☉ Palpebræ Mix 15: DJ SHUFFLEMASTER
Check out the full interview: palpebrae.com/in-conversation-with-dj-shufflemaster
DJ SHUFFLEMASTER, alias of Tokyo-based producer Tatsuya Kanamori, is one of the most influential figures to emerge from the Japanese techno scene in the late 1990s. Closely associated with the seminal Subvoice label, he developed a groove-driven and functional sound that quickly attracted the attention of European techno institutions.
His international breakthrough came with the release of his debut album EXP on Tresor Records in 2001 (reissued in 2023), positioning him among the first Japanese techno artists to gain worldwide recognition.
In 2014, DJ SHUFFLEMASTER founded his own label Shiki Kyokai, continuing to explore a stripped-back, physical form of techno rooted in rhythm, shuffle, and long-form club dynamics. Through his label and ongoing collaborations, Tatsuya Kanamori has remained committed to a form of techno that resists excess and spectacle, favouring longevity, precision, and emotional restraint.
In this conversation, we look back at the formative influences that shaped his path—from early encounters with hip hop, punk, and new wave to the emergence of Tokyo’s underground techno scene — while also exploring his creative process, his view on today’s electronic landscape, and the balance between club functionality and emotional intent. The interview also touches on upcoming releases and the mindset behind the mix recorded for Palpebræ.
☉ About DJ SHUFFLEMASTER:
DJ Shufflemaster, alias of Tatsuya Kanamori, stands as a key figure in Japanese techno and one of the first artists from the country to gain international recognition in the late 1990s. Active for over three decades, his trajectory developed alongside the growth of Tokyo’s underground scene.
His early work as a producer is closely connected to Subvoice, a seminal label for Japanese techno, where Kanamori refined a direct and physical language built on tight grooves, pronounced shuffle, and sustained rhythmic tension.
In 2014, DJ Shufflemaster founded his own imprint, Shiki Kyokai, a platform through which he continues to pursue a personal and disciplined vision of techno: functional, nocturnal, and reduced to its essential elements.
Between studio work and clubs, DJ Shufflemaster remains a quiet but constant reference point—an artist who has moved through shifting eras and trends while maintaining a coherent vision, guided by rhythm, movement, and a form of techno that continues to evolve without losing contact with its origins.
☉ About the mix:
"While updating my Rekordbox, I rediscovered several tracks I’d never played before, so I added them to the playlist. I also included a few of my own tracks that I hadn’t played out yet. These are records I expect to be playing in clubs for a while, so this mix works almost like a preview of what I’ll be playing at upcoming gigs."
☉ Follow DJ SHUFFLEMASTER here:
@shiki-kyokai / https://www.instagram.com/djshufflemaster / https://shikikyokai.bandcamp.com/
☉ Follow Palpebræ here:
on SoundCloud: @palpebraenetwork
on web: www.palpebrae.com
on Instagram: www.instagram.com/palpebraenetwork/
on Facebook: www.facebook.com/palpebraenetwork
