Trainspotting With Risa Taniguchi

Tokyo-born Risa Taniguchi sits at the forefront of the global techno sound with a driving, uncompromising style. She has made standout contributions to labels like Chris Liebing’s CLR, Nicole Moudaber’s Mood and Kneaded Pains, always with a shadowy sense of atmosphere and distorted lo-fi textures that dominate the dancefloor. Ahead of a US and EU tour in June, she serves up her latest ‘Cared Less EP’ on Mind Medizin. DMCWorld goes Trainspotting with Risa Taniguchi.

Skorri – hestafi – Trip Recordings

Nina Kraviz and I played B2B at WOMB the other day, and she dropped this track that shook the floor with an insane low-end. It felt like a bolt of lightning hit the room—such a striking moment. I found out later it was from her own label. Ever since, it’s been my go-to when I want to jolt the vibe and grab people’s attention.

Mark Broom – Wasp – Beard Man

I’ve always loved Mark Broom’s tracks, and while digging deeper into his catalog for more of those signature basslines that drive the groove and energy forward, I came across this one. It’s perfect for shifting gears mid-set and kicking things up a notch.

Estella Boersma – Bullsh*t – Unknown To The Unknown

This has become a staple in my recent sets. I love her track “Round 1” too, but this one – with its housey break and infectious energy – instantly shifts the floor into full dance mode. That’s why I keep coming back to it.

Nuta Cookier – Orbit Motion – Future Scope Recordings

You know those promo tracks you download, toss in a folder, and totally forget about? This was one of them – until I was cleaning up my downloads and gave it a proper listen.

I played it during my opening set for Charlotte de Witte at Zero Tokyo, and it turned out to be an absolute floor weapon. Now it’s one of my go-to tracks.

Yuuta – Yahiko – The Acid Mind Recordings

Yuuta’s tracks have always been part of my main arsenal, but this new release is totally wild! At first, it sounds like a cool, straight-up techno track – then suddenly, you hear a familiar Japanese vocal sample.

Turns out it’s from the anime Naruto! When I drop this in Japan, the crowd goes crazy. You rarely hear Japanese on the dancefloor, so it really catches people by surprise.

Risa Taniguchi – Wakes From Coma

It’s been about a year since this was released, but it’s still one of my strongest weapons – something I save for key moments in my sets. I have to say, that ravey synth just never fails to go off! I was genuinely thrilled to release this on Chris’s, CLR, which I’ve loved for so long.

Mik&Ale – Optimizer – TREGAMBE

TREGAMBE is an incredibly cool label run by Juliet Fox – I’ve released an EP there myself – and this track by Mik&Ale is an absolute floor bomb. Stripped-back and minimal, yet so powerful. It’s rare to find a track that builds such excitement using little more than a clap. I dropped it right at the countdown moment during my set at UNIT’s New Year’s event, and the energy in the room was electric. A perfect way to start the year.

Jessse – Red Zone – Be As One

I always check the latest releases from Be As One, and this one grabbed me instantly. There’s this shimmering, almost white-noise-like sound that kicks in when the low end drops out – it creates an amazing sense of momentum on the floor.

I love how it drives the energy forward, especially when I want to push things up a gear in the first half or middle of my set. I keep wondering what that shimmering sound is made from!

JAVAX – Output – Codex Recordings

Codex Recordings is one of those labels that consistently delivers floor bombs, so I always keep an eye on their new releases. This track by JAVAX is just on another level – every single sound feels intentional and perfectly placed. Honestly, I’m a bit envious of how well-crafted it is. Even the FX hits pack a serious punch.

Francois X – Certified DNA – XX Lab

This is one of my go-to tracks when I want a touch of trance energy. The kick and bass lean more toward techno, which makes it perfect for me – I’m not really into tracks that sit too neatly within one specific genre. This one strikes the ideal balance.

Risa Taniguchi ‘Cared Less EP’ is out now on Mind Medizin.

https://www.beatport.com/track/cared-less/20462059