TuneLab
Hiroko Yamamura
Mixmag Lab London
Hiroko Yamamura’s Mixmag Lab London session is a defiant middle finger to genre purists, blending trance, techno, and euphoric electronica into a cohesive, high-BPM juggernaut. The setting is all industrial chic and laser grids, perfect for the relentless, melodic assault that follows. Technically, this is a tour de force in energy management, averaging 137.8 BPM in the hard trance territory, with the 12A key providing a stable, anthemic foundation. Low-end energy sits at 61%, ensuring the kick drums punch through, while mids at 28% carry the soaring melodies and vocals, and highs at 10% add the necessary sheen without piercing.
The mixing is precise and powerful, with long blends that let tracks like Baiaz Project’s 14-minute 'Lujan' evolve into epic crescendos. For the tracklist hunters, the picks are stellar: Alloy Mental’s 'I Am (Marcus Houle Instrumental)' opens with a driving, cinematic intensity, while Olivier Giacomotto’s 'Gail in the o (John Acquaviva & Damon Jee Remix)' adds a funky, tech-house twist. Rank 1’s 'Airwave' is a trance classic dropped with reverence, and Alice Deejay’s 'Better Off Alone' closes with ironic, euphoric nostalgia. Luis Flores’ 'Null' offers a darker, techno-edged interlude, and Mary Droppinz’s 'Pink Lambo' brings a playful, bass-heavy bounce.
The journey launches from the muscular start of 'I Am' into the emotional peak of 'Airwave', with Rapid Eye’s 'Circa-Forever' adding another layer of trancey depth, before landing at the iconic synth-pop finale of 'Better Off Alone'. A Hiroko Yamamura live set that proves trance and techno can coexist in glorious, high-energy harmony.