- Spiritual techno.
- Southeast Asia is made up of diverse dance music markets that feel strongest when united. A steady stream of cross-border collaborations has come to define the region's underground nightlife, with Bangkok-based Sunju Hargun at the forefront of many of these exchanges. Over the years, he's honed a signature sound of minimal techno, tribal rhythms and deep downtempo while playing in Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Inspired by the traditional music of these countries, his DJ sets and productions are lush tonal sound baths, with plenty of nature references. Shimmering ambient evokes misty mountain tops while whiffs of Goa trance nod to beach sunrises.
His current project, Siamese Twins Records, is also rooted in pan-Asian connections. A platform to explore old-world chants and ceremonial percussion, the label hosts much of Hargun's own work, including Bollywood-inspired acid made as Mogambo, a production outfit he runs with Jerom Doudet. All these myriad styles are present on Hargun's RA Podcast, an hour-long trip where flickering synths reverberate like gongs before morphing into an amorphous mass of dub techno, jungle noises and meandering modular sequences.
What are you grateful for these days?
Every day, there is so much to be grateful for. Big and small in light and dark times. I'm especially grateful for having my family and friends as a driving force. Being able to see the people I care for around me doing what keeps them happy, makes me the happiest.
How and where was the mix recorded? And can you tell us the idea behind it?
The mix was recorded at my home with my cat 'mooping' by my side. The equipment used was two Technics-1210s, Pioneer CDJs, and a friend's customized Allen & Heath rotary mixer.
The overall tone carries heavy influences from Southeast Asia, keeping it raw and tribal with old and new records being played at a wide variety of speeds , while keeping a trippy storytelling aesthetic. This is very much my musical headspace this year, especially for home recordings. Included are some forthcoming exclusives from the Siamese Twins Records label and great producers from around the region.
Your label Siamese Twins has a heavy focus on tribal music and traditional chants from around the Asia-Pacific region. How do you preserve the cultural authenticity of these sounds with electronic experimentation?
Much of the music we put out is deeply inspired by this theme because we and the artists we release are surrounded by it. These sounds are embedded in our real-world sonic spectrum, and we understand their context. We approach it multi-dimensionally and also put a lot of thought and effort into the Southeast Asian-inspired artwork which is done by label cofounder and creative artist Taychin Dunnvatanachit. We see it as a modern dialogue treating those elements with respect and fascination.
You've lived in Bangkok for most of your life. What's one aspect of local nightlife that makes the city special?
Bangkok is an urban melting pot with a unique and complex character to it which has shown a lot of resilience. Despite bans on nightlife an interesting scene has emerged over a wide variety of sounds and done with passion. With the help of record stores like More Rice and Zudrangma which promote a wide variety of electronic and world music. Making it more accessible for the new wave of local artists to explore records and express themselves in sound. Also on the regional level, there is a growing community of like-minded artists, promoters, and record stores that support, collaborate and build each other.
Who are some underrated producers in Thailand that the world should know about?
There is currently a vibrant scene and I'm happy to keep on discovering new artists. Recently I really enjoyed Thanapat Ryan Ogaslert, AKA Corner_PPL, working along modular stronghold Tommy Hanson exploring the continuity between nature and technology.
What are you looking forward to in the near future?
Very excited to be traveling again and connecting with friends over the next few months. Very excited about playing Vietnam's Equation festival which takes place in a cave and right after for the excellent Horst Festival in Belgium followed by club shows around the EU and UK. On the release front, my first album LP is out later this year and the start of a new sub-label from Siamese twins Records and Taipei's Jin. All to be revealed in the near distant future.
TracklistYungchen Lhamo With Namgyal Monastery Monks - Sangye Choe Dan Tsog
Ying Shui Di Jiang (Dijiang by the Ying River) - ???
Son FM - Go into the mountains
Amotik - Satavan
Liikaa Liimaa - Cucina Povera
Donato Dozzy - 12.4
Aleksi Perala - Hydrophobic Effect
Zemi17 – Rangda (Patrick Russell Remix)
Khun Fluff - Daw (Konduku Dub)
Tammo - Round
Nic Ford - Cyberd (Jonathan Kusuma Swamped mix)
Dorisburg - Gripen
Black Merlin - Time in Motion
Temple Rat - The Garden of Earthly Delights
Regin - Eros in Tangiers
Plants Army Revolver - Borneo Memories + Karamika - Ton 2.6
Takahiro Oisi - Indigo Dye
Cosimo Damiano - Hypnos
GIMMIK - Slow Motion Process
S.O.N.S - Identity (Shattered Dreams)
Son FM - Let Us Our Spirits Exchange