Artists exciting us in 2026 / June

Since starting this as a monthly series in 2024, Mixmag Asia has consistently focused on spotlighting fresh and forward-thinking names from across Asia and its far-reaching diaspora. Now in 2026, that approach remains the same.

From those dedicated to cutting-edge electronic and dance music to the occasional left-field pick from another genre, each edition brings together a selection of artists who are making noise in their local scenes or just starting to reach beyond them.

We’re not rigid about sound; if they move us, they belong here. Some names may already be familiar, others less so, but all are surely worth your time and attention.

Keep a look out for these ones.

“Anti-nostalgia without being anti-past” is Darama’s self-described approach to production. As a London-based artist, Darama’s music naturally reflects UK dance aesthetics and to that, he adds RnB, hip-hop and South Asian influences to craft a sound, heard on tracks like 2022’s ‘Blue Frog’, that is personal yet translates to the dancefloor. After releases on More Time Records and Pound Shop Edits, the producer recently launched his three-part ‘Refractions’ series, with ‘CRYSTALS’ featuring MC Nine Levels emerging as a standout on the first EP; Mixmag Asia can confirm that parts 2 and 3 will drop on July 30th and at the end of September respectively. In the meantime, the Glastonbury and Warehouse Project alum is sure to keep himself busy as a core member of South Asian collective Daytimers and with running his label Bubblin alongside co-founder yourboykiran.

Mixmag Asia first caught Réjizz at the opening of Marshall Livehouse in Bangkok, and he's been building momentum steadily since. His Thai-funk sound pulls from jazz phrasing, soulful textures, Mo Lam and Luk Thung, threading it all into contemporary hip hop and R&B without it ever feeling like a genre exercise. He’s about to drop his debut EP ‘The Era’ on July 15 through Marshall Records; a five-tracker moving through different facets of his life via shifting sonics. His most recent single ‘Uncomfortable Situations’ is the sharpest of the lot; a look at the music industry that opens on glitz and glamour before slowly exposing something more unsettling beneath: its performative and false nature. Its themes like this that make him one of the more head-turning voices pushing Thai music outward right now.

Shuta Hasunuma is an artist and composer from Tokyo whose work doesn't fit neatly into any one box in the best possible way. Even with a 20+ year career, he consistently continues to pursue new ground when it comes to music, installation, film, and live performance, weaving field recordings, electronic textures, and minimalist composition into sounds that sit outside the conventional genre logic. His collaborator list reads like a who's who of the experimental and avant-garde, having worked beside Ryuichi Sakamoto, Cornelius, Ichiko Aoba, Jeff Parker, Keiji Haino, and Devendra Banhart. His new single ‘A U R A’ arrives through his Philharmonic Orchestra project and is the embodiment of uplifting orchestral pop with its interplay of voice, rhythm, and layered sound. With a 41-piece Double Philharmonic Orchestra show at Suntory Hall coming in August plus Fuji Rock prior on the calendar after just wrapping up a world tour, we never know where he’ll land next.

Wuhan-rooted and Brooklyn-based SLEEPYLYCHEE is cutting through scenes across New York, Los Angeles, and Asia with driving techno built on heavy bass, tribal rhythms, and industrial textures. Her recent release ‘Feel The Bass’ is a testament to her sound; polyrhythmic percussion, pulsating low-end, and slow-burn sonic shifts. With 100+ shows across 15+ cities since 2019 (including OIL Shenzhen), she's held down stages and selectors slots for 6AM Group, Subtle Radio and HKCR, earning nods from Palms Out Sounds and WAV Gallery for her track ‘Deep Bongo’ along the way. She’s also one of the leaders of Common.Wavs; a platform digging into local NYC artists and venues that's quietly built its own loyal corner of the dancefloor. Keep an eye out since she’s got a run of underground shows planned across Beijing, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Shanghai on the horizon.

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