Selections: Yu Su
In this series, Selections, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their collections. This week, Yu Su spotlights slow-burning synths, modulated movers, and leftfield club and house heat
For an artist raised on Liszt, Debussy, and Chinese pop, Yu Su’s output covers all the ground you’d expect and more. ‘I Want An Earth’, her most recent EP, floats somewhere in the interstices between “fourth world” ambient and downtempo house, while earlier singles like ‘Watermelon Woman’ on Technicolour venture down a delightfully psychedelic disco route. This appetite for subversing expectations is one Yu Su traces back to her roots. Born in the rural town of Kaifeng, Central China, she first heard house music after moving to Vancouver for college, and promptly set about joining the dots between contemporary club culture and Chinese tradition.
Behind the decks, Yu Su has also mastered the art of surprise. Making her debut at the Craig Richards-curated Houghton Festival earlier this month, the producer and sound artist swerved through a melange of alternative floor-fillers and raw-edged house goodness. Her intuitive sets have also seen her open for the likes of Japanese psychedelic act Kikagaku Moyo and Brooklyn indie-rock outfit, Parquet Courts, as Yu Su continues to redefine what it means to be an electronic artist in a modern capacity.
When she’s not cooking up a storm for the ears, Yu Su spends her time in the kitchen (as seen on her Instagram page @yusucooks), curating dishes with the same intricate, experimental flair as her productions. Take a dive into Yu Su’s sonic palette via her Selections, which stretch from slow-burning synths and modulated movers to leftfield club and house heat.
“Super fun Manchester-based label. This track’s full of bubbles in the best way possible but very bach-like to my ears.”
“I love Joe; every single thing he's ever put out is unique! And you can always play around with the BPM at a set. The mixing and imaginations of his production just go way beyond.”
“Big ups to Gee Dee! This is so great on a festival stage – atmospheric bliss!”
“Another hypnotic classic from scott grooves. Tensions here...!”
“I can listen to that one metallic synth line forever. I love this track; it’s very playful and driven.”
“Big chugging tune! All the moments and little details in this song are just so amazing.”
“This is kind of one of my secret weapons this summer. Sam [Floating Points] expanded this Herbert track into a full story, with Verushka's heavenly voices and all the modulated sounds in there. It’s just so beautiful!”
“Another fun Weatherall remix. Big drums, big bass, big feelings of spatialization.”
“This entire record just keeps blowing my mind. You can hear all the things hitting different parts of your body in headphones, or on big systems. Every time there will be something different... Pure magic!”
“I love C.A.R.! and I love Manfredas :) <3 <3 <3”
