Fumiya Tanaka
He founded what is often called Japan’s first electronic dance label in 1993, released on Tresor and became a Perlon regular: the long career of Fumiya Tanaka.
- Japanese DJ and producer from Kyoto, active in the dance scene since 1990.
- Founded Torema Records in 1993, often described as Japan’s first electronic dance label.
- Albums on Tresor (2001) and Perlon (2016, 2019); launched his Sundance label in 2008.
Fumiya Tanaka helped bring hard, minimal techno to Japan in the early 1990s, then found a second home in the minimal house of Perlon. Three decades on, the Kyoto DJ still plays the label’s parties and showcases around the world.
Punk, then techno
Tanaka was born in Kyoto. As a teenager he listened to punk and played in punk bands. In 1990 he discovered house, techno and hip-hop and soon started DJing. In 1993 he set up Torema Records for his own stripped-down productions, a label often described as Japan’s first electronic dance label. Through club nights in Osaka and Tokyo he introduced Japanese crowds to producers from Detroit and Germany, and he often played alongside Jeff Mills, Derrick May and Dave Clarke.
Torema, Sony and Tresor
Sony Music Japan’s mid-1990s techno catalogue lists his 1995 Torema twelve-inches, including the Micro EP, remixes under the name Karafuto and a 1995 CD on Sony called I Am Not a DJ. He also ran a second label, Untitled Records, which went quiet in 2000. Berlin’s Tresor then released his album Unknown Possibility Vol. 2 and the Drive EP in 2001. Resident Advisor later heard the influence of Surgeon in his harder work of that time.
Sundance and Perlon
In 2008 he launched Sundance with the CD Unknown 3; the label also released Fumiyandric, his 2009 collaboration with Ricardo Villalobos. Through the 2000s his sleeker house releases fitted the minimal scene of the time. His first Perlon appearance was a track on the 2010 compilation Superlongevityfive, followed by a 12-inch in 2012 and the double EP Dark Pad in 2013. He became a regular at the label’s monthly Get Perlonized! party in Berlin, and in 2016 he revived Untitled Records.
His first Perlon album, You Find The Key, came out in April 2016 on triple vinyl and CD. Right Moment, released in December 2019, drew strong reviews: Resident Advisor wrote that it “may be the best record he’s made”. Speaking about the album, he said: “Every moment only happens once.” In November 2024 he recorded RA.964 for Resident Advisor’s podcast.
The long set
Tanaka also runs Chaos, his party in Tokyo and Osaka. As Resident Advisor put it, his music often hinges on dance floor function: grooves first, big moments second. For more from that side of techno, read about Len Faki and Magda; for a younger name from the Paris minimal scene, see Varhat.
FAQ
Who is Fumiya Tanaka?
A Japanese DJ and producer born in Kyoto, who entered the dance scene in 1990 and founded Torema Records in 1993.
Which labels has Fumiya Tanaka released on?
His own Torema, Untitled and Sundance labels, Tresor in Berlin (Unknown Possibility Vol. 2, 2001) and Perlon since 2010.
What are Fumiya Tanaka’s albums on Perlon?
You Find The Key, released in April 2016, and Right Moment, released in December 2019.
