Mixmag Asia’s 2026 Essential Listening

Mixmag Asia has often been (and will always continue to be) a reliable source of must-know music from Asia and the diaspora. Be it euphoric club heaters, left-field resonances, ambient soundscapes, experimental cuts or more, we’ve made it our mission to spotlight the sounds that matter.

Until now, though, those discoveries have lived across standalone announcements, published here and there as they land. Great in the moment, but not always the easiest to keep track of.

So, we’re switching things up.

We present to you "Currents: Fresh Music Picks by Mixmag Asia". Instead of sending you digging through the site to piece together the latest releases, we’re bringing them into one evolving, easy-to-bookmark feature: a growing compilation of essential new music that deserves your attention.

Think of it as your go-to roundup for the year ahead; a living list that we’ll keep updating as more standout tracks, EPs and albums hit our inboxes and get submitted to us.

Check back often, 'cause there’s a lot of good music on the way.

Got some original music? Send it our way through a submission form here.

The singles alone were enough to grab our attention, and the full project is just as strong. On her second album, Yu Su dips into minimal, ambient tech and dub-infused territory, though that's underselling what's really going on here. Off-kilter choices, brain-melting samples, a foray into a deep plethora of sounds and styles, and an overall confidence and boldness we can't get enough of. Born through a live performance at MUTEK, coupled with a move to London that brought a wave of new creativity, and that shift is 100% on display, front to back.

ONRA's latest LP 'After Dark' is stellar front to back. Originally conceived as the soundtrack to an imagined late-night film, the project melds R&B and modern soul through an 80s/90s lens, diving through themes of intimacy, urban solitude and indulgence via analog synths, irresistible basslines and the odd sprinkling of saxophone. One of the most feel-good, morning-sunshine projects heard in a while.

Delhi's own Nida drops an impossibly fun, lighthearted and groove-centred house track in 'Two Feet', with familiar vocals, saxophone licks and evocative piano chords making this one we're fully expecting to hear at many a poolside this summer. It doesn’t reinvent any wheels, but it doesn’t need to be a fun-loving floor filler

Shanghai-based producer SHALT lands on Infinite Machine for his latest LP 'Votive', exploring memory and how "over time, recollections of words and meanings become hazy and decayed, in turn taking on new forms and purposes". It's an LP that wears its emotions on its sleeve, winding through the story it aims to tell. Mangled vocals spring up throughout, given new meanings in an abstract, avant-garde way that we love. Cinematic, expansive, and, as much as we hate using this term, a journey.

Berlin-based Buto Bayang drops their debut artist release, courtesy of ENNIO. The 5-tracker 'Gairah Manis' (which loosely translates to "sweet obsession") is a dive into the house-driven side of ENNIO's sound, teeming with tension and release. It chops and changes, attitude-laden lyrics and all, and is an incredibly strong start from an incredibly promising label.

Hong Kong's Mr. Ho lands on DJ Masda's Cabaret Recordings for his second EP, going all out on quirky melodies, gritty basslines and groovy percussions. Each track peels back a different layer, shifting mood and texture; opener Opener 'Tight' does exactly what the title promises, a floor-ready cut designed to get bodies moving. 'Unfazed' keeps the energy locked in with house-leaning arrangements and synth work that borders on euphoric. 'Maybe Not' takes a darker detour for the shadows-and-smoke crowd, before closer 'Take Flight' lifts the whole thing skyward, signing off on a more luminous note.

Five years of copyright negotiations, roadblocks and back-and-forth, and it was worth every second. Fauve founder Romain FX finally drops his long-gestating rework of Charlie's utterly iconic 1983 disco track, transforming it into a Cantopop cover that does the original full justice. Released on the very same label as the original, it's a full-circle moment for the ages. Spacey, calming, and undeniably nostalgic.

Indonesia is going heavy on the Gqom, and RAMPAK G’s Symbiotic II is the clearest proof yet. Led by Sanjonas, the label has quickly become one to watch in this scene, taking the South African sound and threading in an unmistakably Indonesian sensibility throughout. Mind-bending at every turn, overflowing with restless energy. The original ‘Symbiotic’ kept us hooked all last year, and they haven't eased off the gas one bit.

Taiwan's Molly Lin lands on Bad Tips' ‘Good Vibes Vol. 3’ compilation with a bass-heavy wobbler that twists and contorts like it has a mind of its own. Short, sharp and utterly bass-face inducing.

Darker than Wax continue their run of form with Guohan's label debut, with four tracks of sublime storytelling that are gold from start to finish. Euphoria-inducing, worry-melting bliss that feels like it was made to soundtrack your better moments. Track 3, ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’ is the perfect go-to morning wake-up track; the kind of thing that sets the day right before you've even had your coffee.

Lucy Liyou’s newest album is the kind you and your friends will describe completely differently. It tears through free-jazz, Korean folk opera, musique-concrète, and 2000s pop, stitching it all together with text-to-speech recordings and drag-performance energy. It’s dense, emotionally raw, and funny in ways that make you the slightest bit uncomfortable, but if you want something to actually move your body to, we recommend ‘Constrictor (Haha)’ that delivers ethereal vocals drifting over an equally weightless house beat.

Arguably one of India’s most successful singers, Asha Puthli, and American disco/funk group Say She She connect on ‘Pawa!’, a disco-funk collab recorded in the English countryside with cult funk outfit Orgone, built around Puthli’s falsetto, three-part harmonies, and a bassline that hits exactly where it should. The release comes with four remixes: Legendary group Crazy P work through an epic house version, a vocal dub, and a disco dub, while Boys’ Shorts stretch things into an eight-minute balearic journey.

Todh Teri’s ‘The Return of Hari Heart’ lands as the eighth release on Masala Movement Records, a vinyl-only record that moves through acid disco, deep dubby grooves, and a retrofitted '70s rock gem across three tracks. Let the needle run past the last one and there's a locked-groove acid sequence waiting in the dead wax; a nice little reward for those who don't lift the stylus too early. Purchase here.

DJ Nobu’s ‘Shō’ on fabric Originals is five tracks of deep, meditative electronics that moves between kinetic rhythmic pulses, expansive emotional swells, and hypnotic repetition, loosely guided by Buddhist philosophy but very much grounded in sound. It's the kind of record that builds slowly and opens up, shifting from driving tension into calm, steady clarity by the end.

Aum Recordings has dropped a Japan-only VA compilation, bringing together eight producers (including label founders Toru Ikemoto, DJ HI-C, and TENO) who are deeply embedded in the local scene as label runners, live performers, and event organisers. The music covers a lot of ground for an introspective listen; psychedelic soundscapes, minimal techno, leftfield electronics, and rhythmic grooves.

Dirty K’s ‘信義 Xin Yi’ officially coins 台客碎拍 (Taikebeat), a dance music language rooted in Taiwan's early-2000s nightclub circuit, from Taipei’s B1PUB to Kaohsiung’s No.6. Expect dense, fractured drum patterns, overloaded low frequencies, and CD-era digital textures woven with traditional instrumentation at a relentless pace. For those who like it chaotic but still very much danceable.

Korea’s own sooyeon returns to Nehza Records with ‘i can see you on find my friends’, taken from the label’s ‘Transex’ compilation, which was released prior. Bass-heavy, attitude-laden and a proven dancefloor filler.

Taipei meets Tokyo on WRACK and Sonia Calico’s latest double single. Sonia’s ‘Lotus Chasm’ is a hypnotic, almost tribal offering rooted in traditional sounds. WRACK shifts gears with ‘Tanaka’, leaning into Latin rhythms while still championing traditional instrumentation throughout.

LA based trio SY3 release first single ‘Tell Me’ from their upcoming debut album, and if this single is indicative of the rest of the record, we’re in for a treat. It sits somewhere between dream pop, downtempo house and trip hop, all living in that nostalgic aesthetic. Soft, subtle and effortlessly cool airy-ness throughout; eager to hear the entire release when it comes out.

Hong Kong heroes N.Y.P.D. 南洋派對 blends post-punk, psychedelia, Cantonese indie rock, and bits of Chinese folk, all with their sarcastic commentary about modern life in the city. It’s jagged, explosive, unapologetic, and often down right satirical. Takes on noises of leaking AC units, complaining about people constantly asking for a lighter and the beloved Donki stores all backdropped with gut-punching production is a match made in heaven.

SAAND’s ‘Disco a Go Go’ on Dynamite Disco Club fuses shimmering Indian melodic phrasing with cheeky disco swagger, where bright, playful synth runs dance around crisp hand-percussion and a rubbery, funk-loaded bassline. The track leans into expressive scales and lively rhythmic patterns that nod to Indian musicality while keeping the groove slick and club-ready, landing somewhere between euphoric dancefloor release and the kind of groove-first energy DDC devotees expect.

Alinep’s ‘Rolyo’ is a tight snapshot of the Manila-born, UK-based producer’s calling card: deep, rolling basslines, crisp glitch textures and smoky atmospheres threaded through sleek minimal techno, with the title track firing off punchy, slightly intergalactic synth stabs. ‘Gapang’ slips into a more fluid roll with playful synth flickers dancing around the low end, while ‘Arangkada’ seals the EP with a bass-driven, hypnotic crawl where sparse minimal notes lock the rhythm into that head-nodding zone we all know and love.

Stones Taro, long associated with the NC4K imprint, launches a new self-release series with ‘Foglore#1’, a four-tracker steeped in foggy pads, dubbed-out bass pressure and loose-limbed breaks that feel like they’ve drifted in from some half-mythical dancefloor. Blending dub depth, techno drive and deep house warmth, it’s a quietly trippy listen; introspective club music that sounds strangely ancient yet appropriate for headphones and floor sessions.

Written during a self-directed residency in Amami after researching Nüshu (the secret writing system created by women in rural China to share private thoughts under patriarchy) Suki Quasimodo’s track centres on the mantra-like line “you hold all the power”. It opens with near-whispered vocals before slipping into a sub-heavy 140 BPM drop. Built on tension and negative space, the low end moves in slow, shadowy waves while effects-drenched vocals hover just out of reach, giving the piece a haunted intimacy. Sitting between experimental electronics, ambient bass and emotionally-charged IDM, it finds its weight not in volume, but in restraint.

WILHELMINA’s latest EP ‘Book of Spells’ is on another level. It injects real mystique into club music, blending ancient energy with forward-thinking production and razor-sharp execution. His Filipino heritage meets East Coast drive in a way that feels urgent, authentic and fresh. He was chosen to grace our Artists Exciting Us feature in February for deeper context on him as a producer, and we really can’t get enough.

Born out of the 2025 Artist Retreat hosted by Mixmag Asia and EMC Australia, Jenli and Yasmina Sadiki’s collaboration ‘Purple Whispers’ arrives as a slow-burning ambient cut built on hushed textures, drifting harmonies, and softly layered atmospheres. Guided by spacious production and restraint, the track lets Sadiki’s airy and almost haunting vocals glide through a weightless soundscape that unfolds patiently, drawing electronic listeners into a suspended, intimate flow.

Tokyo-based Hoshina Anniversary returns with ‘Rebirth Remixes’, a self-rebuilt overhaul of his 2025 album ‘Rebirth’, reshaping all seven tracks into DJ-ready cuts with labeled BPMs, cinematic twists, and a brand-new techno-leaning instrumental. Keeping his falsetto vocals, warm basslines, and detailed electronic touch intact, he shifts the focus toward groove and function; a perfect balance of driving club rhythms and expansive, ambient elements.

‘nagoyaka na kaze / 和やかな風 (Quiet Wind)’ spotlights Nagoya’s electronic underground in a new compilation co-curated by abentis for Wisdom Teeth, the label run by Facta and K-LONE. Born from a 2024 showcase at Club JB’s, it captures a tight-knit scene of the city, blending ambient movements, psychedelic minimal house, murky downtempo and bass-weighted steppers into richly textured, rhythm-driven hybrids.

Dolorblind returns in March with his new EP titled 'No Signal', led by the shimmering single ‘NRG’ featuring Rounak Maiti. Built on bright, interlocking synth lines, chopped percussion, distorted textures and propulsive drums, the track balances punchy low-end drive with airy, layered vocals that glide through the haze, giving its electronic sheen both lift and emotional weight.

DJazz kicks off 2026 with his sixth EP, ‘7AM In Bangkok’ on All That DJazz, a four-track, 23-minute trip through house, electro, acid and hazy electronica inspired by travels in Thailand and Vietnam. From flipping Angkanang Kunchai’s 1975 cut ‘Lsan Lam Plearn’ on the opener to 303-driven grooves, acid bass, 808 punch and a Vietnamese monochord flourish, it closes with a dancefloor-ready rework primed for late-night spins.

OVERFALL have completed their second album, ‘Thailand’, forged from live beats, improvisation and dubwise sparks ignited while moving through Chiang Mai, Pai, Bangkok and Koh Larn in early 2025, recording daily on a stripped-back mobile setup. Built from hip hop-leaning samples, elastic rhythms and hands-on dub processing, the self-produced record captures the calm of their travels with every detail left to breathe.

Tobes is stepping out on his own this year, launching his imprint, Heartfelt Haze, to release music freely and on his own timeline after years of label delays. He’s kicking things off with four EPs from late-2024 live sessions, starting with ‘Sapphire’ in February—a mood-driven, emotionally rich release crafted for deep home listening and headphones.

Nadī doubles down on bass-heavy, emotionally charged club music with her latest release, building on momentum from sets at Glastonbury Festival and the Victoria and Albert Museum, plus chart success and support from BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music. On ‘You Were Mine’, weighty, wubby low-end underpins soft vocals and skittering percussion, channeling the pain of losing someone to the prison system while they’re still alive but out of reach.

Butter Sessions marks 15 years with ‘BSRXV: 15 Years of Butter Sessions’, a three-part 12” that feels like a lived-in snapshot of the label’s orbit. Disc One swings through dub-heavy techno, jack and Balearic-leaning cuts, Disc Two drifts across cosmic house, breaks and EBM-tinged prog, and Disc Three locks into psy-adjacent tools, dub techno and raw rave energy. A fluid, club-ready overview of the sounds that shaped the label.

‘Chalybeate’ is a collaborative album by aus and The Humble Bee, built on calm, mineral-toned ambient textures shaped from field recordings of water, insects, and town air. Slow, restrained, and gently worn with tape hiss and humidity, it unfolds in a steady, immersive flow designed for unhurried listening.

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