Physical impact: Run Da Bass brings the weight of UK soundsystem culture to Osaka

Functions is our interview series profiling parties from across the world. This time we meet: Run Da Bass

6,000 miles from its spiritual origins in Newport, South Wales, where the wacky Balter Festival once ran annually until its closure last year, Osaka-based club night Run Da Bass has come into its own. Formed in the pandemic and since flourishing as a weeknight party hosted at live music space Triangle, Run Da Bass (RDB) brings the spirit of UK rave culture to hardcore heads in the Japanese port city with a focus on all things bass.

With a growing number of tourists visiting Osaka from overseas in recent years, namely from Europe and Australia, there’s been a shift in the way local clubbers experience dance music, connecting with cultures from around the world in what founding RDB member and local DJ kakepon calls a “unique international exchange”. But as Run Da Bass continues to pay homage to UK soundsystem culture, showcasing styles like drum ‘n’ bass, jungle and 160 BPM cuts, with guests ranging from foundational d’n’b legend DJ Flight to fresh local talent, kakpeon just hopes that RDB can help to “build international connections and support the growth of the Osaka scene”.

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“We didn’t intentionally try to carve out a niche, it happened naturally,” explains kakepon. “The soundsystem is core to what we do. UK rave culture was built around powerful soundsystems, and without that physical impact, you cannot understand bass music. By experiencing different types of soundsystems, we hope people can understand the roots of bass music, not only intellectually but physically through vibration, pressure and space.”

We spoke to Run Da Bass co-founder kakepon about the club night’s UK bass-influenced origins, why they ensure that a hefty soundsystem is always in use, and how RDB honours the Japanese spirit of “respect and reverence”. Check it out below.

How did Run Da Bass come to life, and who is behind the club night?

Before I started RDB, I went to the UK a few times to visit Balter Festival. That experience changed how I understood music and rave culture, it was all about the power of the soundsystems, the sense of unity on the dancefloor, and the deep commitment to the culture. A few years later, I saw that the local scene here in Osaka was still struggling after the pandemic. A lot of events had been cancelled or postponed, and the atmosphere felt a bit dark. We didn't want to wait for things to recover naturally, so we decided to take action.

Myself and my good mate Kensei – who's also the manager of Osaka music venue Triangle – started Run Da Bass to get the scene going again while keeping it true to the spirit of UK rave culture. These days, there are five of us running RDB. Myself and Kensei are at the core, and then there's DJs sanmal and NEKOSAN (AKA Taka Morph and MiST).

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Do you remember your first party? What was it like compared to your events today?

It was just after the pandemic had eased, and it was a heavy start. Only a few close friends came, and from a managerial perspective, it was challenging. But some of those friends have continued to come every time since then – their support from the very beginning is one of the reasons we are still here today.

How did you come to fall in love with UK bass music?

Before the age of 20, I listened to rock music, particularly a lot of loud styles. During the EDM movement in the 2010s, I discovered dubstep and was immediately drawn to its sound and rhythm, which was when my DJ career began. In the early days, I was deeply inspired by artists like Chase & Status, Skream and Rusko – I still adore that deep two-step groove. From there, I gradually learned about jump-up drum ‘n’ bass, jungle and the many styles of UK bass music.

What is the nightlife like in Osaka? Were you looking to carve out a niche?

Osaka’s nightlife is very energetic, especially on weekends. Venues like Circus and Triangle are key spaces for bass music lovers. In recent years, there’s been a surge in visitors from Europe and Australia, and many of them connect with local clubbers – it feels like a unique international exchange is happening within the underground scene. RDB also invites international artists, creating a global atmosphere while still protecting the local underground spirit. We didn’t intentionally try to carve out a niche, it happened naturally. If our position helps build international connections and supports the growth of the Osaka scene, then we are grateful for that.

What kind of atmosphere do you hope to curate with your events?

We want people to enjoy bass music and keep a strong sense of love and respect for the culture – we really value the Japanese spirit of “respect and reverence”. In recent years, issues such as discrimination and harassment have been discussed more openly in the Japanese club scene. That makes it essential to create spaces where people from different backgrounds feel safe and welcome. At the same time, we encourage people to dance hard, shout loudly and feel the music physically. That shared energy is what keeps rave culture alive.

Can you tell us about some of your favourite events and moments from Run Da Bass parties so far?

Every edition is memorable, but inviting DJ Hybrid last year was so special. Many artists in the local scene respect him, and everyone was excited for his first show in Japan. As his birthday was close to the event date, we surprised him with a celebration, and he was genuinely really happy. The night had a warm and friendly atmosphere, it became one of our most unforgettable moments.

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You often mention the ‘large soundsystems’ that you use at your parties – what does that setup look like?

The soundsystem is core to what we do. UK rave culture was built around powerful soundsystems, and without that physical impact, you cannot understand bass music. That is why we invest heavily in audio. In the early days, we used Funktion-One, but now, depending on the event, we work with systems such as d&b Audiotechnik and L-Acoustics. By experiencing different types of soundsystems, we hope people can understand the roots of bass music, not only intellectually but physically through vibration, pressure and space.

How do you curate the line-ups for your parties? Do you mostly look for local talent interested in bass music?

We’re searching for new artists in local clubs and bars all the time. RDB has two formats; there's a regular edition every second Wednesday of the month, and a special weekend edition every few months. For the special editions, we put out open calls and receive lots of mixes from young artists who discovered RDB online. Many young artists in Osaka have originality and strong personal style, so listening to their mixes is always exciting and inspiring for us. Our bookings are mostly local artists who are mad about bass music, but we sometimes invite DJs from other genres too.

What’s next for Run Da Bass?

Osaka's club scene is one of the most exciting in Japan, it's already produced some legendary nights. Core clubbers sustain the culture, and many international artists are drawn to Osaka’s unique hospitality and underground energy. RDB will keep living by the spirit of UK rave culture, while building stronger relationships through music – something we'll carry on doing in the future. Looking ahead, we’re also interested in exploring collaborations between bass music and live band elements, expanding beyond purely digital DJ formats.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X