Artists exciting us in 2024 / September

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.

Meet Aya, the Singapore-based DJ hailing from Yokohama, whose career spans across Asia's club scenes. With a residency at Thugshop and having performed at cult favourite venues like Japan’s Osaka Techno Mafia and club JOULE, Modulus KL, Arcan Saigon and The Warehouse Club Hanoi, Aya brings a fresh blend of energetic, uplifting techno with a playful twist. A classical music background allows her to craft sets that resonate deeply with any crowd—check out her acclaimed HÖR Radio mix featuring tracks by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Joe Hisaishi. Recently joining Midnight Shift and having featured on line-ups with DJ Stingray 313, Tommy Four Seven and Drunken Kong, she plans to make her debut in Indonesia for an UNDERRADAR event later this month.

IYRE is back on our radar this month after the promo for his next release, ‘Bhageera / Meltdown Era’, landed in our inbox ahead of its September 20 release. Signed to French label Vandal Records, the drum’n’bass double-single features MC PVC on ‘Bhageera’, a track that is “hugely inspired by a cult hit song from the Bollywood movie Khal Nayak,” says IYRE. Its title, on the other hand, pays homage to Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Following this, we can expect further singles from IYRE on UKF in Q4. 2025 promises to be another big year for the breakout Sri Lankan producer, with a number of high-profile releases already on the horizon. These include an EP on UKF, a Soulvent Records-backed UKG track featuring PAV4N, and more forthcoming bits on Dispatch and Hospital Records.

Known for her distinctive brand of alternative techno, Japanese/Iranian artist Sahar Bagherpour masterfully fuses dark, brooding beats with Middle Eastern influences, a nod to her Iranian heritage. Though she’s gaining notoriety thanks to high-profile gigs supporting the likes of Ben UFO and Nastia, and collaborations with brands like Soulection and NTS, Sahar has long been a fixture in Japan's club circuit. A regular at Circus' Osaka and Tokyo spots, she’s become a nationwide presence thanks to her distinctly eclectic style of music. She's also a formidable force behind the scenes, curating tours and events across Japan in cooperation with various venues, and we’re eager to see her break out of Japan.

DJ and producer STGNT is known for his crisp, functional techno and has established himself in the underground music scene since 2011. Embracing imperfections in sound, he has developed a unique artistic style. In 2024 alone, he’s performed at venues like GYLT in Bangalore and has been actively involved in the local ASTRALWORX community. He also founded Octave, a popular event series in India. In April this year, he released a hypnotic techno EP with Indian label Sonic Perception and contributed the track ‘Komatose’ to their three-year anniversary compilation.

Cut through the noise—sign up for our weekly Scene Report or follow us on Instagram to get the latest from Asia and the Asian diaspora!