Yen Disco Soundsystem is a Japan/Singapore based label and it was originally founded in the hard period of the pandemic. From their 2020 debut LP 'YENWORLD' the label has thrived in between various genres putting no boundaries or specific identity to their style, but a constant hard work to deliver an enjoyable journey into different chilling or hard electronic paths. Noteworthy to say that there are loads of japanese instruments as stated (e.g. shamisen), which are being sampled and tied up with modern techniques.
The official logo of the label is credited to their manager MZA who's also a designer and an avid lover of music, expressed either through production or DJing (running a show at HKCR radio of Hong Kong). Also, he's the main man behind ZŪJAGO; a platform that showcases all things around Japanese jazz.
" The idea of using the word “Yen” was probably because it represented money and it felt hip hop in the way of Biggie and Diddy. Having “Soundsystem” at the end just tied everything together and had a nice ring to it. Almost makes it feel like it was a massive booming entity." - MZA (Source)
'The Sound of Yesterday's Future'
Digging into the Bandcamp world of YDS, you can find one of the latest offerings from MZA, that goes under the title 'dharma delight'. It is a digital 4-track EP and you can donate, name your price to your upcoming Bandcamp Day hamper.
Are you wondering what to expect from this release?
As it is officially stated, this EP deals with a voyage into hard experimental sounds, drawing influences from jungle, breakbeat hardcore and rave.
"dharma delight" sees MZA further pushing his sound deeper into jungle and dance music thoroughly amping up the BPMs. Through the four track EP, he puts on his sunday best drawing thematic inspiration from a time of youth growing up playing gospel music in church to elements of Zen interspersed through the music.
The EP opens with dual tracks exploring elements of rave and hardcore with a preacher-like conviction, at times euphoric and throughly demanding your call to action. Leading to the rapturous breaks and rumbling heaven-shaking bass of "shambhala", while the last title track soundtracks the new dawn of personal sonic enlightenment through hard hitting breaks interlaced with dubby horns and sub-aquatic voices from beyond (A nod to certain sub-aquatic sonic heroes).
Culminating into a collection that celebrates life, the vigors of the dance floor and his own take on the sounds of the 90s UK underground revival.
" When I was seven a kid in my class told me he was half-Christian, half-Buddhist. I thought he was nuts back then but heck this EP is kinda the same way. That feeling of euphoria on the dance floor isn’t really that much different from attending Sunday service and watching people pass out from being overcome by the spirit. In that same spirit I wanted to recreate that feeling while exploring some deep Eastern ideas interpreting it into beeps and bloops." - MZA (Source)
YEN DISCO SOUNDSYSTEM
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