The Creative Force Behind f5ve - A Conversation with Crystalline Structures
f5ve│© Crystalline Structures
f5ve are on the brink of world domination with their genre bending, immersive sound and visuals. With origins in groups like Happiness and E-Girls, these J-pop veterans are redefining idol culture with their debut project SEQUENCE 1 and deluxe album SEQUENCE 1.5, executive produced by Bloodpop. Effortlessly blending nostalgia and futurism, their visual universe is entertainingly fantastical: perfectly encapsulated in the Magic Clock music video, where the members perform interchangeably as their six year old, elderly, and present selves.
But who is behind the creative vision of f5ve? Meet Crystalline Structures Studio, the driving force behind their striking visuals and collaborations. From directing and editing to styling and choreography, their creative touch is woven into every facet of f5ve’s artistic identity.
We spoke with Crystalline Structures about process, community, and shaping the f5ve universe.
f5ve│© Crystalline Structures
Could you introduce Crystalline Structures Studio and your role with f5ve?
Crystalline Structures is a creative studio that bridges East and West: creating authentic connections and breaking down the barriers between the two. Working with Japanese and Korean clients worldwide, we incorporate subculture into everything we do. With f5ve, we are opening up and tearing away the constructs that exist within traditional Japanese pop music and seeping it into a global space.
Congratulations on the release of SEQUENCE 01 and SEQUENCE 1.5, executive produced by Bloodpop and featuring star studded collaborations with Ke$ha, A.G. Cook, m - flo, Shinichi Osawa.
How has it been to work with such prominent figures in western music, given that these kinds of collaborations are less common in the Japanese music industry?
It feels amazing to work with artists that are so openly inspired by Japanese music. Blood is obsessed with CAPSULE and has a deep appreciation for Yasutaka Nakata, who went on to produce for Perfume. Same with A.G. / PC Music - given their genuine knowledge and love, it feels like a natural progression for them to be directly involved.
It was the perfect sort of project because f5ve are so open to collaboration, taking risks, and trying new things. To be in the hands of people who have taken the time to learn and appreciate the culture and the nuances, there's an inherent trust there that everyone truly, truly cares. So often with music projects, it can be done just for a stream, but everything that was created with f5ve was so meticulous, heartfelt, and rooted in authenticity.
I can so clearly see the integrity of the culture within the music and it's amazing because historically there haven't been a lot of collaborations between Japan and the West with music.
I think traditionally because of the copyright laws and differences in music industries, it's always been notoriously difficult to access from the outside. And rightfully so - the industry prioritizes success within the Japanese market, they’re not thinking of how to appeal to the world. This project was never like, how do we appeal to every single person? It was more like, all these people are genuinely creative and have different backgrounds. How do we combine them and make something authentic and interesting? It was just a natural colliding of worlds and we just want to make it accessible to everybody.
Describe the world that you're building with f5ve.
When we're all having meetings , talking about how we want to shape something, they say, “We want to show the real Japan.” The predominant ideas of Japan worldwide are referenced on exports: video games and anime. There's so much more, it's a fully fledged country, it’s multifaceted. It’s not just this straight-laced utopia. There’s so much - the underground culture, work culture, being a woman.
When Underground came together, it happened so fast because it felt so real. The lyrics describe the pressures of society, perfectionism, and to have a girl group do a song that’s also upbeat, for the floor, you're dancing, but it's also about oppressive work culture, and there's Dekotora trucks — I think encapsulates this ethos of f5ve, which is showing every facet of the fully humanized and realized Japan.
But the actual lore is that they’re ‘interdimensional dream agents’. Each song and visual is crazy because it’s all a dream. They create and code these dreams to unlock the subconscious, so you hear what you need in that moment. Reflection, empowerment, brilliance, or just a good song — it’s dream data, uniquely experienced by everyone. That freedom lets them shapeshift and do whatever they want. In the end, they’re using their superpowers to craft the narrative you need to hear.
There’s obviously a huge hyperpop influence not only in the sound, but the ethos and aesthetic of f5ve - how has this culture inspired the creative identity of the group?
Hyperpop is so camp. It's pop that is taken all the way to 100. At its heart, it's about being authentic, leaning in all the way, and being unafraid. Taking pop, both real and artificial and pushing it to its absolute limit. It blends reality and dream, turning both up to the extreme - which is also the core of f5ve. So it just made sense to connect f5ve with artists like Dorian Electra and Count Baldor who worked on pretty much every track of the album with Blood and are huge contributors of the culture.
Beyond the sonic influence, the culture’s collaborative nature was also important to implement while making the record. It was very much a team effort, which is unusual for a lot of pop girl groups because they're usually not in the studio for the writing process, whereas f5ve was around the whole time. Definitely a big first for them and they always like, “Wow, it was so crazy to get to be a part and to have that control and that input into the music”.
And how have the underground tastemakers and community responded to f5ve?
They have been embraced by the scene on and offline. They had their first show in LA at Subculture and it was electric. Last year they performed in London for the first time at the PC Music Halloween show and seeing people love them and their music was shocking for the girls, they were so blown away. It was heartwarming because, you know, they're trying to do something interesting and different. And it's definitely a contrast to some of their previous work, but that sense of community and sense of daringness / willingness to experiment is really resonating with people.
A really genuine connection that the girls have is with N2, who runs the party Kyundesu in Tokyo. It's an incredible Japanese electronic, pop, gyaru party. N2 is from Japan and grew up part time in America, so she’s deeply connected to both worlds and really pushes the boundaries of music and party culture. Once the concept for the Underground music video was locked in, it was clear that we had to have everyone from Kyundesu in the video and it's been an amazing collaboration since then.
In the West, getting to perform at Subculture and Pop Crypt was so fab. Working with PC music has been amazing and AG has been so supportive - as well as Blood. I mean the whole sound is Blood, but he has also been instrumental in connecting the girls with so many amazing, unique, like-minded people.
f5ve│© Crystalline Structures
What are the team’s biggest influences while carrying out the vision of f5ve?
Obviously, Perfume is such a big reference. They are the perfect encapsulation of music that is insane and so brilliant, but then beyond that, it's leaning into an artifice to create something real.
The goat, Utada Hikaru, the way that she could embody so many different characters while also creating music that straddled the line between pop and electronic.
Crystal Kay - she was breaking so many boundaries in the 2000’s being a Japanese artist with Black and Korean heritage and incorporating her background in her music. Using all the best parts of herself to create something really unique and cool. That's cross-cultural art. That's the future. It’s very aligned with f5ve, combining all of these unique authentic elements and creating something new with it, while being very open and honest about the reference. She’s both a huge inspiration and an encouraging friend to the girls.
Atarashi Gakko, even though they're peers, they're very inspiring in the way that they are unapologetically themselves and anti - idols.
Beyond that it’s a lot of classic 2000’s mega girl groups, the Pussycat Dolls, Destiny's Child. The girl groups that felt like they were the pinnacle of their niche.
What is your favorite project that you’ve created so far with f5ve?
Definitely the UFO music video co-directed by Crystalline Structures and Charlotte Rutherford. We were just so, so happy about that video and how it turned out. Our concept was really niche combining alien abduction and Gacha Gachas. This video was about aliens luring Otaku in by dressing in school girl uniforms in Akihabara and then capturing their bodies in Gacha capsules.
Underground also felt really perfect. I mean, normally when you make a music video or you work on an album, you come away from it going like, oh, well, at least we got 70% of what we wanted there, right? With f5ve, every single project has been like, wow, that felt really good. Of course things always evolve and change in process, but the videos were exactly how we imagine it. And that's a really unique, awesome feeling.
What do you think f5ve is bringing to this new generation of J-pop music?
f5ve represents rawness. As much as there is production, crazy makeup, hair, costumes – the feeling of f5ve is that anything is possible and that you can truly express yourself in whatever way. And that's acceptable, that's right and that's how it should be. I think that feeling is what the future of music is supposed to be. Similar to the spirit of 2000’s pop music, we’re getting back to a point in art and music where it’s less about impressions, virality and genuinely about doing whatever the fuck you want. f5ve represents both the past and the future. Underneath the crazy aesthetics, the ethos is to be ourselves no matter what and go all the way as an extension of our hearts.
That's why I think they represent the future of music. They're willing to try anything, they're willing to do whatever feels right to them. And that means that everything they create will be genuine and heartfelt, you know? Because it's coming from the right place.
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