15 Years GRETCHEN: DJ KRUSH

Cutting-edge beatmaking, abstract jazz and soul samples, trippy hip-hop textures, introspective atmospheres and subtle scratching techniques – these are just some of the defining features of the DJ Krush universe and all the reasons we need to invite him. As Gretchen celebrates its 15th anniversary, it felt only natural to welcome back an artist with whom we've shared a long history. And there's a new album, too: inspired by the pulse of the city, TOKYØHUM is a dark, immersive narrative dedicated to the invisible energy, tension and atmosphere of urban life.

Inspired by the legendary 1983 film Wild Style, the Japanese artist Hideaki Ishii, aka DJ Krush, won several DJ contests in Tokyo clubs before founding one of Japan's most influential hip-hop crews, Krush Posse, in 1987, where he was the crew's DJ. Since 1992, he has focused on solo projects, releasing his debut album Krush in 1994. His second solo album, Strictly Turntablized, appeared on the London-based Mo Wax label and reached the indie charts of the renowned NME. At the time, Mo Wax became synonymous with dark, smoky hip-hop beats and jazzy samples. Alongside his label mate DJ Shadow, Krush was hailed as one of the godfathers of trip hop in 1995 and remains one of the pioneers of turntablism. He once described his music as a samurai sword whose blades reflect the many facets of life.

After three further albums on Mo Wax, he moved to the major label Sony. The visual qualities and instrumentation of his increasingly minimalist and atmospheric sound leave ample room for the listener's imagination and often prove more evocative than words.

DJ Krush's style defies categorisation, taking his sound in a different direction with every album while never losing sight of its roots: classic Japanese melodies remain just as integral to his music as influences from jazz and soul. After an eleven-year gap before releasing Butterfly Effect (2015), he returned with renewed energy on Kiseki (2017). On the cinematic album Cosmic Yard (2018), Krush dispensed entirely with vocals and rap, opting instead for field recordings, generous doses of dub, and jazz and orchestral samples. Trickster (2020) was an ambitious instrumental work that leaned further into the experimental and atmospheric side of hip-hop and electronic music than traditional hip-hop structures. This evolution continues on Saisei (2024), where the tracks are both dense and minimalist, combining intricate beats, deep basslines and cinematic soundscapes into an intense, meditative blend of abstract trip hop, ambient and electronica.

Behind the decks, DJ Krush treats turntables and mixer as expressive instruments in their own right, pushing their sonic possibilities to the limit. His performances remain as immersive and captivating as ever, and we're looking forward to experiencing his new material live.

Presented by hhv & Radio 1

For this event we offer discounted tickets to give people with less money still access to culture. These quotas are limited and only available at TixforGigs. We trust in your self-assessment: If you can, please book standard tickets and leave the reduced tickets to those who have to save money at the moment.

Photo: @earth agency