Mengzy Selects – 047 / May

Welcome to ‘Mengzy Selects’, a monthly video column which features 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.

BUTO BAYANG follows up from its launch VA with ‘Gairah Manis’, a quality house and techno EP from label co-founder, ENNIO. Lead single ‘Black Pepper Knees’ is a standout, featuring a bombastic queer vocal from Indonesian performer NDA. Also demanding attention on the EP are ‘Inner Touch’ and title track ‘Gairah Manis’ which means “sweet passion” in Bahasa Indonesia.

Listen to ‘Black Pepper Knees’ (feat. Bryan Kessler & NDA) here.

A cosmic disco delight, ‘Gamgi’ is one of four Shubostar, Rina, and Benji co-productions on their new ‘Starlight Arcade’ EP. Released on May 8 via mulemusiq, the EP soars through Italo, new wave, house and cosmic influences with a whimsical touch: translated, the lyrics for ‘Gamgi’ are about drinking tea to ward off a cold.

Listen to ‘Gamgi’ here.

Tokyo-based producers The Magus Project and Submerse joined forces recently on split-single ‘PARADOX’. Since the re-release of his early-nineties rave DATs, The Magus Project has continued cooking rave revivalist productions, of which ‘PARA’ is the latest treat. On ‘DOX’, Submerse serves up jungle.

Listen to ‘PARA’ here.

Sensational techno on ‘Slow Hole’ by Ayesha, who’s appeared in Japan, China and Vietnam this month. The single features a rolling bass, driving syncopated pulse, and hypnotic synths that the Brooklyn-based producer and hardware aficionado plays with for over seven minutes.

Listen ‘Slow Hole’ 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.

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