Mixmag Asia Radio: TREKKIE TRAX CREW share set from Summer Bass Jam Festival

Firstly, how was Summer Bass Jam Festival, where this set was recorded?

It's been a while since our label artist Roska has been in Tokyo, so we were very happy to have him playing in our home city. It was also a night where a lot of the local bass music artists in Tokyo came together, so it was a memorable party.


How does playing at a festival differ from a club set?

At clubs, we build our DJ sets in such a way that we can select songs in response to the real-time reactions of the audience, whereas at big music festivals such as ULTRA JAPAN and Fuji Rock Festival, we are more conscious of presenting the current TREKKIE TRAX CREW mode to the maximum extent possible. We spend more time than usual on the song selection beforehand.


Tell us about this mix. Why is it special?

This mix is a recording of TREKKIE TRAX CREW featuring Nakamura Minami's set at Roska's Tokyo show at O-East in Shibuya on August 11. The TREKKIE TRAX CREW consists of the label's founders Carpainter, Seimei, and Andrew as the DJs plus Futatsuki as an MC. We were the openers for the night and tried to play as many of our label's tracks as possible.


How do b3bs compare to your solo sets?

In a solo set, we DJ with an emphasis on the musical characteristics and style of each artist, but TREKKIE TRAX CREW often plays at festivals and big-room clubs, so we try to select songs to get as many listeners as possible excited! We also choose songs based on the intention of playing as many of the label's releases as possible.


What is the difference between the artists you release on your label and those you play in your mixes?

There is no difference in terms of the music we like to play as DJs. However, TREKKIE TRAX's aim as a label is to present the world with the sounds of great local artists in Japan and the domestic and international communities, so we respect the originality of the artists themselves the most, regardless of whether they are DJs or not. So we think that originality is what makes the sound different from other artists playing in the mix. And every time we see the audience getting excited by the originality of the songs we release, we are so impressed; not only as label owners but also as the artists’ actual friends.


UK influences can be seen in your sets, why do you think this sound is so special?

It's not just UK music, we think. When we started the label 12 years ago, it was at a time when new and innovative music such as dubstep and footwork were gaining worldwide attention. This is now called bass music can be infused with influences from diverse genres and musical backgrounds, so it is a sound that the lead members of TREKKIE TRAX, who have different musical roots, can commonly immerse themselves in and produce more original work. We are still able to release new material, and we still think it's special in that respect.


Where are your favourite dancefloors in Asia?

Recently, our favourite club is AXIS in Chengdu, China, where Seimei DJ'd last month. Also, a club called FINAL in Taipei, Taiwan, where an old friend of ours always plays. FINAL is also the venue where our label artists perform constantly.

Also, there are many clubs that we can call our home club in Tokyo, but I think clubasia in Shibuya, where we will have our anniversary party this year, is our favourite.


What do you like about the music scene in your city?

It's a place where people of different genres and music styles are connected by the community. And because the music scene in Tokyo is in a fast cycle, you can always encounter new talents and new communities. We think currently Tokyo has a relatively flexible and healthy scene.


Are there any other labels in Asia that have caught your attention recently?

- Turing; a label presenting experimental sounds by Oyubi and Fetus.

- USI KUVO; a label and collective by TYO GQOM that plays mainly African dance music in Japan.

- Nocturnal Technology; a hot emerging label launched by Mars89.


Who are the DJs you would like to play back-to-back with?

We really admire Ben UFO. He's a really awesome DJ who always checks out all the promos from TREKKIE TRAX and he always plays in such a fresh flow.


What's next for Trekkie Trax?

We’ll be performing at ULTRA JAPAN on September 14 and we have the TREKKIE TRAX 12th Anniversary event at clubasia in Shibuya, Tokyo on November 16. We’re currently working on bringing in a special guest from the UK for this one…

In addition to guest artists closely associated with TREKKIE TRAX such as Nakamura Minami, ONJUICY and MEZZ, we will be performing a collaboration with Japanese hardcore band FIRE BOYS— the song was released on August 30.

Overall as a label, we aim to release more music mainly from Tokyo, including a few new local artists.

Henry Cooper is a Writer at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.

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