TuneLab
TAKENOKO | a masterclass in switching genres
Keep Hush Live Tokyo
The title ‘a masterclass in switching genres’ isn’t hyperbole for TAKENOKO’s Keep Hush Live Tokyo set—it’s a warning to have your Shazam ready and your preconceptions checked at the door. The vibe is one of joyful disorientation, a Tokyo crowd being taken on a global tour. This is an eclectic, genre-hopping journey that averages 126 BPM but fearlessly leaps from reggae to amapiano to broken beat.
The technical skill lies in the seamless tonal shifts, using the ubiquitous 12A key as a loose tether between worlds. Transitions are often clever edits or quick cuts, maintaining a party energy that prioritizes flow over flawless harmonic mixing. For the diggers, starting with Vybz Kartel’s ‘Benz Punany’ is a bold dancehall statement.
The genius edit of Sade’s ‘Kiss of Life’ into a club context is a highlight, as is the dive into amapiano with Muzzy D Pilot’s ‘Shay’mpempe’. The inclusion of Mellow & Sleazy’s ‘Christmas Present’ and the viral ‘Ke Nakwela’ showcases a finger on the pulse of South African sounds. The set builds from its reggae foundation through soulful house moments, peaks with the percussive drive of amapiano, and concludes on the infectious, log-drum rhythm of Mustbedubz’s ‘Piki Piki’.