Yuji Kondo is a Japanese production-titan that any serious electronic music fan should know about. With an intimidating discography across many renowned labels such as Perc Trax, Semantica, Genesa, 10 Label, and so on, across multiple pseudonyms and collaborative projects, Yuji has repeatedly proven that his sound is a pillar of quality that transcends any trends. “Mecha Prowess” has just been released on Void+1, and we’re thrilled to give you a glimpse into his world through this interview.

VOID+1: Hello Yuji! We’re happy to have you on Void+1, and it’s fantastic that you agreed to this interview. Let’s start with some background info: When and how did you get involved in music, and how did you move toward the techno side of things?

YUJI KONDO: My father was an audiophile, and on holidays, jazz and classical records or CDs would always be playing in his room.
When I was a child, I was overwhelmed by the power of classical music to the point of feeling frightened. Even back then, I was amazed at how I would unconsciously immerse myself in the experience of movies or music. However, at that time, I didn’t have any positive interest or curiosity toward music.
When I was 15, I started a punk rock band with my classmates. Back then, I often listened to major works involving producers like Brendan O’Brien and Rick Rubin. I was drawn to heaviness, roaring sound, feedback, and noisy elements. Listening to such music made me feel the most “alive.” After that, I began to constantly seek out exciting music for myself, which gradually led me to develop a stronger interest in electronic music. I started listening to a lot of music that focused on experimental approaches. When I was 18, I came across Xenakis’ works, which left a huge impact on me and deepened my immersion in music. That was the first time I truly understood the appeal of jazz and classical music that my father had loved so much.
It was also when I was 18 that I started creating music by myself using a PC, synthesizers, rhythm machines, and other equipment. I experimented with everything—noise, ambient, electronic, rock, and pop. After a while, I began creating live sets that could be categorized as ambient music, and I started performing live at venues. Those performances led me to meet many other musicians. It was during this period that I met Scalameriya and Sawa.
The turning point that led me to produce techno was a release offer from Scalameriya’s label, Genesa Records. That became my first work under the name Ducerey Ada Nexino. While working on my debut solo EP, “Soup_004 Pt.2” / “Napoleon Solo,” I realized, “This is the kind of techno I want to make.” Around the same time, I began collaborating with Sawa, and we agreed that we wanted to incorporate more beats and rhythm into our productions. That shared vision resulted in tracks like “Jimmy Edgar Remix” and “Svreca Remix,” released under the name Steven Porter. These were original tracks that we provided as remixes.