Listen To Hasji's Experimental Debut 'Grove' EP

Auckland’s Hasji (aka Bridge Shoebridge of sere, The Naenae Express and The Grow Room) has dropped his debut solo Grove EP of percussive workouts and electronic excursions. The six song collection goes deep with a meditative and immersive sound, creating intersections between the contemporary dance structures of juke/footwork and improvisational electronic soundscapes. Released digitally via Japanese label/collective GORGE.IN and physically via The Grow Room, the recordings are inspired by Hasji’s travels abroad and the limitations that Gorge ‘bootists’ (their term for artists) impose upon themselves. We had to know more, Hasji kindly took time out to share his thoughts on the new collection…

“I was living in California, on the foggy west coast-end of San Francisco, and spending a great deal of time exploring the internet when I couldn't afford to go to shows. I ended up falling into the Tokyo and Osaka juke/footwork scenes, through which I came across the Gorge bootists, who have quite a crossover with the juke/footwork scene

Gorge has three rules: call it 'Gorge', use toms, don't call it art (hence Gorge 'bootists' rather than 'artists’).

I really enjoyed the way that these three limitations formed a really cohesive concept around the music, (alongside the back story), leaving a wide open (and slightly directed) space to work in, musically. I think the 'hardness' (read: heaviness) of Gorge in both sound and general concept was something that really appealed to me, with its strong links to industrial/power electronics, as well as the connection with the other ends of contemporary experimental work in juke/footwork

I'm Te Arawa, and the mountains, rivers and lakes of the volcanic regions have always been a core part of my lived experience and I felt like Gorge really spoke to these feelings. The idea of larger, older beings around you, that will continue as they have for millennia, being aware of that, and turning that into a very introverted/personal creative project.”

Hasji’s ‘Grove’ EP is available digitally via GORGE.IN, and physically via The Grow Room.