Funkstorung
Courtesy of Aoyama Cay

Heavyweight veteran Tokyo house DJ Emma will enlist flamboyant New York house diva Ultra Nate to help him launch his latest release, Emma House 7, in a party entitled Seven at Liquid Room on December 9.

Since starting his DJ career, Emma has manned the wheels of steel at just about every Tokyo club that ever mattered: Cave, Yellow, Mission, Liquid Room, the legendary Gold - the list goes on and on. He has also taken his deeply felt, soulful brand of house on the road to Europe, the UK and dance centers such as the party isle of Ibiza.

Emma has also been a force in Tokyo dance culture since 1994 with his Malawi Rocks production outfit, through which he has produced a series of original and mix CDs. The upcoming release Emma House 7 appears on the Cutting Edge label on December 6.

Emma Liquid Room

A legend among house circles, Ultra Nate burst on the scene in the early ' with the international hit single "It's Over Now," recorded with DJ duo the Basement Boys. Despite signing early with Warner, she has remained true to the dance scene over the decade, releasing the massive 1997 single, "Free," which will be familiar to anyone who has ventured near a nightclub in the last few years. Ultra Nate's forthcoming album Stranger Than Fiction appears on Cutting Edge on December 20.

For those whose tastes run towards the more experimental, Sound of Speed will be celebrating its third anniversary with Funkstorung from Germany joining a cast of offbeat Tokyo DJs at Aoyama Cay, also on Saturday.

Sometimes termed the Autechre of Germany for their electro-ambient tendencies, Funkstorung consists of two Munich residents, Michael Fakesch and Chris De Luca, both in their early '20s. At the head of their Musik Aus Strom and !K7 labels, Fakesch and De Luca have been behind a series of much sought after Mask releases, produced in collaboration with Autechre's Skam label.

Funkstorung will be performing live sets alongside Koss and ebKoss, with DJ sets from Tokyo's Taro (Torema) and the Global Chillage Crew.

Seven: Liquid Room, 12/9, 10pm, JY3000, JY3500 (after 12am), w/1d. Tel: 03-3200-6381.

Sound of Speed: Aoyama Cay, 12/9, 11pm, JY3300 (adv), JY3800 (day). Tel: 03-3498-5790.