2025 in the bag: an A-Z by Mixmag Asia

As 2025 winds down, we’re taking a step back to remind ourselves just how wild, weird, and wonderful this year has been for Asia’s music community, both in the region and across the diaspora.

From Glastonbury’s marigold-soaked Azaadi Stage exploding with South Asian spirit to Cambodia’s underground rebuilding itself with nothing but grit and pure sonic instinct, this year was stacked with moments that reminded us why we do what we do.

We hopped from Bali’s off-grid hangouts to watching K-bass make its move at SXSW London, dived into festival-worldbuilding, traced queer Vietnamese joy across continents, and even witnessed a literal ninja-style USB heist mid-set (obviously not on our 2025 Bingo card).

The iconic Mixmag Labs landed big across Asia, vinyl shops and spaces blossomed, and we even got the chance to curate a film programme. Throw in political awakenings, wild cargo mishaps (cocaine wine, anyone?!), and some of the most intimate interviews we’ve ever published with some of the coolest cats out there, and you’ve got a whirlwind of a year that deserves to be remembered.

Read to relive the full spectrum of 2025? Start scrolling…

Shangri-La’s marigold-drenched Azaadi Stage made a striking debut at Glastonbury this year, infusing the festival with South Asian sound, symbolism, and spirit—and yes, we’ve got exclusive photos to prove it. Curated by Bobby Friction, it became a space of joy and connection, reimagining representation through rhythm, texture, and bold cultural vision. As he put it: “The whole point wasn’t to say, ‘Oh, there’s South Asian music and artists here’. The point was smashing ceilings, breaking down artificial divides, and letting everyone access so many South Asian artists; some of the best music being made in the world.”

Read the full article here.

Forget the filtered feeds; this is Bali how it’s really lived, from all-night listening sessions to low-key local eats. This isn’t your typical to-do list on the island. DJs, chefs, artists and everyday creatives map out their version of paradise—off the beaten track and straight from the soul, with tips on how to fill your days (and stretch your nights) whenever you drop in. Just don’t be surprised if your “short trip” somehow turns into a semi-permanent stay (as if that would be a bad thing?!).

Read the full article here.

Cambodia’s electronic music scene is rising from the ashes of a cultural past erased by “Year Zero”, driven by pioneering expats and determined local creators fighting to rebuild a sonic identity. From infamous floating nightclubs and jungle raves to new collectives spotlighting homegrown talent, the movement thrives on raw passion despite scarce venues, funding hurdles, and mainstream competition. “There are not many spaces that consistently program 'underground' electronic music, but what we do have is raw and true,” as one voice mentions.

Read the full article here.

At the heart of Ivan Smagghe and Manfredas’ chemistry is exactly what they say it is: “Friendship, musical telepathy, food, and being agreeable on the long, exhausting road”. This is what makes Dresden feel like its own living character. The duo every set as a shared headspace rather than a place for ego, always “going forward, never arriving” as they chase new ways to connect sound and people.

Read more of their reflections in the interview here.

Fred P is a true sonic storyteller; an intuitive, soul-steeped artist whose decades of exploration have carved out a lane entirely his own. In this exclusive conversation, he opens up about legacy, community, and the deeper purpose behind every beat as he geared up for his Hong Kong debut and the release of ‘Neon Futures’ in April this year. Think of it as a rare peek into the mind of a modern-day sound alchemist.

Read the full interview here.

In this interview, ffan opens up about carrying a two-generation music legacy while reshaping the city’s underground with raw honesty and unfiltered passion. Between Matisse prints, messy genius, and 3am dancefloors, he reveals how humour and heartfelt connection fuel his evolution from Seoul to Panorama Bar and beyond. What unfolds is a portrait of an artist who builds worlds—NYAPI, Studio Namsan, Bar Piment—each as spontaneous, soulful, and unmistakably ffan as the man himself. “I’m not a rebel. I’m just someone who’s still sitting on a 30-year-old Basili chair, quietly staring at a dusty Matisse on the wall,” he says.

Read the full interview here.

Taipei-based festival GLOWBALL is right at the heart of the country’s buzzing scene. In this chat with founder Sonia Calico, we dig into how the event is making its mark in Asia’s underground with bold sounds, cross-cultural mashups, and a strong community pulse. From this year’s playful “Ping Pong” theme—where artists like Mong Tong jam live with gamelan players and U-Theatre’s U8 makes its club debut—to collabs with HE.SHE.THEY. and local crews, GLOWBALL is living up to its intention to “cook up something vibrant and powerful, and serve it to a bigger, curious audience”.

Read the full article here.

Hiroko Yamamura backs her somewhat confusing statement in the best way; by showing how she simply follows instinct, reads the room, and builds worlds on the fly. She’s direct about how being Japanese-American, loving nerd culture, and growing up online shaped her creativity far more than any traditional path into dance music. And, in true Hiroko fashion, she reminds us there’s no single “Chicago sound” or tidy origin story—just a messy, curious mix of identity and community that somehow led her exactly where she belongs.

Read the full interview here.

Gorillaz’s ninth studio album titled ‘The Mountain’ comes out on March 20, 2026, and this time, India’s the heartbeat of their sound (and visual aesthetic, based on the album artwork alone). Expect a mix of East-meets-West sonic magic, with icons like Asha Bhosle, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, Ajay Prasanna, and Asha Puthli joining forces with the band. Other collaborators such as Johnny Marr, IDLES, Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey are also on the album—one we’re excited to listen to once it drops.

Read the full article here.

Across Asia this year, the youth were forcing political reckonings. In the Philippines, communities battered by floods and historical injustice are rejecting elite excess and government neglect, echoing rapper Pette Shabu’s frustration: “How absurd that we beg mercy from mortal elites who play gods with our lives.”

In Nepal, Gen Z turned street protests into digital democracy, selecting former Chief Justice Sushila Karki via Discord after forcing out an old-guard prime minister, with organiser Smarika Phuyal declaring, “We had to be loud because we want to be heard.”

Meanwhile in Jakarta, workers, students, and creatives rally against inequality, police violence, and elite excess—a movement amplified by artists like Ecilo who states: “These protests are necessary to remind the government and parliament that they serve the people, not the oligarchy.”

At this year’s first-ever SXSW London, Rich SCR, 7ip7o3 and Jun Kim took the stage to reveal how Seoul’s underground is hardwiring K-pop with “K-bass”—a break-heavy blend of grime, garage and jungle now pulsing through global hits. The panel (which you can watch in its entirety as well) unpacked how artists from aespa to New Jeans are tapping into this low-end energy, driven by Seoul Community Radio, ScreaM Records and the city’s fiercely competitive club scene.

Watch the entire panel here.

In case you missed it: The Mixmag Lab made its big move into Asia this year, landing in Dhaka, Hong Kong and Bali.

Dhaka brought a historic first for Bangladesh with a powerhouse local-led line-up—Kadin, Munasib and OMDG—proving just how fiercely the city’s underground is pushing its own sound onto the global stage.

Hong Kong delivered an entirely different flavour with a two-day harbourfront takeover at Pier 1929, blending international heavy-hitters, regional favourites and beloved local crews against panoramic views of Victoria Harbour.

Then came Bali, where Rok Riley, Munir and ultimately Theo Parrish’s three-and-a-half-hour set at La Brisa turned the island’s famed Echo Beach into an open-air temple of house and feel-good grooves.

Trust us, after a year like this, The Mixmag Lab is only going bigger in Asia.

“I didn’t just enter nightlife as a DJ or organiser. I entered because I felt something was missing, and I wanted to help create it—even just a little.” From that spark, Maktoop became one of Seoul’s most quietly powerful forces in electronic music, bridging queerness, art, and underground culture with rare emotional depth. Through Kockiri—a club that’s less about parties and more about “creating lasting memories and emotional experiences”—he’s transformed the city’s nightlife into something more human: a place where rhythm meets reflection, and everyone belongs.

Read the full interview here.

Yes, (unfortunately) you read that right. Singapore DJ and producer Joshua Pillai aka RAAJ had an unexpected pot twist during his set—two guys hanging by the booth, one playing decoy while the other, in his words, “swoops in, ninja-style, pulls out my USB stick, and slides it into his shoe. Yes. His shoe.” Hard to believe? Don’t worry, the club got it all on cam. The music might have glitched but the crowd kept dancing, and Joshua—ever the pro—kept his cool, saved the set, and later shared the clip as a friendly reminder to fellow DJs: “Be aware, be safe.”

Read the full article here.

The OMNIS-DUO is AlphaTheta’s debut release under their own name, and we were given the chance to put it through its paces, revealing some surprising strengths in its portable, wireless-first design. As with every piece of tech, it does have its quirks (including a higher price point), but it’s definitely worth diving into.

Read the full review here.

Last month, we curated a special film programme with the Asian Film Archive titled Pulse/Drift: Sonic and Visual Currents in Asian Cinema—a month-long celebration of how sound shapes stories across the region. What was in store? Think stories about dancefloors in Davao, experimental collectives in Saigon, and bass battles in Bengal; a total of 25 films tracing the rhythm of a region alive with creative energy. It all built to a cinematic crescendo with rare premieres, cult classics, and a special listening event at RASA.

Read more about the programme when we announced it here.

No One Magazine celebrated the launch of Issue 02 with a whirlwind of events across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Amsterdam, and New York—each a dazzling fusion of drag, dance, dialogue, and diasporic pride. From múa bóng rỗi to waacking battles and teary-eyed screenings, every city revealed fresh layers of connection between Vietnam’s queer nightlife and its global kin. The result? A vibrant, emotional reminder that queer Vietnamese joy is alive, evolving, and determined to dance through every border it meets.

See the gallery of images here.

At ADE’s Nighttime Lab, we and EMC showed how community radio across APAC has evolved from a DIY necessity into a real cultural force, connecting scenes from Seoul and Bangkok to Melbourne and Tokyo through shared curiosity, collaboration and local flavour. The Grassroots Rising session made it clear that these platforms aren’t just broadcasters, and instead have become community hubs, creative launchpads and storytellers that help new talent grow, keep local histories alive and move fresh ideas and sounds around the region.

Read the insights shared here.

Sonic Minds returns to Wonderfruit with a powerful rethinking of how we listen—merging ancient Asian sound traditions, modern ambient experimentation, and scientific research into how frequencies can restore and heal. Curated by MSCTY Studio’s Nick Luscombe and James Greer, the programme offers immersive installations and performances that turn sound into a form of medicine, inviting Wonderers to slow down and truly tune in. We speak to the two, along with artists Bottlesmoker and NOTEP on how the space between the notes might be the most transformative experience of all.

Explore more here.

In this exclusive interview, Theo Parrish reminded us why he’s still a lodestar of house music, unpacking decades of wisdom with the same effortless cool he brings to the decks. He spoke about intention, physicality, jazz-as-teacher, and the delicate dance between heritage and innovation; all with that signature Parrish clarity that turns simple truths into lifelong lessons. Perfect to read before diving into his Mixmag Lab Bali set.

Read the full interview here.

HKU just rolled out Music Entrepreneurship and Popular Practice (MEPoP); a first-of-its-kind programme in Asia that mixes hands-on music industry training with creative practice, from DJing to songwriting and entrepreneurship. Its aim? To give future artists and execs the real-world skills, mentorship, and community they need to thrive. Mixmag Asia’s resident bass devotee, Mengzy, will be leading the DJing course.

Read the full article here.

This year especially, Asia’s vinyl wave was in full swing, with fresh record spots popping up and giving us new places to dig, listen, and hang.

In Kyoto, pinks vinyl brings youthful hip-hop energy and friendly vibes to a scene long dominated by serious crate-diggers, with shelves full of Japan-pressed soul, jazz, and club cuts. Saigon’s MERAKI blends records, streetwear, art, and coffee into one laid-back cultural hangout built for crate-diggers and creatives alike. Taipei’s Slipped Disk mixes rare second-hand dance records, craft beers, and a “music heals” attitude for casual listening and community-driven events. Bangalore’s Middle Room channels classic listening bars — think warm analog sound, deep-cut sessions, and slow-vibe food and drinks made for sinking into music. And in Osaka, Basura Muzik celebrates overlooked “trash” records and DJ-minded digging in an intimate, Showa-kissaten-style space built for discovery and conversation.

Back in August, Busan port accidentally received 600kg of cocaine worth US$230 million, (apparently)delivered to the wrong address. Smugglers had even disguised liquid cocaine in what looked like fancy, factory-sealed wine bottles. Imagine uncorking that at a dinner party…

Read the full article here.

Jakarta’s scene darling XANDEGA steps into his own lane with ‘IN-FLUX’, a nine-track journey he admits is his first time “putting myself out there” after 14 years in a band. The album, which had an exclusive audiovisual showcase launch, exudes warm electronics, alt-R’n’B glow, and local rhythms, moving from dread to clarity to full-tilt euphoria. And true to form, he’s carving his own “microtrend”, proving you can build a world that’s entirely yours while keeping listeners locked in.

Read more about it here.

The Hong Kong collective shows how a true underground movement grows when a scene stops chasing hype and starts investing in the people who shape it. As they put it, “Give young, inspired people the tools to succeed,” and the result is a collective that’s built workshops, global events, and now a chart-topping label…without losing sight of who it’s all for.

Read the full article here.

“This project has to do with music and its effect on our sleep and wakefulness,” says Michael Diamond. ‘Placid Wakefulness’ explores how sound can shift us between calm and alert states, turning sleep science into immersive music. Built on his research into how music interacts with our circadian rhythms, the EP teems with lullaby-like softness alongside energising pulses to mimic drifting into focus or sliding toward sleep. It hints at how these sonic ideas could shape both club culture and future wellness tools

Read the full article here.

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