-- Could you share the thoughts and ideas behind this mix?
Today, I wanted to do something a little different from current dance music trends, so I mainly selected good old tech house from the 1990s to around 2000. The set centers on tracks from Europe and the US West Coast from that era, with a few current releases that follow the sound of that period mixed in.
Also, because this is the kind of shop it is, and not really a club setting, I held back on flashy developments and focused more on maintaining the groove and the pleasure of repetition. I was also conscious of making something that could be listened to like background music, or that would suit doing some kind of work while listening.
-- Among the records you played today, were there any tracks you were especially excited to play or particularly wanted to introduce to the audience?
There are quite a few, so it is hard to choose.
First is Lance DeSardi's "Jazz Salad" from 2002. It is a 12-inch released on Pacific Traxx in 2002 by a deep house artist from the US West Coast who is now based in the UK. I had liked the track for a long time and had been looking for a copy, but the original is pretty expensive. Then one day, a friend who knew I wanted it gave it to me as a present. I was really happy, but right after that, a reissue came out. Since then I have kept it in my record bag, but at the places where I usually play, I surprisingly do not often find the right timing for it. So today I definitely wanted to play it, and I put it in the first half of the set.
Next is Sugafoot's "Blow" from 2004, a US West Coast tech house 12-inch. I bought it about ten years ago, when I was around 20 and did not really know anything. At the time, I think it was probably out of step with the trends, and I rescued it from a 100-yen bargain bin. But after coming full circle, it sounds fresh again now. Relaxed, unforced house is my personal taste lately, and this is my number one rediscovered record at the moment. This is why I recommend digging through the records you left at home.
Another one is a current release: Iceberg's Fresh Ink, a 12-inch that came out last year in 2025. It completely traces the musicality of the UK tech house scene from the 1990s to around 2000, but it has a sound that works for today's dance floors. I like every track on it. If I put it in my record bag, I can usually play at least one of the tracks depending on the time slot or the situation.
I like rhythms with a percussive, driving feel that repeat endlessly, and early UK tech house was a shocking dance music experience for me. So I am happy that it is having a revival now. I think that sense of groove is part of my own personality and style, and I play it often.
-- What do you think is the appeal of DJing with vinyl?
It is the joy of owning the music you love. I think that is really it.
I started DJing through hip-hop culture, so the first piece of equipment I bought was a turntable. Because of that, since I was a kid, looking for records in record shops and buying them felt completely natural to me. I do want to get better at handling digital files too, but I am not very good at buying and managing something intangible on the internet. The simple fact of physically owning the music I love makes me feel calm.
That said, there are many different DJ styles, and I try not to be trapped by a kind of analog supremacy. I still think the most important thing is to play well in the moment, so I do not think the quality of a set needs to be tied to the format.
Even so, the joy of going to a record shop and encountering new music is truly irreplaceable, so I think I will continue doing that just as I always have.
-- When you DJ with vinyl, are there any particular points you especially care about?
I am not confident I manage it 100 percent of the time, but I try to prepare tracks that I will be playing out for the first time.
Whether they are new releases or older records, I enjoy putting tracks I have never played at a venue into my set. It leads to new discoveries for me, and sometimes the flow of the set changes from there.
At venues I am familiar with, I sometimes enjoy the thrill of playing tracks I have not fully digested yet, or deliberately playing the B-side of a record I usually use.
-- Besides DJing, what stimulates your creativity?
I receive stimulation from all kinds of things in everyday life, but if I had to be specific, I would say music production and books.
Music production is connected to music, so it might be a little different from what the question is asking, but after I hear a good DJ set, I make tracks while imagining that DJ. I also buy records that are more listening-oriented, and sometimes I get sampling ideas from them.
Books, especially art books, give me visual inspiration, and many of them have an appeal that music does not.
From other kinds of books, I feel there is something that connects to DJing in the sense of editing. I often learn from the way different topics are connected into one path. Since I do radio, I also value input through words.
I am making it sound complicated, but simply put, I like the act of digging through and collecting the things I love.
I also often interact with people active in other fields, such as fashion, art, and dance, and communication with those people is always very stimulating.
-- What kind of mindset is important to you as a DJ?
It might sound a little cheesy, but it is to be a nice person.
I try to stay open to all kinds of diversity without prejudice, and to respect the individuality of each person I interact with.
Also, when I encounter something new to me, I value the attitude of trying to learn something from it.
-- Do you have any advice for those looking to start a career as a DJ?
I hope they try expressing music freely, without being trapped by formats or forms.
Being able to share the music you love with other people is a very happy thing, and I think people will enjoy it.
I think that initial impulse is the best thing, so please do not forget that feeling as you engage with music.
-- What plans do you have for 2026?
In 2026, I want to be active in producing music. In addition to the dance music I played today, I take in a lot of different music every day, so I want to create new forms of expression.
I am also planning to launch a clothing project called Torus Archives. The T-shirt I am wearing in this video is something I made myself, and it is scheduled for release.
Lastly, I host a program called Mint Juice Radio every Friday at 25:30 on interfm, an FM station in the Kanto area. It is a show where I share, with my current sensibility, the music that has become part of me: dance music that feels close to the kind of scene I played today, as well as jazz, hip-hop, and more. Please listen if you have the chance.
https://www.interfm.co.jp/mintjuiceradio
-- Finally, how did you feel about playing at ELLA RECORDS today?
I have come here to buy records before, and I had always wanted to play here. I am grateful that you invited me.
At the same time, I really struggled with choosing dance music that would fit the calm mood inside the shop. I was a little nervous at first, but once I played the first track, I was able to relax and really enjoyed it. Once I improve a bit more, I would like to try playing other genres here too. Thank you very much for today.
