From The Heart: The YAN Dynasty

Far up north, in the heart of the heaving broody Mancunian metropolis, grows a gleaming talent from the northern bass bedrock. Manchester-based, Hong Kong-rooted, YAN, has risen steadily through the ranks in recent years. From her early bloc2bloc days to joining the esteemed rosters of Soul In Motion and Makino Agency respectively, the young tech selecta has proven herself a commanding presence in the northern bass sphere. 

If it isn’t her clear-cut, sophisticated tech and jungle selections that win you over, then her unruffled and purist approach will do the trick. With sets at Warehouse Project, Shogun Audio and Hit & Run to name a few, YAN possesses lineups at home and far far away, with tasteful tech rollers and deep meditative 174 that pours buckets of emotion and dance motivation on crowds whilst spinning an enticing sonic story. For her, it’s a journey into the heart. Bringing together the UK sonics of London, Bristol and Manc with the budding bass communities of Seoul and Hong Kong, she continues to support the international scenes – championing the deep, the dark and the techy, whilst remaining true to her heart, digging deep for the guiding authentic voice of her inner self, throughout all her music efforts.

One inky ice-cold January night, we finally caught up on her steady rise to power through the local and motherland scenes, the emotions and mates behind the mixing, as well as all things Asian drum and bass.

How’s your day been?

Really good thanks! Coming to you live and direct from my car.

Great acoustics. And Happy Lunar New Year! Tell us, what’s your zodiac animal?

I’m the year of the horse, strong and I think that means I’ve got a lot of energy. Intelligent, high-spirited and quick learners are horse characteristics. Next year will be my year.

Seems like this year is yours already! Let’s go back to the start, how did your drum and bass story begin?

I was around 15 years old, I started attending free parties and just became fully immersed. I’d try and find a free party going on every week and go as much as I can. All I knew was that I loved the music and I was new to this world of raving. The artistry started naturally, I’ve always known that I wanted to do something related to music. So as I started going to more types of events and seeing all these talented female DJs kill it, was what inspired me mainly. I wanted to create that same feeling and same experience for people too.

And you’re killing it!

Thank you. The first ladies that I really looked up to were, of course, the bloc2Bloc crew of the day; Kaz, Indika, Salo and Jazzy Lioness. Around that time in Manchester you had a lot of female talent coming through in drum and bass, which pushed me to get started along with my girls, Jade Louise and Yazmin C. Around here, everyone supports each other- we work together. 

We love to see talent supporting each other. What defines the Manchester scene?

Every city has their own vibe, in the Manchester scene we’re all family. We all support each other and everyone is genuinely so passionate about the music, whether you’re an artist or a raver, the love is all the same with everyone. I’m really lucky to be surrounded by such talented people, they inspire me to keep pushing every single day, through their support but also just through. But London also brings the energy. Every time I’ve played in London I’ve noticed, people dance so freely. When I played Shogun Sessions at Corsica Studios, my first 360 set, people were dancing wild! Both cities do have that passion but I feel in London, the moves are bigger, crazier. People let themselves loose in the dance, there’s a lot more freedom of expression. In Manchester, people are still moving but it’s a bit more of a community vibe, a family vibe together.

Who do you want to shout out from Manchester? 

Shoutout to the late, great and talented Noxxic. He lived and breathed drum and bass. He was a talented producer and DJ but also just the most wonderful and supportive person in the Manchester scene. You can ask anyone, he’d be at every single party every weekend, even if there were multiple events on that same night, he’d try and attend them all. He always showed up without fail and gave his whole heart to this community, that legacy of his will live on forever.

That’s a beautiful tribute. He’ll always be imprinted on the scene in that way.

Gone but never forgotten.

Rest in power, Noxxic. Let’s talk about UKF15, how did it feel to be on that Bristol lineup and to play out?

I was just… truly honoured to be a part of that lineup. I have no words for it. I remember discovering bass music and Knife Party was actually one of the first artists I’d ever listened to. So it was full circle. The energy of the crowd was incredible. You had the OG fans there who were giving it everything on the dancefloor, there were young fans, old fans and everyone in between. Honestly, those OG fans were showing the new generation how to really move!

Any dance moves we should know about?

This one guy started doing the worm in front of everyone and everyone just started surrounding him and cheering him on. It was a vibe! That’s what I’m talking about, showing the younger fans how to have some fun in the rave.

Bring back the worm! You’ve got some big sets under your belt – which has been your favourite so far?

Last year, my favourite of all time will probably be opening Worried About Henry at The Depot, WHP. It’s always been my dream to play there, being from Manchester, it’s an honour to play on that stage that’s such a staple for the Manchester scene. As a venue it’s so imposing, this big massive imposing complex that feels otherworldly. I’ve basically grown up in those halls, I could never have even imagined that I would one day play on that stage. When I got up there, I had to just stay focused otherwise I would’ve lost my cool. I thought, I’m going to have to kill this set, I can’t bring anything less. Surreal. I’ll never forget that night, that was a real moment of evolution. I planned a special set for that event too, a mix that I would’ve wanted to hear when I first started raving.

What kind of mix? What made it a jewel?

Total euphoria. Feeling the music in your heart, your soul, your body. Proper getting totally lost in it.

Is that how you would describe your signature sound?

I play deep, dark, tech drum and bass with hints of soul and jungle. When I play out, I really want the crowd to feel it deeply and become lost in the music. That’s the kind of music that resonates with me.

You take people on a journey…

I always start off with a bit of a chill vibe, some soulful liquid with a bit of grit to get everyone in the mood to dance, and welcome them to the dancefloor. Then I’ll slowly build them up, getting darker and darker. But it also depends on who’s playing next after me. I want to make it a smooth overall experience, a smooth transition if that makes sense. I do always say that with every set I like to tell a story. If they listen deep enough, maybe they’ll hear the story I’m weaving through the drums and dance with me through it.

How would you describe your artistry in one word?

Heartfelt. I always want to play with my heart and I vent through my sets. If I’m feeling a type of way or anything like that, I’ll just try and channel those emotions into this set and use it as my creative output.

You have a truly authentic approach.

What do you think makes a tech track stand out?

Deep sub, as standard. You know a tech tune is great, when you hear it and you automatically start moving naturally. But for me, it also includes deep subs, fast drums and most importantly, elements of finesse. The track almost sounds cheeky in a way, and has a lil flex that you just can’t get with another subgenre. A tech roller, you sort of feel it in your soul, but a tech track, it makes you want to move and you can’t stop it.

Who are the tech titans?

There’s so many amazing and talented artists killing the scene right now, but the dons for me right now have to be Koherent, QZB, YAANO and Kyrist. They can never make a bad tune. Every single release is on point. They school us.

Let’s talk about your Asian drum and bass family. What’s the community like out there?

In Hong Kong the scene is rapidly growing. The crews there haven’t been around for long, but what they’ve achieved in such a short amount of time is amazing to see. Feed The Dragon, based there, are growing so fast and always host the sickest parties. I went to an event of theirs and for a split second forgot I was in Hong Kong. All their DJs are so passionate about UK bass music, UK underground music, so much so that you wouldn’t even think that some of them have never even been to the UK.

Drum and bass is truly international! What’s it like in the Seoul bass scene?

It’s much smaller, but all the South Korean artists are also so talented and incredibly dedicated. There’s a radio station called Visla FM that brings the community together, they host underground DJs there all the time. And everyone’s so stylish as well, the creativity is literally coming out the walls. Everyone has their own sense of style too, South Koreans know how to dress! Grunge streetwear inspiration for the underground. I always feel creatively recharged in these spaces out there.

How are you connected to that part of the world?

My family are from Hong Kong and I had a friend from there involved with Feed The Dragon reach out to me about playing at an event, which turned out to be the Outlook promo party. Killa P was headlining and at this night, I tell you, the way this audience was fully sending it, giving it everything they had, it made me appreciate the music all that much more. I felt that maybe we take drum and bass for granted in the UK. All the Hong Kongers at this night were so passionate, so full of joy, that it had a massive effect on me. I realised how much of an impact that this sort of music has on people around the world. Apart from it of course being my homeland, that was very inspiring to see. It’s definitely growing too. More and more artists are going to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and taking the music with them. I can’t wait to see how these pockets of drum and bass develop.

Are there any other Asian collectives you want to shout about?

Dark Metaz in Hong Kong. They showcase a lot of different sounds from bass music, but also their concept is on point – they do some insane production on their shows. There’s also Jungle Jam in Bangkok, MO7 Recordings in Changsa, China, they’re hosting Koherent on their Asia tour – all of these guys are really pushing the sound out in Asia!  Unchained Recordings, the number one bass label in China, are a whole community, creating a space for the sound and for fans to come together in China as well as top tier releases. Every single person involved is so dedicated and the music taste across the board is really tasteful. The ravers and crews also all dance like no one else is watching. I feel like you have to go and see it and experience the pure passion I’m describing. Of course, I want to connect with more projects going on around Asia. I think it’s very important. We all support each other. We gotta represent!

How do you want to make your mark?

Well, I’ve been producing for a while now so hopefully I’ll be able to share that soon. I want to spend my time creating music that I love, sharing it to people and just continue fostering that spirit of community and togetherness. My music is always informed by my feelings and really that first experience I had of being introduced to the deeper and darker side of drum and bass. Every time I DJ or create music, I’m trying to chase that feeling of euphoria again and pay that forward.

That’s what the underground is all about! Finally, where should we look for you in 2025?

You can find me next in Manchester playing Overview Music’s event next month, which is really exciting because it’s one of my favourite labels. Later on in the year, my European debut is soon to be announced, so keep an eye out for that! I’ve also just released a mix for SUNANDBASS, which you can find on their SoundCloud. I’m so proud of this mix and again I’m honoured to have been invited to record this for a brand I’ve looked up to for a long time. It’s a busy year ahead but I’m ready to go!