Anonymous Z presents Not So Anonymous episode 30 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music radio station, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Anonymous Z is well known in Saigon, Vietnam, as the pioneer behind the epic Mad Circus parties. He was also the organiser of Bahrain's first underground DJ collective, Glassroom, and became known as a promoter of mayhem to the soul.
Leading a group of misfits from several nationalities, he organised parties and after-parties that were legal at times and renegade at others. Local nightlife remembers those gatherings as folklore, while his motto at the time was "They tried to bury us, but they forgot we were seeds".
As part of the Banana Hustle crew's punchy tropical events in Ho Chi Minh City, he helped develop their particular vibe. Originally a Techno head, he developed a taste for digging out distinctive Afro, House, Disco and Funk records.
His selections combine hand-picked Techno with up-to-date Indie Dance. His skills as a disc jockey opened the doors to prominent Vietnamese underground venues, including Arcan, The Lighthouse, Broma and Vitamin D after-parties.
His non-linear sets are often improvised and shaped by the punters, moving across genres through tense, groovy bass lines and melodic storytelling. He explores world music and early electro while defining his approach over time.
That approach can lead to trippy, dark Downtempo sets with tribal and South American influence. At other times, it favours darker Leftfield Electro with Nu-Disco, Electroclash, Wave, New Beat and Dark Disco elements.
Anonymous Z's Not So Anonymous episode 30 opens with Suba's Na Neblina Dos Sonhos, followed by Boozoo Bajou's Down & Out, an Electronica cut on Modernsoul. Lulu Rouge's Grey Heron Man then leads into Sven Dohse's Go Back, bringing a Downtempo pace through Kiosk ID.
Freudenthal & Uj Pa Gaz's Waving Green precedes Cowboy Rhythmbox's The Natives Are Having Us for Dinner Tonight, an Indie Dance selection on Phantasy Sound / [PIAS]. Electrypnose's ChillinBerlin brings Psytrance from Suntrip Records before Rigopolar's Starlock introduces Nu-Disco via Nazca Records (2).
Dreems' Sine 'O' The Tymes on Multi Culti keeps the off-centre dancefloor focus in place, with Middle Sky Boom and Eliezer's Slow With The Run in its Paresse Remix following on Eskimo Recordings. Golden Bug's Mr Tc Remix of Un Paradis Artificial gives way to Lulu Rouge's The Song Is in the Drum, released through Push Communications.
Deadlife's Tomorrow's Children and Heimataerde's Eigengrab form a darker middle passage before Ship of Fools' In the Wake Of... brings a Metal turn through Peaceville Records. Cannibal Ink and Curses' Believe in Rock follows, keeping the sequence tense before the later dancefloor material returns.
Richard Rossa's Mangroveee, issued by Tom Tom Disco, restores the Indie Dance current ahead of MR TC and Merlin Nova's Teeth feat. Merlin Nova on Optimo Music. Helen Schneider's Mufti Edit of Shout adds another change of tone without breaking the set's dark, exploratory character.
Curses' Days Of Being Wild Remix of Vengeance on Rotten City Files brings the closing stretch back to a shadowy club focus. Tronik Youth's Damon Jee Remix of Bell Common Tunnel on Nein Records leads into Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkin's Skelesys Panic Edit of The Shining Main Theme, ending on a suitably unsettling note.
Not So Anonymous episode 30
Suba - Na Neblina Dos Sonhos (Tribute By Taciana & Apollo 9)
Boozoo Bajou - Down & Out (Original Mix)
Lulu Rouge - Grey Heron Man (Original Mix)
Sven Dohse - Go Back (Original Mix)
Freudenthal & Uj Pa Gaz - Waving Green (Freudenthal Version)
Cowboy Rhythmbox - The Natives Are Having Us For Dinner Tonight (Original Mix)
Electrypnose - Chillinberlin (Original Mix)
Rigopolar - Starlock (Original Mix)
Dreems - Sine 'O' The Tymes (Original Mix)
Middle Sky Boom, Eliezer - Slow With The Run (Paresse Remix)
Golden Bug - Un Paradis Artificial (Mr Tc Remix)
Lulu Rouge - The Song Is In The Drum
Deadlife - Tomorrow's Children (Original Mix)
Heimataerde - Eigengrab (Introduction)
Ship Of Fools - In The Wake Of...
Cannibal Ink & Curses - Believe In Rock
Richard Rossa - Mangroveee (Original Mix)
Mr. Tc Merlin Nova - Teeth Feat. Merlin Nova (Original Mix)
Helen Schneider - Shout (Mufti Edit)
Curses - Vengeance (Days Of Being Wild Remix)
Tronik Youth - Bell Common Tunnel (Damon Jee Remix)
Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkin - The Shining Main Theme (Skelesys Panic Edit)
Listen on Mixcloud here.