Ahead of the event, we spoke with shanda about her classical roots, the influence of Hong Kong and Berlin, building the ABYSS collective, and what she is preparing for the Phantom Bar dance floor.
Classically trained as a flutist before entering Hong Kong’s underground scene, Shanda brings a distinctive musical sensibility to both her productions and DJ sets. Now based in Berlin, she combines hypnotic darkness, groove, melody and organic textures to create dynamic journeys filled with emotion and surprise.
You began as a classically trained flutist before entering Hong Kong’s underground techno scene. How does that musical foundation continue to influence your productions and DJ sets?
With my classical background, I found myself easily drawn to tracks with beautifully-sounding synth lead and bassline. I also love tracks that tell a story, are dynamic and create a feeling of euphoria. This could relate to my time in school orchestras, where the pieces were full of harmony, emotion and dramatic twists.
Other than that, the fact that I grew up in Hong Kong also influences me. I’m used to going to parties across different genres – techno, house, bass, psytrance and more. This also makes my sets quite playful in terms of track selection and keeps them dynamic.
For 26 September at KEYI Magazine, I might bring on a playful, energetic and sexy set for the audience, matching with the sexiness of Phantom Bar!
Moving from Hong Kong to Berlin was a major step in your artistic journey.
How has living and performing in Berlin changed your sound and which parts of your Hong Kong identity remain essential to it?
My music evolves with my environment and also with the stage of life I’m in, so it would be difficult to pinpoint exactly how it has changed. My sound has become more texture-focused and hypnotic, if I had to describe it in one way.
That said, the storytelling, the groove I like, and my interest in selecting tracks with cross-genre elements, both Western and Asian – still remain core parts of my sets. These are largely influenced by Hong Kong being such an international city.
Your music balances hypnotic darkness, groove, melody, and organic textures. What emotions or physical sensations do you want to create on the dance floor?
I love creating a journey where you can search for something you desire – an answer, a feeling you’ve missed or simply a way to honour life in its current state.
I love creating a journey where you can search for something you desire – an answer, a feeling you’ve missed or simply a way to honour life in its current state.
At that moment, you are free to desire whatever you want while riding along on the journey the DJ takes you on, with lots of surprises along the way.
As a co-founder of ABYSS, you have helped shape a techno community as well as your own career. What did building that collective teach you about collaboration, identity, and creating space for underground music?
I feel very lucky and proud to have founded ABYSS with my partner, Angel, aka Angelika, four years ago. This project has taught me the power of creation when like-minded people work together.
We have had many people helping us grow the project through music, including music by our beloved local DJs, visuals, videography, photography, and event curation. With their help, we can get quite creative with our locations and event concepts.
I’m thankful that we have a community that always comes to our parties and respects the safe space we want to create for a high-quality music and dance experience.
You’ve performed across Asia, Australia, Germany, and wider Europe. How do different crowds affect the way you construct a set, and what kind of journey are you preparing for Phantom Bar on 26 September for KEYI Magazine?
I like to envision different situations and prepare different selections of tracks for a show in a new city. I usually get to the club a bit earlier and stand in the middle of the dance floor to feel the vibe of the crowd before my set. I also observe a lot while I’m playing, especially during the first 30 minutes, to see which direction I want to take, how I can bring people into my story and make them dance non-stop!
For 26 September at KEYI Magazine, I might bring on a playful, energetic and sexy set for the audience, matching with the sexiness of Phantom Bar!
Following your release on Bipolar Disorder Records and Buto Bayang, you have some tracks on the way this year. What does this next chapter reveal about shanda as a producer that listeners may not have heard before?
A: I’m super excited about the upcoming tracks. I don’t want to reveal too much yet but all I can say is that they are more techno-focused, hypnotic and texture-driven.
My sound is constantly evolving as a young producer and I’m excited to see how my listeners respond to it.
KEYI Magazine Fundraiser Vol.002 x Phantom Bar Berlin, 26th September 2026 Support and Get Your Tix on RA
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