We head to Montreal for a sensational mix from rising Canadian producer Hyunji-A…

Hyunji-A, or Hyunji Lee, is a Korean-Canadian music producer, DJ, and actress based in Montreal. She has developed an innate desire and passion for creating music, no doubt in part to her being a classical trained pianist since the age of 4. Musically she gravitates towards emotional and cinematic journeys aimed at evoking a profound experience and personal reflection.

Since her first release in 2020, she’s been featured on labels such as Mango Alley, onedotsixtwo, Tales of Romance, Sounds of Khemit, and more. Her music receives regular support from DJs such as Hernan Cattaneo and Eelke Kleijn, and she’s a reular at esteemed clubs and festivals such as Stereo, Piknic Electronik, Igloofest, and more.

BALANCE SELECTIONS 272: Hyunji-A

Tracklisting:
1. Spooky – Orange Coloured Liquid (Original Mix)
2. Federico Campero – Absolu (Original Mix)
3. Armen Miran – Heads (Gespona Remix)
4. Digital Mess – Find Yourself (Tantum Remix)
5. Hyunji-A – ID
6. Anton Borin – A Wonderful World (Subandrio Remix)
7. Hyunji-A – Speck of Dust (Original Mix)
8. Tantum – Geschwindigkeitslauf (Original Mix)
9. Sudhaus, The Wash – Spectron (Jamie Stevens Remix)
10. Hyunji-A – Camino Torcido (Original Mix)
11. Hyunji-A – ID
12. D-Sens – 3 Words in a Key (Original Mix)
13. Hyunji-A – Stars & Satellites (Original Mix)

Name: Hyunji Lee
Location: Montreal, Canada
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Alias/Producer name: Hyunji-A
Labels affiliated with: Movement Recordings, Mango Alley, onedotsixtwo, Clubsonica Records, Tales of Romance

My last 3 releases:

What music did you listen to as a child?

Growing up, I listened to a variety of music which include classical music, K-pop, and early 2000’s top hits. My enjoyment of classical music stemmed from my early years of training on the piano, of which I’ve been taught classically since the age of 4. I especially enjoyed Mozart — his music had always resonated with me the most, and still does to this day. And of course, being Korean, I was exposed to K-pop through the media and friends, as well as Korean ballad from my parents. My dad especially enjoyed playing music on the speakers at home quite often and I think that, thanks to him having introduced me to a variety of genres this way, I was able to develop an appreciation for many different types of music. As I grew older, I listened to a lot of classical rock (Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin were my favourites), as well as indie/alternative rock such as The Black Keys, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Arcade Fire.

When was the first time that you realised that you liked electronic music?

It began 10 years ago during my university days as a student, but the seed was planted much earlier by my sister when she showed me deadmau5 and Chrome Sparks. I thought electronic music sounded interesting, and it piqued my curiosity. Then once I began university, my friends showed me music by Jon Hopkins, Bonobo, Nicolas Jaar, Boards of Canada and Max Cooper. I remember really enjoying the music, and I started exploring further into their music on my own. I started to really dive into electronic music when we started to listen to Tiësto’s ‘In Search of Sunrise 6: Ibiza’ mix during our study sessions, which were always very lengthy as physics can be very time consuming, mentally demanding and challenging, so the mix would help us get through long hours of studying.

When was the first time you saw a DJ in a club?

The first ever electronic music show I went to see was when Gesaffelstein came to play at the Metropolis (now called MTELUS) in Montreal in 2014. The experience was so novel to me — the vibe of the dance floor, being in awe at the performance, and the loudness of the music. I didn’t know at the time that it was a thing to wear ear plugs to music shows, and I remember leaving the venue with muffled ears. (always protect your ears, friends!) This was more like a show than a clubbing experience, so I suppose the first time I went to a club to see a DJ was for 16BL when he came to Newspeak, Montreal in 2019. I remember really enjoying the music, and it was the first time I started to explore the desire of expressing myself physically through dancing.

Which producers/artists/acts inspire you?

All of the artists I mentioned in the second question are my favourite artists and continue to inspire me as an artist to this day, but Jon Hopkins is especially my all-time biggest inspiration. I resonate a lot with him in many ways — his style of music, for one; his track ‘Open Eye Signal’ has been my favourite for nearly 10 years. It’s truly a timeless track. He’s also a classically trained pianist and I have a lot of respect for that — it’s evident that it influences his compositions in a meticulous way. And, his album ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’ is absolutely mind-blowing and beautifully made. Overall, I’m a huge fan in every way! I never got to see him live, but I’m sure that it would be an equally enjoyable experience and a big source of inspiration. However, among those I have seen: Hernan Cattaneo, Sasha and Guy J are my favourite DJs who always inspire me every time I see them play, especially if it’s at Stereo. They know how to transport me through a journey that is musically healing and deeply personal.

What was the last album you downloaded/purchased?

Everything Now by Arcade Fire, right after attending their concert in Montreal in 2017.

What is your current production and DJ set up like?

I don’t have a proper studio, but I have a set-up with my monitors, synths, and a MIDI keyboard in my living room that does the job. My living room space is very small, and it’s just the right size to hold my two synths — a Moog Sub 37 and an OB-6. I often jam on these instruments for fun, and I incorporate them into my productions if I catch something interesting. Otherwise, I use plug-ins and my handy dandy Arturia Microlab 25-Key Controller to jam and create! As for DJing, I use some good ol’ standard Pioneer CDJs with a good ol’ Pioneer DJM mixer.

What releases do you have on the horizon?

There are some very exciting releases coming this year that I am eager to announce soon, which include some of the tracks you will hear in the mix! Most are my own productions, and others include a collaboration with a producer whom I respect and admire a lot. Stay tuned to find out!

Where can we hear you perform?

I am very grateful for the opportunity to play regularly at Stereo Montreal — my latest gig is on February 3rd. It’s always an honour to play in that incredible sound system. Stay tuned for more gigs coming up in the upcoming months!

Tell us more about the podcast you made for Balance?

I’m very honoured to have been invited to make a mix for Balance Selections! I wanted to put together some of my favourite tracks as well as some of my new productions that I’m excited to share with the world. I’ve also been liking Tantum’s production a lot these days, and his track ‘Geschwindigkeitslauf’, released on Radikon, is quite the bomb!

MY RECOMMENDATIONS

The top track in my DJ set currently is:

My track ‘Speck of Dust’ has received great responses in my sets, alongside a lot of support from Hernan Cattaneo. It will be released on one of my favourite labels in the coming months!

If I could recommend only one of my tracks for you to listen to it would be:

From all my released the music, I would recommend ‘Stars & Satellites’. I would say it’s a track that represents me very nicely.

If I could recommend only one track for you to listen to it would be:

Aha! Here’s my chance to share with you ‘Open Eye Signal’ by Jon Hopkins. The music video is awesome, check it out:

The last movie I watched that I really liked:
Tenet by Christopher Nolan.

My favourite TV show:
LOST. I actually did an unofficial remix/bootleg of the theme song because it has such a beautiful melody! You can listen and download it for free here:

My favourite holiday destination/hotel:
Anywhere in Italy!