In our new blog series we’re chatting to some crews around the world about their favourite tracks, events and what makes their crews tick.
Next up we’re checking in with a few Jungle Drum & Bass heads from China, Hong Kong and Thailand. Read on for the full debrief..
Daniel Power
From a label owner’s perspective, what is quality Jungle Drum & Bass to you?
From the start of Unchained, myself and Co-Founder Lyndon Jarr always wanted to push the boundaries and have our releases fresh and interesting, tracks that stand out from an artistic perspective, but also that will go well on the dancefloor.
Please tell our readers about the Jungle Drum and Bass events you promote in China.
We have been promoting Jungle Drum & Bass in China for 8 years now, and are about to celebrate our 8 year weekend bringing Bryan Gee to China. It’s always been about pushing the Jungle Drum & Bass movement here and bringing out artists we love.
What was your first encounter with Jungle Drum and Bass?
My first encounter was hearing the Ready or Not remix by DJ Zinc as a young kid and I was instantly hooked on Jungle Drum & Bass. Going full circle, a few years ago I was lucky to be a part of bringing DJ Zinc to China, and that was one of the most special nights of my life.
Find Daniel power on: Instagram, Bandcamp, Soundcloud
JUST BEE
Photo Credit: JC Baradas
What experiences motivated you to want to become a DJ?
My teenage years to young adulthood was a pretty sad time in my life. It was during that period when I found the Hong Kong Jungle Drum & Bass scene. The music and community gave me the love, positivity and hope that I had struggled to find. DJing gave me a purpose. I could channel my darkness through music and ultimately it helped to lift me out of it.
Tell our readers about your process of producing a track.
In my first session I’ll give myself 2 hours to lay down the main idea and general arrangement. After letting some time pass, I revisit the idea and expand and refine it if it still tugs at me.
You’re using your DJing superpowers for good, tell our readers about your DJ tutoring program.
That’s kind of you to say! DJ decks are such indiscriminate instruments, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, how old you are, what kind of music you like, anyone can express themselves and show their style through DJing. I’ve guided students of all ages through various challenges, whether it’s related to self-confidence, making the vision of a set a reality, or to impress their judgmental cat at home.
Shoutouts: Nick, Lyndon, Kian, Sagar, Katie, James and Tenille (RIP)!!!
Find Just Bee on: Instagram, Bandcamp, Soundcloud
Orawan
Please tell our All Crews readers about Bass Clef and Irie.
BassClef is a JD&B/Bass music night that I launched back in 2012, dedicated to promoting Jungle Drum & Bass and underground Bass Music in Thailand. Given the relatively small scene here, I typically host BassClef once a month at various venues. Over the years, we’ve welcomed renowned artists like Skibadee, Fabio, Grooverider, LTJ Bukem, and many more. Irie was born in 2021 out of a shared passion between me and my partner, Bradley Hart. We recognized an absence of a dedicated venue for Drum and Bass or Underground Bass Music in Bangkok. Bradley and I saw the potential to create a hub that was more than just a bar and restaurant, but a party house, infused with food, dub, roots, and culture. Since opening, music has been the heartbeat of Irie Bangkok, and we’ve had the privilege of hosting world-class acts like General Levy, DJ Fresh, Makoto, Dynamite MC, and more. We have tons of artists lined up for the rest of 2024.
Please tell our readers a couple of things you love most about DJing and why.
For me, it’s simply about the love of music. I thrive on the energy it brings, the smiles on people’s faces, and the surprise when they hear that perfect blend of tracks they know and love. There’s no other experience quite like it!
Why did you develop a passion for Jungle Drum and Bass?
The community within Drum & Bass is unparalleled. Everyone has a place, everyone is accepted and loved, which makes it easy to make new friends. The majority of ravers are lovely, there’s no arrogance and it brings everyone closer than any other genre I have seen.
The events have a unique energy too, everyone skanking to the music is evident at these events, along with the effort and time put into these events, which is reflected in the growth of the scene.
Find Orawan on: Instagram
DJ FU
Tell our readers all about Feed the Dragon.
We see Feed the Dragon as an onboarding event for DJs and punters to learn about the umbrella of UK bass-oriented genres, like Breaks, UK Garage, D&B, Jungle and everything else in between.
Tell our readers some of the artists you’ve been rinsing in your DJ sets.
Scar. If you haven’t heard Conductor VIP, then you should go check it now! Also been feeling Particle, Waeys, Quadrant & Iris, Ghest, and Sully.
Who are dj’s in your area that you love playing with at events?
My favourite DJ in Hong Kong would be Ming Jai. A lot of people into this music have some sort of Western connection, e.g., went to university or school in the UK or emigrated from the UK to HK. But from what I can tell about Ming Jai is that he found this music on his own accord in the wilderness of Hong Kong. I kind of respect that and his tune selection is great.
Some of my favourite people to go B2B with would be Immuno & Joesnotdead.
Find DJ FU on: Instagram & the Feed The Dragon instgaram page
TOOKIE TOOKIE & CO-OP
Please tell our All Crews audience everything they need to know about Reprobate:
We started Reprobate a couple years ago after noticing a lack of UK music in Taipei, and such a high demand. We focus on Drum and Bass, Breaks, UKG and rave, and with such a strong DJ community in Taiwan for this music, we like to spotlight the best underground artists here who previously did not have events to showcase their UK sounds. We’ve brought over some mad internationals, like Dr Meaker, and more recently teamed up with Hong Kong’s own Feed The Dragon, which is hopefully the start of some more strong links with neighbouring countries.
Please tell us what you think the similarities between djing and producing are:
I personally have been a DJ for 14 years now, and a producer for about 6 years, some similarities I see are it’s all about going off the feeling or vibe. There’s no point prepping or playing a show (unless you do it for money) if you aren’t feeling it or you aren’t passionate about it. Just like production, I feel the songs that I made that had an impact are the ones I can put my heart into. Just like my DJ sets. If they aren’t into the set or song at the end of the day, then no regrets, I came and did what I love.
Please tell our All Crews readers about artists who you’ve been lovin to rinse in your dj sets:
Human Movement has been catching my eye recently, Efans is always a winner, Denham Audio, PJ Bridger for the lighter side, and Hermeth for the heavier side. Everything Spraybox and Planet Turbo have been putting out. Spraybox and Planet Turbo are two labels in Asia.I like to mix it up, I don’t like to have go-to artists.
You mentioned that you are the music director for an underground club in Taipei, please tell our readers more about this:
So I am the music director / bookings for an underground club in Taipei called Studio 9. I’ve been working here since November last year and it’s been a fantastic experience. We’ve had the opportunity to host local collectives in their respected genres like Velvet Collective, Penghouse, Obscura and Candyland and many others who do so many amazing things for the community we have. We’ve had international bookings such as Answer Code Request, Dr. Meaker, Steve Bug , Huxley , Ben Klock , Ellen Allein , Fred P , Denham Audio , Mani Festo and the list goes on, there are many more to come in the future. Studio 9 is (in my opinion) the only underground club in Taipei that caters to a lot of underground genres that the current marketplace does not offer, we also pride ourselves on being closer to the community that we have grown and established. If anyone reading this is ever in Taipei, please come visit us at Studio 9 and I’ll get you your first drink.
I heard that you work for Mixmag Asia HENREE, please give our readers some details about the work that you do there:
I’ve been with Mixmag Asia since January 2023, and now am leading sales and events across Asia, as well as writing articles and features. I have the privilege of collaborating with some of the most impressive and creatively exciting artists, brands, venues, and promoters across South East Asia. I host and support events on behalf of Mixmag Asia, each project and opportunity is unique, often taking place in a different city or country, it’s really a dream job. On top of that, the team I get to work with are incredible, their talent and dedication are a big part of why I feel so fortunate and proud of the work we do across Asia.
Find TOOKIE TOOKIE and CO-OP on: Instagram and the Reprobate, Studio 9 and Mixmag Asia‘s pages.
