It’s a story with a transatlantic start; beginning in the heady mists of 90s NYC.
Tokyo native, DJ AKi, was yet to touch a mixer. Working in a cafe in East Village his fellow barista, now better known as US pioneer DJ DARA, had just opened his own record shop, ‘Breakbeat Science’ – the U.S.’s first ever drum and bass crate parlour. Begrudgingly, AKi followed him to the store’s ribbon cutting to be one of the first to purchase some wax in support, blissfully oblivious to his impending collision with the rapid-fire beats of ‘96 Jungle that would shape the rest of his life, as well as Tokyo’s cultural landscape.
Fast forward 28 years; DJ AKi and I stand face to face across the sweaty glow of WOMB Tokyo’s decks, one of us mixing a blistering five hour marathon of delicious drum and bass multi genre, the other gasping to keep up with the gunfingers. A traveller making the long haul trek to the other side of the world may well be aware of the Mountains and Makotos of the world, but make no mistake, as niche as it is, drum and bass hosts a quiet yet solid scene in the heart of Tokyo with DJ AKi at its centre.
It’s been a journey of pure love and reverent diligence. AKi has spent decades honing his craft with meticulous precision and relentless desire for improvement whilst consistently curating events for the genre. There’s a concept of it in Japan; Monozukuri; pushing and pushing with a quiet yet steady hand he, with the help of Tokyo D&B’s bestest and brightest, painstakingly carved out the capital’s small but determined scene on the far side of the Pacific today.
“Of course, I still have the records—about 5,000 of them, stored away. Back then, it was all about Aphrodite, True Playaz, Dope Dragon, and LTJ Bukem,” he laughs. “DARA was my mentor. When he opened Breakbeat Science, I bought some records to commemorate the occasion and that’s what sparked my journey as a DJ.”
Firmly hooked on the 165 sauce of ‘96, AKi comes up hard and fast in the NYC scene, quickly mastering the turntables to then bag himself a set at the beloved Twilo club – so popular in its time that it rivalled the legendary hedonistic prowess of heyday discotheque; Studio 54. He seeks out the latest sounds of the time to come out of the urban jungle woodwork, in a tinderbox ignition of his long reaching and seemingly eternal DJ career. Following a couple of years immersed in the city’s bustling scene, he decides to move back to Tokyo in 2000, taking his records, drums and basslines with him… And gets to work.
Much like any movement, it spread with the travel of artists around the globe. Japan had already cultivated a thriving popularity for dance music back in the 90s, with Italo Disco, Detroit and Berlin influences making their flighty way over to a crowd hungry for cultural frontierism. They in turn adopted the Western sounds into something of their own – birthing transcended styles of J-techno and new wave artists; experimental frontrunner Ken Ishii, king of breakbeat electronica Yasutaka Nakata, the jazz and soul infused breaks of Hospital’s own Makoto and now the legendary DJ AKi.
Around the same time, the manufacturing of Japanese hardware gradually expanded; allowing Roland, Korg, Yamaha and Teisco synthesizers to meet the hands of young musicians worldwide and for the country to flourish in a reputation as an electronic music authority of its own. The Roland TR-808s would come to shape future 174 with its ability to create drum patterns along with its iconic ‘percussion’. TB-303s, originally a commercial failure, went on to form part of acid house and techno’s hallmark sound; its ‘squelching’, characterised by its low-pass filter and built-in sequencer, set to become a foundational element of the genres. Come the new dawn of the 20’s, though no longer in the same position on the pile, Japan rests safely on its laurels of a marked legacy within music production and playback.
Almost immediately on arrival back in the capital in 2000, DJ AKi wastes no time in his realised quest to spread the message of drum and bass to Tokyo and beyond… (but have you heard of our Saviour Roni Size?). He quickly sets up a monthly residency at WOMB club to play record after record of evolving soundscapes traversing drum and bass subgenres – preaching his message plain and simple. Eventually this will evolve into his regular 06S Records residency, a staple of the city’s modern day scene that will function as a hotbed for Japanese up and comers, as well as a place for the growing fanbase to see international headliners come and play. I watch a couple of newcomers to the dancefloor during AKi’s set, lingering sheepishly – attempting to place their feet against the fast paced breaks.
Back to memory lane; with home territory claimed and established, AKi takes no prisoners, releasing in 2004 his first mix CD, ‘New Type Drum+Bass 06S’ – remember these are the days of pre-Soundcloud. This garners national and international praise alike, paving the way for AKi to take flight again, returning the States and now Europe and the rest of Asia, as a fully fledged artist. Furnace stoked and fresh from provocation, he tours the UK, Brazil, Australia, Serbia, Netherlands, U.S., Taiwan, Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore and beyond, playing alongside the likes of Andy C, Fabio, Grooverider, Friction, dBridge – all the while persistently doing his homework; soaking up the scene and the culture’s latest shifts.
2006 sees him finally found the 06S Records imprint, prompting UK artists to sit up and take notice; remixing old projects to re-release on the label, some inviting AKi to collaborate on tracks like the Sonic x DJ AKi ‘ACCELERATOR’ Remix which merrily makes its way into the Hospital Records’ 2007 Future Sound of Tokyo amongst other gems; Makoto and Akira to name a few.
From there on it’s a gloriously slippery slope to success; the Tokyo behemoth plays at Ultra Japan, Ultra Korea, RAM Records at London’s Matter, Japan’s revered hundred thousand strong Fuji Rock Festival… Viper head honcho Futurebound holds the record for the highest number of 06S lineup appearances.
All a familiar story amongst the bass music greats. But what sets AKi apart is his present day activities; focusing utterly on converting hearts and minds to drum and bass and nurturing Tokyo’s fanbase. Today, DJ AKi projects exist in an abundance of creative explosions that offer deep sonic explorations of the genre, whilst working to bring audiences through bass music’s holy door via every method possible.
The monthly All Night Long event series does what it says on the tin; DJ AKi playing all night long for 5.5 hours in a progressive development of a set that eases you in gently through melodic vibes, before graduating through wicked tech to hard and heavy neurofunk. Sometimes with support, mostly not. This is always billed opposite a softer, laid back liquid affair in the downstairs WOMB lounge – usually hosted by a sister collective in a space that gives punters a place to retreat to when the neuro rolls too hard (on my visit, captained by Spykey and co.). A calculated gradual training of the musical palette. AKi is unfailingly stringent on the event’s design; “I choose tracks with the best sound quality that I know will deliver but I also build the set around the flow of the night. If it’s at a bar or lounge, I lean towards a more listening-oriented set, but if it’s at a club, I go all-in with dance music.”
Every month or so, the titan hosts JUPITER; a 6-hour drum and bass ‘journey’ B2B with an artist of personal choice to AKi, whom with he usually shares a deep musically imbued connection. These nights are special; hosted at the cucumber cool and kooky Fai Aoyama bar – lounge style. It’s another accessible option for drum and bass beginners; exploiting the Japanese cultural habit of listening to music from a comfortable perch (think camp chairs setup in front of the festival’s main stage), bringing the sound to where the listeners are.
In his online life, he’s on Twitch every single week without fail, livestreaming sets, conversations, discussing the latest hot topics or developments, facilitating the culture through connection and drawing the burgeoning community closer together. Much like Koop in that vinyl shop scene, he works tirelessly to reel in virgin ears hook, line and sinker, hustling with indelible style.
“All of my projects are built on the foundation of human connection. Drum and bass plays a central role in creating community and I believe music is the key to bringing people together.” It’s a beautiful epitaph. We stand near the decks, still glowing against the visual murmurations that make up tonight’s accompanying visuals. Love, community and music are the drivers of most active contributors within the scene; with AKi, it’s also underpinned by a consistently untiring persistence but also a commitment to the future that goes beyond just preserving the now.
“My style has always evolved with the times, and I expect that to continue. I’ll just keep walking the path I believe is right for me, regardless of the trends.” Electronic music is by its very nature futuristic and pioneering – always looking to evolve along with the available technology. But with the recent nostalgia-now boom and a script that’s firmly rooted in old-skool roots, it’s refreshing to encounter an artist who keeps their gaze on the future’s horizon and how much farther we can stretch the boundaries.
The same goes for his stance on DJing which is unsurprisingly one of a striver – “you have to keep experimenting with the latest DJ gear to explore new forms of expression.” It’s this belief in the new that imbues such excitement into his work. I ask him to describe DJ AKi’s sound; “futuristic, urban soundscapes.” AKi is a neoteric, plain and simple. Turning our attention forward, this is a common theme as we discuss his plans, “lately, I’ve been paying close attention to 4×4. I’ve also gotten to know Audio on a personal level, and we’ve even worked on tracks together—his sound is always ahead of the curve.” I probe him further on productions, he chuckles “I can’t share any specifics yet, but please look forward to it!”
The lights have come on and blind us both, it’s a rising sun on the inside that reflects the day’s start outside of WOMB. We chat some more about the future of the 06S Records and Events, AKi states his intention so matter-of-factly that it all seems inevitable; “I’m focused on tackling each goal one by one without being too ambitious. In about five years, I hope 06S will have grown to two or three times its current scale.”
Another elegant demonstration of Monozukuri in action. We both smile as we agree on the beauty of bass music, the mixer still shining brightly between us, the dancefloor at my back slowly clearing. DJ AKi says it best; “playing music in a DJ booth is an artistic expression and the sound that resonates from it is art in itself.”
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