Artists exciting us in 2024 / June

As we've proudly mentioned before, the Asian scene is thriving. Among the plethora of talent spread across the region and diaspora, we keep on excitedly unearthing more and more names that may not be too familiar to some but are definitely worth your attention.

In the spirit of sharing, Mixmag Asia will be featuring a number of arguably under-the-radar artists who are currently making exciting noise in — and freshly out of — their respective scenes.

Prepare to expand your playlists.

Hye Jin Choi aka Afrodite has become the go-to purveyor for organic and transcendental sounds at festivals and clubs in South Korea. While known for her versatility as a DJ, she’s also weighed in as a booker and curator for The Air House, a festival that’s risen to be one of the region’s new favourite outdoor gatherings. Over the last year, demand for Afrodite’s organically colourful sets have taken her to some of Asia’s finest sound spaces, including Nokal in Manila, Savage in Hanoi, Tuff Club in Singapore as well as festivals in Taiwan and Vietnam. The genre-fluid DJ is now amping up her sound artillery with her own productions, which we’re eagerly waiting to get an early taste of. In the meantime, catch her in Taipei in July and later this year at Hong Kong’s island getaway, Shi Fu Miz Festival.

In just a few days, Deft’s sophomore Hooversound Recordings EP will drop and it’s yet another reason why this bass mutant excites us here at Mixmag Asia. Spanning 140 to 170 BPM, ‘Two Years’ grinds the producer’s sound design mastery together with transatlantic influences, from footwork to jungle, across hard-hitters like ‘Throat’ and ‘The Fix’. It’s the latest in a line of quality releases for Deft, real name Yip Wong, that have come out on a who’s who of leftfield bass labels: 20/20 LDN, Critical Music, Exit Records, 1985… And what’s next in line for the London-based artist? ‘RMXS-2’—a new pack of gnarly remixes and edits to rattle rave sound systems this summer.

A duo from Tokyo focused on bass music with a groove of original tracks, intricate transitions, and trippy rhythms. Drawing inspiration from multiple genres such as techno, dubstep, breaks, downtempo and IDM, Herbalistek's DJ sets weave through both murky bass and vibrant soundscapes to create an anomalous psychedelic experience. They aim to lead and build a foundation for the bass music scene of Japan and create positive experiences through experimental bass music around the world. They also run a Tokyo-based bass music event, Sector. In the beginning of the year, they released ‘Diraliavoid’, a three-track EP focused on slower grooves and sound design. The duo have just performed at Re:birth Festival, playing a b2b set with Allen Mock, and are set to perform at Fuji Rock Festival in July.

Adit aka Hi(gh) Hat wears many hats in addition to the one in his moniker. Known as one who masterfully blends his background in visual creativity with a passion for sound, he kickstarted his career as a selector during the pandemic, creating a mix for NTS Radio before going on to grace the decks of venues in his hometown of Jakarta. His sets are an ethereal trip, challenging reality and taking listeners to new heights. In addition to DJing, he recently launched Ryde or Die, an inclusive community radio in Bali, aimed at empowering artists to navigate life's challenges together. Now settled in Bangkok as a resident of Blaq Lyte and Bangkok Community Radio, he plans to add “producer” to his list of titles as he starts to dabble in music production.

Archie has been making waves in Bali's music scene, securing residencies at two of the island’s acclaimed venues: Potato Head and Klymax, where he’s set to play the ten-year anniversary in Singapore of the former, and recently delivered a stomping all-night-long set at the latter. His style leans towards minimal house, yet his groove-heavy, body-shaking sets are always infused with fresh, killer basslines and synths. Archie's live set outfit, Fraktal, is also turning heads, with a new track set to release on FuFu Records later this month and a debut album in the works. Let’s not forget his creative-based crew, Tantrà Bali. His impressive resume includes a set for Yeti Out and Rinse FM to sharing the stage with acts like The Martinez Brothers and Midland, and with such accomplishments, it's no wonder we're eagerly watching his career unfold.

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