Risa Taniguchi is arriving at the forefront of the dark techno wave that has washed over the underground in recent years. The Tokyo born – and based – artist has spent recent years cultivating her own signature sound of distorted textures, fizzing synths and a quietly burning energy, which consumes all who hear it. Delivering shocks and surprises with a curious motif or unpredictable element on her set, for those who like to cut loose in a dark environment, she is the perfect selector.
In the studio as well as the club, Risa focuses on the drums, programming kicks that bring visceral and often aggressive thrills next to a uniquely addictive layer of well designed snares and hi hats. Her signature has become her own subtle and intriguing vocal samples, best heard on ‘Slipped My Mind’ and ‘This Guy’.
She adds layers of acid bass and an always raw, edgy aesthetic. Having experienced them first hand whilst living in London, in 2010, Risa also has an enduring love of underground UK bass sounds, which can be heard in many of her tracks. The multi-talented act is also formally trained and a skilled player of the piano, who continues to play daily.
Since her first release back in 2018, Risa has attracted high-profile interest from A-list players Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Chris Liebing, Pan-Pot, Dense & Pika, and Radio Slave; has hit the Top 5 of the Beatport’s Leftfield Techno Chart and played everywhere from De Marktkantine in Amsterdam to Watergate in Berlin, while setting herself regularly at her resident Womb Tokyo, and of course all the most revered spaces all across Japan including Vent, and Joule Osaka.
Despite the pandemic, the recent years have proven to be a high watermark for Risa as she has delivered a continuous flow of new music, primarily on Pan Pot’s Second State, Dense & Pika’s Kneaded Pains, and Chris Liebing’s CLR.
One of her most notable achievements is her “So Loud EP,” which skyrocketed to the top of Beatport’s Techno (Raw/Deep/Hypnotic) Top Releases chart. This milestone not only underscores Risa’s talent and dedication but also cements her position as a formidable force in the techno genre.
With the support from talents from around the globe, she has constantly been touring worldwide. Additionally, Risa has emerged as a prominent voice in the industry, hosting her own radio show on Japan’s major radio station J-WAVE, and was recently selected as a “Beatport Next” artist by Beatport, highlighting her as a future leader in electronic music.
01. Pangaea – Bone Sucka
02. Bailey Ibbs – Clocked It Got Long
03. JKS – Love Is In The Air (Salome Remix)
04. Redlight – Equinox
05. Skream – Summoned
05. Temudo – Tough To Say
06. riko (GER) – Body Dance
07. Trudge, MZA – Volcano Desire (Trudge T – Pose Mix)
08. Dollkraut, DJ Europarking – 20inch Chrome
09. JKS – The Game (Techno Love Mix)
10 Kevin McKay, Pupa Nas T, Denise Belfon – Work (Extended Mix)
11. Fio Fa – Rescue Squad
12. Pearson Sound – Alien Mode
13. Scott Reilly – When That Bass Get’s You Moving
14. Vixen – High Femme Fantasy
15. LN – Pleasure
16. Risa Taniguchi – This Guy
17. Fjaak – Drugs
18. Risa Taniguchi – Wakes From Coma
19. KiNK – Vacation (Perc Remix)
20. Nuta Cookier – Cosmic Acid
