Shubostar works synth-fuelled magic on the cosmically-charmed 'Space Racer' EP

South Korean artist Shubostar returns to release action with the Italo-flecked 'Space Racer' EP.

Following on from a spectacularly successful 2021 – which saw her release music on revered labels including Eskimo, Permanent Vacation, Disco Halal, and Prins Thomas' Internasjonal – she's back on her own uju Records with a typically futurist disco flex. 'Space Racer' includes two original tracks from Shubo alongside a set of reworks from two of her favourite artists, Panthera Krause and Zombies In Miami. The uju Records team had been working hard on the release while the world was in pandemic-enforce stasis, but now that – at least in some quarters – the dances are resuming, the time was deemed ripe for the music to be unleashed.

Recorded during the lockdown, the tracks were inspired by a re-connection of Shubostar with her younger self. “When the world started to lockdown I stayed in my room alone and built this cosmic journey,” she tells Mixmag Asia. “It actually brought me to my childhood. I was a geek – and still am, haha – staying in my room playing computer games all day. In the virtual world, I felt relief.” This regression led to a fascinating fusion of youthful expression and battle-hardened expertise. “Adult Shubo met young Shubo for a long time,” she adds. “The young Shubo made these tracks with adult Shubo's skilled hand.” Understandably purring as the music finally hit the stores, Shubo shares her delight at presenting work from the remixing artists, both of whom she's long admired. “Both artists are my idols,” she says. “For uju Records, I've always invited some artists who gave me inspiration for 'Cosmic Disco'. It was an awesome decision because I got these amazing beautiful remixes.”

The EP opens with the low-slung atmospherics of 'Gundagai', with celestial synth melodies soaring over chugging bass arpeggios as crisp machine drums maintain the heads-down groove. Next, Mexican duo Zombies In Miami gently nudge the tempo on their 'Gundagai' remix, adding weight to the rhythm and spacing out the futurist instrumentation while embellishing the cut with delicate synth motifs and saucer-eyed swirls. The throbbing arps of 'Space Racer' then provide the bedrock from where the emotive melodies cascade across the horizon, as glistening pads envelope bittersweet solos over stripped but driving drums. Finally, Panthera Krause takes on 'Space Racer', maintaining the cosmic intention of the original, introducing bite to the groove while stirring in tantalising harmonic accompaniments for a euphoric nocturnal strut.

Listen to the Panthera Krause mix of 'Space Racer' here:

Shubostar 'Space Racer' is out today across all digital platforms, you can buy it here