‘Thought Shuffle’ by mermaids blends deep house with a jazz edge
The track featuring saxophonist Roxy Modesto was recorded and mixed on a vintage Soundcraft TS12 analogue console
mermaids (the deep/lo-fi house alias of Manila-born Joey Santos) makes a return with ‘Thought Shuffle’; a contemplative yet groove-driven cut released on August 15 via SEAlectors.
Joey Santos brings more than two decades of experience as both a DJ and producer.
Having been part of Manila’s indie rock, pop, and electronic scenes before relocating to Singapore, he has built mermaids as a project rooted in deep house traditions yet shaped by modern lo-fi aesthetics.
Influenced by house maestros such as Kerri Chandler, Moodymann, and Joe Claussell, mermaids’ music sits between home listening and the dancefloor.
The track comes complete with smoky chords, crisp percussion, and an undercurrent built for both headphones and late-night floors. Around the halfway point enters saxophonist Roxy Modesto, who threads a soulful counterpoint to mermaids’ layered synths and crisp percussion.
“The improvised nature of Roxy’s sax adds this organic human element on top of the music I produced in a DAW. It's like finding clarity in the noise we all experience more and more of,” the artist says.
Read this next: The Mixmag Asia Clubbing Guide: Manila
For this track, mermaids also experimented with analogue mixing for the first time, using a vintage Soundcraft TS12 analogue console once used at Manila’s TRACKS Studios.
The console’s quirks added depth and character that contrast with the clean precision of DAW-based production, giving ‘Thought Shuffle’ a fluid, organic quality.
Read this next: A lo-fi listening guide to Asia
“The nature of analogue mixing is quite different compared to working in a DAW, and there are a lot of factors and inconsistencies that can affect the sound in a pleasant way. Our Soundcraft TS12 has been in use since the 80s when it was part of legendary TRACKS Studios in Manila, and mixing with it in the analogue domain imparted a lot of its charm and vibe,” he explains.
Listen to ‘Thought Shuffle’ below.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
Cut through the noise—sign up for our weekly Scene Report or follow us on Instagram to get the latest from Asia and the Asian diaspora!
