Listen to a new FADER Mix by Ma Sha

Kindergarten Records founder Ma Sha evokes the spirit of her label name.

A key part of New York City's Bass revival, Ma Sha and her Kindergarten crew (which has been going strong for over five years) have infused the City’s scene with a pugnaciously playful quality — working in tandem with the likes of Sobolik, Ayesha, and Stolen Velour, among many others.

Kindergarten Records releases tend to clash Bass music’s penchant for circular motion with the brain-tingling micro-details that have come to populate and elevate much of contemporary techno’s artier side. One can hear that alien blend in everything Ma Sha touches, be it her annual label compilations, Kindergarten Records's monthly Lot Radio show, or Ma Sha's own tracks and DJ mixes, all of which glimmer in electric blues and neon reds.

Ma Sha’s own sets have gone from backyard New York City fare to global festival bookings at the likes of Philadelphia’s Making Time, Montreal’s MUTEK, and even appearances in Chinese clubs: GIFT in Dalian and ATP in Xiamen. It was in between those two club appearances that Ma Sha recorded her FADER Mix, which she describes as “deep, trippy, percussion-led techno with a healthy spice of bass, as usual.” Indeed, the up-tempo set emanates a club’s steam, wading through a foggy thrall of synth ambiance, and glittering with propulsive percussion and bass galore.

Listen to Ma Sha’s FADER Mix on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, and Youtube. And check out its track list and read an interview with Ma Sha below.

Na Nich - “Nothing To Breathe”
Kamo - “Disappear Here”
Hodge - “Tom's Tweaks (LWS Remix)”
Harba - “?”
GCOD - “Descent”
Angel Science - “tech nomadz”
Gamma Intel - “Construct”
DKFSK - “Last Night”
Toobris - “Lift Me Up”
Teqmun - “Mauve Stinger”
Terminus - “Jungle Borg”
Harba - “?”
Lunarplatz - “Ayahuasca”
Ma Sha - “Aqua Roar”
Ma Sha - “Total Energy”

What led you to start DJing?
Moving in with a friend who had a vinyl setup. We spent pretty much every evening in the basement of our apartment in Brooklyn playing records and figuring things out.

What's the first set you ever played?
One of our Kindergarten backyard parties. It was a vinyl-only set for a bunch of friends on a warm Saturday evening. Looking back, it was super wholesome. At the time, I was absolutely terrified.

What DJs or artists inspire you?
Way too many to list, but lately I've been inspired by LWS, Teqmun, and Wata Igarashi.

How has your local scene shaped your mixing and curation?
Moving to New York almost 10 years ago meant being surrounded by super talented people, and I've learned so much just from being around them. And of course, endless inspiration from the Kindergarten crew. Big shoutout to them.

What's the most memorable set you ever played?
From recent memory, definitely Organik Festival in Taiwan. Playing right before DJ Nobu on the main stage felt amazing, and the whole weekend ended up being hugely inspiring. I left with way too many ideas.

What DJ trend needs to die?
The obsession with only playing brand-new music. I think tracks deserve to live longer than a couple of months. I love when certain records keep showing up in a DJ's sets over the years and slowly become part of their signature sound.

How would you describe your FADER mix?
Playing Organik Festival in Taiwan earlier this year sent me down a proper rabbit hole after hearing artists like DJ Nobu, Andy Martin, and the Organik crew. Since then I've been digging deeper into that sound, so this mix feels like a snapshot of the wormhole I'm currently in. It also features a few of my upcoming tracks, which I think represent the vibe of the mix really well.

Where did you record the mix? Describe your surroundings.
I recorded it between two clubs in China — GIFT in Dalian and ATP in Xiamen — and I'm really grateful they let me use their beautiful spaces. A big part of the mix was also shaped by the energy from my recent set at Sorted in Denver.

Beyond DJing and music, what's an interest you have that may surprise people?
I'm a b-girl — I started breakdancing in my early teens. In the last few years I've also gotten really into surfing, and I'm super obsessed with interior design.