." Now nearly three decades into a career that has spanned psychedelic pop, tropicália and kosmische experimentation, Cornelius remains a distinctive figure in contemporary music, having first gained international recognition with his 1997 breakthrough "Fantasma," which drew comparisons to Beck, Brian Wilson and the Beastie Boys.

In the interview, Oyamada traces his musical development from childhood television and Japanese pop through discovering Western rock via his cousin's record collection, playing in cover bands during his school years, and immersing himself in Shibuya's import record shop culture during the pre-internet late 1980s and early 1990s. He discusses his early days in Tokyo pop outfit Flipper's Guitar before going solo, the accidental origins of the "Shibuya-kei" label attached to his sound, and the making of "Refractions," which features long-term collaborators including Sean Ono Lennon and Shintaro Sakamoto.