Mengzy Selects – 017 / November

Welcome to ‘Mengzy Selects’, a monthly video column which features five recently released tracks by producers and labels in Asia and across the Asian diaspora. Your host is Mengzy: a Hong Kong-based DJ and producer, PhD in musicology, music journalist, and co-founder of Feed the Dragon.

To watch the video version of this month’s column, click here.

Uh-U!, the partnership between Hizuo and DubGuy has, to date, been focused on UKG with releases on SPRAYBOX alongside regular SoundCloud drops. November 4, however, saw the duo tackle techno with ‘Hatch Ware’ EP, and the title track is a Ken Ishii-influenced banger.

Listen to ‘Hatch Ware’ here.

Filipino collective Nais is back this month with the fourth instalment of its charity-fundraising ‘Sounds Nais’ VAs. Its biggest yet, with thirty-eight tracks, features a dizzying array of genres. 2-stepper ‘Circa 3000’ by LONER is our favourite with Lane’s ‘Off Stage’ in second place.

Listen to ‘Circa 3000’ here.

Cranking up the distortion on KiNK’s summer banger, Nikki Nair is at it again with his infectious remix of ‘For The People’. Released via Hypercolour, the rework injects a playful rising arp and a bouncy bassline for equal parts quirk and rave.

Listen to ‘For The People’ (Nikki Nair Remix) here.

Focused on artists in the Kansai region of Japan, finestylewest recently released ‘TEC’, the first major release from Osaka-based tsumasaki. Across four originals and four remixes, we were drawn to ‘topi’ as well as its lush breaks/house remix by SEKITOVA.

Listen to ‘topi’ (SEKITOVA DGD mix) here.

Kiss Nuka’s latest self-release was inspired by raat rani, a “beautiful jasmine flower that blooms after dark.” And everything, from the organic timbres to the atmospheric artwork, channels primal nocturnal energies. ‘War Cry’ incorporates influences from d’n’b, to footwork, and halftime, with Nuka’s signature Goa vibes.

Listen to ‘War Cry’ here.

Want to be featured on ‘Mengzy Selects?’ Email promos to [email protected].

Mengzy is Mixmag Asia’s Music Culture Columnist, follow her on Instagram.