DARK METAZ presents F I R S ✝︎ K I L L
Social Room
13–15 Sep 2024 · 3 days
Hysteria Temple Foundation
A two-headed affair, the faceless Hysteria Temple Foundation is a project cloaked in secret and mystique. Roaming at the convergence point of incantatory tribal hoodoo, hi-voltage techno uproar and no-frills, hazy dubs, the pair works its way in the gap between straight out floor hypnotism and drum-driven escapology. With three releases under their belt, HTF has been putting on a show of gravity-defying rhythmic stunts and haunting, ancestral-like tableaux of brain-numbing beauty. Rabid darbukkah solos flying off like curare-dipped arrows and tape-echo’ed riffs hovering around like an evil God’s brontologic threat, the sound of HTF is rugged and overwhelming, as much as its construction is complex and purposefully impenetrable.
Where their highly volatile debut release — ‘Atrahasis’ (2021) — deployed as a tetramorph of floor-focussed versatility, nimbly walking the tightrope between Shackleton’s cursed machine funk from the deep, Sherwoodian polyrhythmic manoeuvres and Massive Attack at their most claustrophobic, their second EP — ‘Ritual’ (2022) — conjured up FX-soaked visions of a further hybrid dystopian future, merging long-lost mythologies with cutting-edge explosiveness to devastating effect.
Released in 2023, their debut mini-album ‘Alkadian’ further developed HTF’s constant introspective search for the most speaking portray of our modern contradictions and fractalized identities, as we’re caught surfing a rogue wave of demented script stutter, harsh neo-junglistic salvos and middle-eastern-influenced folk tropes. Having found their way in plenty podcasts and radio shows over the past few years, HTF’s music finds itself even more rightfully experienced live, all analogue protocols and transfixing energies blazing. Like head reducers chasing their prey down a labyrinthian dark web, hacked-out signals and robotic warnings beaconing our descent into a frenzied maelstrom of a headspace.
Konnection
Emerging from the underground raves in Hong Kong, Konnection aka Fung has rapidly established himself as a dynamic force in the electronic music scene. With a passion for sound that began in bandsound, he has transformed his early love for music into dance music.
Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of genres, Konnection crafts immersive sets that take audiences on a locked in sonic journey. His signature sound blends techno, broken beat, bass and halftime, creating a ride on the atmospheric and immersive landscape, characterized with long mixing and an innate ability to resonate with the crowd.
Making his mark in the underground scene, Konnection has the opportunity to grace the decks of renowned local venues such as Acadana, Oma, Mihn, Social Room, and also clubs out of the city such as DD3 (Macau), Oil (Shenzhen) and Tag (Chengdu). He has shared the stage with acclaimed artists like Alpha Tracks, DJ Maria, Diskonnected, Occa, Mad Miran, Philipa Pacho, Priori and Sybil. Recently, Konnection has launched his own label, Liminal Space, with the vision of showcasing atmospheric, cinematic and psychedelic electronic music without the limitation of genre, oscillating between the borders and boundaries. With the launch party that has garnered attention from the underground scene, he continues to evolve and explore new sonic landscapes.
JFÜNG
Born and raised in Hong Kong, JFÜNG began his journey into electronic music and DJing in 2014. Over the years, his passion for music selection and production has been deeply shaped by his travels and exposure to vibrant underground scenes and music festivals in cities like Los Angeles, Taipei, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Shenzhen, and beyond.
In the summer of 2021, JFÜNG curated DARK METAZ, an immersive audio-visual experience and underground bass-music rave collective. DARK METAZ showcases talent with darker, bass-heavy sounds and striking visuals, while also hosting a resident radio show on FMBelowground.
Known for his obsession with deep, dark, and bass-driven rhythms, JFÜNG’s live sets are a sonic journey through the realms of electronic music, captivating listeners with his unique style and energy.
2023 has been a breakout year for JFÜNG. He was invited to perform at renowned festivals such as Clockenflap, Omni Field, and ShiFuMiz. Furthermore, DARK METAZ was selected as the official host and promoter for the Asia tours of notable artists, including Hebbe from the Netherlands, the legendary US group The Glitch Mob, and the rising dubstep superstar Hamdi from the UK. With his commitment to pushing boundaries and curating unforgettable musical experiences, JFÜNG continues to inspire and elevate Hong Kong’s electronic music scene.
