Kotsu: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix
Kotsu, a core force in Japan’s house collective CYK, has carved a circuit that runs through basements, festival main stages and beyond.
CYK’s reputation for electric B2B chemistry has seen them tear up rooms like Contact, WOMB and VENT, as well as land heavy slots at Rainbow Disco Club, Fuji Rock and Wonderfruit.
As a DJ, he stitches club pressure with emotion, tuning every set to a beautiful ambiance. Beyond the booth, Kotsu channels his visual instincts into zines and flyer design for CYK and his own parties. You may have seen one of his designs for a recent Asia tour!
Let’s go!
Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you
My name is Kotsu. I live in Kyoto and DJ at clubs and festivals across cities all over Japan. I also work as a graphic designer, and recently created the artwork for the Ransom Note Asia Tour 2025.
What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?
While respecting traditional house-music culture, I blend it with contemporary textures and surrounding genres, adding inspirations drawn from my life in Kyoto.
Where was the mix recorded?
At home.
What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?
A home party — dancing with close friends.
What should we be wearing?
A white T-shirt with lively, colorful artwork on it.
What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?
A live mix recorded at an outdoor party.
Which track in the mix is your current favourite?
Swayzak – Stronger Love. It opens up the whole space.
What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?
000 CYK B2B @ DOMMUNE. It always brings me back to my roots.
If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?
No one in particular.
What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?
Both my first setup and my current one are the XDJ-RX2.
What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?
For mixes, I tend to place the most meaningful track at the very end.
What were the first and last records you bought?
The first record I bought was Buttechno – SPORT. The most recent one was SOULBOY – HARMONICA TRACK.
If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?
A stick of refreshing gum.
If it was an animal what would it be?
A jellyfish.
One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?
I thought hard about this, but nothing specific came to mind lol.
Upcoming in the world of…
I’ll be playing in various cities in the near future.
Anything else we need to discuss?
Never forget to enjoy the music!
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