Tanz Talks 006 // Jesse You [STAMPO]

Our next man of the hour on the Tanz Talks series is the producer behind the fourth STAMPO release, Jesse You. Based in South Korea Jesse is an integral part of the local scene in Seoul, handling the artist direction at the rising Hertz club. Hertz’ diversity and depth is a reflection of Jesse’s record bag, tastefully building his sound over the years with a multitude of genres, building a deep connection with his records. As a producer his intricate sound has landed on the likes of Exarde, Digging Deeper, Runas and more. Jesse’s values align with Tanzform perfectly, nurturing the scene, pushing in the right areas for longevity over hype. Let’s dig in…

Favourite film?

Hard to choose, but 'Moneyball' gets better and better every time I watch it. 

Guilty Pleasure track?

Listening to 90's K-Pop, which I loved when I was growing up, is not guilty about listening, guilty about thinking back too much.

Favourite band/artist you have ever seen? And where?

I can't forget when Mos Def was on stage, Common and Talib Kweli jumped out of nowhere and sang 'Respiration', in New York. 

Favourite record artwork?

Maybe 'Talking Heads:77' 

Favourite dance floor moment?

Listening to a good closer with deeper and slower house music. 

Hi Jesse, welcome to Tanzform. How was 2025 for you? Where are you currently based? 

Hey! Thanks a lot for inviting me for the interview, it’s a big pleasure for me. 2025 was a great year, I did two very memorable tours in South East Asia in Summer and in Australia writing these answers. I also started to work at the club Hertz Seoul, where I’m based since April, sometimes struggling but enjoying the process of how we built the place with our crew, and it’s been a joy to meet new people and old friends almost every week from all around the world. I also released some EPs and it makes me very happy to see they are being played by DJs and placed in the record stores around me as well as the other side of the world. 

We are curious to learn more about the scene in South Korea. Can you tell our audience about some key clubs and promoters to check out? 

I’d like to name some clubs who are contributing to the scene the most including Hertz which is of course my favourite. There is a club called Ring, which already has a great reputation worldwide with strong residents. Teller is another special one, they did some nights with the likes of Rhadoo and tINI, which was great. Nyapi and Modeci both have their own direction and sounds. As for promoters, there is a crew called Antidote, who have a clear vision and strong following in Seoul, throwing fresh parties here and there. With them, there's a variety of things going on every night, and it’s really nice to see that Seoul is one of the cities now pumping with great local DJs as well as overseas bookings. 

How do you find it being the programmer of Hertz, what is it you are looking for when arranging the calendar for each month? Do you think this helps you discover lots of new music and artists? 

Balance, I might say. I’d like to embrace a broad range of House, Techno, Electro and even more sometimes, so one night you could see someone like Gene On Earth, another night there’s DJ Koolt playing. Also, I’d like to have local DJs who have a similar vision, digging crates hard enough to be confident on the deck, because for me every time it’s selection and dedication first. We proudly have 5 resident DJs, Jucid, Soyo, Acidwork, Jimin and myself. Everyone has quite a different sound and we have a ritual-not-ritual sunrise B2B session, and it’s like meeting with different sounds in the most beautiful moment of the club. And yes, it’s always been a pleasure discovering a new sound, such as the moment when Truly Madly played amazing UKG tracks, and And1, a local duo who always select some of the best Deep House I have heard. 

How is it for digging records in South Korea, do you have some shops you always visit?

For now my go-to place is Clique Records, which just reached their 10th anniversary. Their selection is hard to describe, some curveballs and they are always happy to share some DJ’s collection, so basically you can never expect what you will find, meaning you need to check regularly. Junction is having a hiatus now since a few months ago, it is run by S.O.N.S, hopefully it returns soon, because Junction is quite the home for vinyl DJs who play dance music in Seoul for many years. Ranging from minimal to progressive and trance. Also, Mosaic is the one taking care of the most broad range of music, there are two branches and you can check their for brilliant Jazz, Soul, Reggae, Chicago and Detroit selections. 

Something that has always fascinated us is all of the scenes around the world, little pockets around the globe all pulling in the same direction, promoters overcoming challenges of their local regions. Would you say you feel this as an integral part of the local scene there? How do you view what is going in Europe for example in comparison. 

It’s really fascinating for me as well, every time it feels so exciting and natural to meet someone like you guys, even if we are very far away physically. I guess as you said, it comes from the fact that we all know we’re making the pocket breath even if there's some struggle, therefore respecting each other for making things alive. I can not tell you much about Europe because I don’t have lots of experience there, but I would say keeping the scene sustainable is the most beautiful virtue we share, just like the music we found from the dusty crates. 

We are very happy to have you on the Stampo label. How long have you been producing for? Is there a story behind any of the tracks? 

That’s the thing I have been looking forward to seeing come to life! I always thought Mood Waves and Tanzform are really ideal platforms in terms of music and how you guys approach the scene, community and culture. Therefore in some ways I feel connected even before I met any of you, similar to when you find certain records in the box and somehow feel strongly touched. When I had a residency at club SX in Seoul in 2024, I met DJ Tjizza and Helly and intentionally played my demo when we were together chilling at the bar at SX while I was DJing, and I saw his hand is up in the air grooving, so after that point I sent him a series of my demos and it all began to happen.

All of the tracks are made in different periods with different gear, but I would say there is something in common that there is some overuse of poorman’s SH-101, Behringer MS-1, also the naming of the tracks are the reflection and twist of my love for Hip Hop, No Wave, and Disco. 

What else are you working on at the moment? Any plans to come to Europe? 

I really miss my studio time, cause after I started to work at Hertz, time flies really fast with good times and I’m focusing more on the DJing side for some months, because I feel motivated every weekend hearing DJs from all over the globe, and now I feel like it’s time to go back to the studio. I’m coming to Europe in April 2026. Thankfully some gigs are arranged, and looking to fill the final open date, figuring out what’s the best experience I could do there. I am particularly excited to experience the crowds, venues, DJs and producers in Europe. 

Can you leave us with a closing track, and your favourite item from the store? 

For the item, no brainer, there’s 2 fav items. One is ‘Have Want T-shirts’, and one is ‘Tanzform Classic T-shirt Green/Grey’. I love how that color is bleached. 

Closing track, I would say Jacopo Latini’s Daydream #45, what a classy tune with mood, and that ‘Mystic Moods’ is my first Mood Waves related record that I bought. 

Discover Jesse You: Soundcloud / Instagram