▼ 专访｜Yinan: 放歌是我敞开心扉的过程 ▲
Just under two years ago, Shanghai was lucky to get back one of its own "raver-turned-DJs" from abroad. Through her aerobic and energetic moves, her tireless support of fellow DJs, her participation in HTTP, her emotional/banging DJ sets at Elevator and increasingly at nice clubs around the country, this physicist has become a key part of what makes the club tick. Read on to find out more...
E: 介绍一下自己吧！你来自哪里？你喜欢吃什么？
Y: 大家好，我是yinan。我喜欢电梯楼上的素汤包和各种面食，尤其喜欢米粉。这半年吃到的南京李记清镇锅贴和杭州二烧笋丁烧卖也是念念不忘的人间美味。
E: 跟我们聊聊你在HTTP的角色吧。派对是关于什么的？
Y: HTTP由Cheryl发起，或许你对她的艺名OFFSKII更加熟悉。现在Cheryl，Mengki，和我都参与到活动的策划中。我觉得我们三个对这个派对有不同的见解，但这也是我为什么喜欢和她们两位共事的原因：我们各自取长补短，并互相帮助。由于我和Cheryl还有Mengki都是在社群类的项目中相遇的（女术，和Cinemq），我也希望HTTP能够成为一个可以不断发散的起点，促进更多这样的相遇，成为一个能让大家找到彼此的，充满活力与机遇的空间。
E: 你是如何开始接触音乐/舞蹈音乐的？是什么让你开始DJ？
Y: 我第一次对在俱乐部里播放的音乐产生了好奇是在地下俱乐部。那里的音乐有着那么强烈的存在感，并且跳出了一个场地的背景之外。
上大学的时候学校所在的城市有着很庞大的酷儿群体和很多有意思的场地，但主要播放的还是当下流行的格莱美金曲。我和我的朋友们很想念地下派对中的能听到的音乐，所以除了疯狂听歌之外，也开始学习DJ，并希望有一天也能在当地举办派对。
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Hi, I’m Yinan, from here. I enjoy the veggie 小笼包 upstairs of elevator. But I love everything noodle or noodle-like from all different regions. If I don’t eat rice for the rest of my live but can continue to eat an abundance of noodles, I will be just as happy and content. However, I especially love rice noodles.
Tell us about your involvement with HTTP. What is the party about?
Http is a party started by Cheryl, you might know her as OFFSKII. Now Cheryl, Mengki, and I all work together on HTTP. We all have different understandings on what the party is about, but this is exactly why I enjoy working with these two girls on the night.
HTTP is a growing queer bb who has a throuple parents in a harmonious and ethically non-monogamous relationship. Cheryl, Mengki, and I all met in community-based spaces/nights, so I would especially love for HTTP to be a place where you can meet interesting folks and create something together, whether physical projects or intangible things. If HTTP can be the starting point in meaningful beginnings, we have done something beautiful.
Can you tell us about how you started out with music / dance music? What got you into DJing?
When I was working in NYC, I started remembering the kinds of music being played in underground clubs there, and become curious and conscious of them. Suddenly music in the club was not just in the background anymore, it had a shouting presence.
When I went back to school, there were lovely venues and fun crowds, but it was predominantly billboard top 40 music being blasted. My friends and I were missing the music we enjoyed, so I decided to learn how to DJ so we could throw a party one day.
Any particular early memories of partying or music that stand out?
Working at a place that was just a 20-minute walk to one of my favorite club areas in New York. It became very difficult to resist going straight there after work especially during the free entry weekday nights. Thankfully, my boss was understanding of my hobby because she was also a raver herself - an 80s baby from Queens who often partook in raves that happened in the back of a truck.
What other scenes than Shanghai have you participated in - as an artist, or as a dancer - and what made them special?
I was mostly in NYC as a dancer. The city of New York and its scene is special in the sense that if you are a determined person who has eyes on your goals, and is determined to get what you want, you can really go to places and achieve fabulous things due to the abundance of people and resources there. On the other hand, if you are still trying to figure out what you want, and are easily distracted by the fun, by the glamour of it all, you can get very lost in it and just indulge and never really go anywhere.
I was in Providence doing DIY parties with friends. We moved to actual venues my last year but at first it was all do-it-urself spaces. Providence is very queer, very liberal, but definitely can be its own bubble at times because the world is not accurately reflected by your surrounding at all, it’s a skewed sample.
E: 有没有一些你认为难忘的早期派对记忆/音乐场景呢？
Y: 有一段时间我在纽约工作的地址就在我常去的俱乐部附近，走路只要20分钟。所以我在下班后就不知不觉走到了那里，工作日夜晚的免票活动更是让我很难下班后直接回家。幸运的是，我的老板非常了解并支持我的业余爱好，因为她自己也是个老raver ---- 皇后区长大的80后，并经常参加那个时候的卡车集装箱派对。
E: 除上海以外，你还以创作者或舞者身份参加了其他场景吗？是什么让它们与众不同？
Y: 之前一部分的经历在纽约。那里的特别之处在于，如果你有明确的目标，并意志坚定，你可以在那个城市里取得进展，因为那里有着各种各样的人群和资源。但是如果你不是特别知道自己想要什么，并且很容易因为享乐而分心，就真的很容易在那个城市迷失。
还有一部分就是在Providence和朋友们一起举办DIY派对。我在那里的最后一段时间也会在一些俱乐部里举办活动，但起初都是占房式的派对。那里是一个非常自由，有着有趣，和极具创造力的人群的地方。但是是一个象牙塔一般的存在。如果你只相信周遭看到的景象，一不小心就会幻灭。
E: 你去过北京，成都和深圳放歌-这些城市的舞池氛围有什么区别？
Y: 三个城市的人群对于DJ来说都有各自的挑战以及令人感到无比兴奋的地方。有一个共同点就是都非常善于用尖叫表达ta们的热情，但是尖叫的点又不太一样。
北京的群众非常耐心。我觉得自己在放歌的时候不用为了捉住舞池的注意力而感到焦虑。我不必总是急于切歌或用别的一些方式让一首歌变得更加吸睛，放歌的感觉更像是和大家一起慢慢品尝最原汁原味的音乐。关于哪里的人群体力最好，我感觉北京和成都难分上下。
在成都的时候，如果你是最后一个放的，很有可能你要放4-6个小时，甚至更长，所以绝对需要放歌的人可以让他们保持继续跳舞的兴趣。我在上台前会有一种参加DJ和心肺功能的考试的紧张感。但当舞池反映良好，并在收尾时还看到那么多人在运动，你会有一种跟大家一起跑完一场马拉松的自豪感。成都也是我想要努力锻炼变的更健康的动力。
深圳人群的能量感觉可以把再冰冷的心都融化，就像那里宜人的亚热带天气一样。在深圳，我可以放一些很情绪化的曲目，和大家一起感受这种起伏。深圳closing和深圳DJ的closing都是我无比期待的，因为ta们对音乐的态度是如此的豁达和富有感染力。再加上早上的肠粉，真的是完美的夜晚。
E: 是什么让上海的音乐场景那么特别？成都的场景有塑造你的音乐吗？有的话，是如何塑造的？
Y: 上海各行各业的竞争都非常激烈， 但幸好场景里有很多良性的竞争，以及能够激励大家不断进步的动力。因为你无时无刻不在见证那么多有才华的音乐人，和在推动边界的音乐作品。正因如此，这里有大量你可以学习的东西和人，和很多在一起互相帮助的群体。
E: 本地的音乐场景中你最尊敬哪些人？
Y:首先我很尊敬和感谢我的两位搭档Cheryl和Mengki。她们两位从工作中到生活上的支持都让我感觉很温暖。其次每一位在努力维持这个场景或是在为场景创造更多空间的人都值得尊敬，这里因为人数太多就不一一举例了。
E: 你于舞台上最难忘的夜晚是?于舞池中最难忘的夜晚又是?
Y: 在上海有太多难忘的夜晚，如果一一举例感觉可以写好长。所以我想重点介绍一下今年难忘的两个夜晚。
第一个难忘的夜晚是HTTP与成都的池糖和北京的鸡兔同笼巡演上海站，我们在2021的第一个天回到了HTTP的老家电梯，也是HTTP开始的地方。OFFSKII和我用我们的第一次b2b开启了这个夜晚。OOPS2在我们之后给舞池赋予了强烈的生命力。ENEMA STONE的表演是那么的令人惊叹和着迷。Slowcook一如既往好听且有趣的选曲继续向上推进着整晚的气氛。然后HU1Z1T上场了，祂把这个地下室锤出了一个新的高度。之后就是matlab95超级有活力的完美收官。整个晚上音乐的走向特别好，非常有叙事感，气氛特别好，人群也特别好！爱了
第二个晚上是海鲜带着成都的HAO，北京的YKK和深圳的SULK来到上海。其实那天早上我刚做完全麻的胃镜，所以身体状态不是特别好。但是，尽管我巨晕并且脑力明显下降，但在YKK之后，SULK和HAO之前放歌时无比的放松，所以感觉意外的流畅。那天的set是我放过的最喜欢的之一，甚至Mau Mau都说，下次我们可以把“手术”放在你的tech rider上吗？YKK, Sulk, 和HAO的音乐令人无比享受，即使在我精力极度缺乏并且胃疼的情况下还是无法离开舞池，最后我一边嚼着达喜，一边喝着热水在跳舞。大家在享受夜生活的同时也不要忘了保护身体，不要老是空腹喝酒。身体健康才能可持续发展！
E: 上海/中国的场景有塑造你的音乐吗？有的话，是如何塑造的？
Y: 上海的场景让我接触到了更多元的音乐。在参与到上海的场景之前，很多我去过的活动一整晚都只会针对一种类型或者氛围的音乐，但是在上海，先不用说在一场派对中你可以听体验到的各种的流派，光是在一个DJ的一段演出里面就可以听到很多。很多时候也可以听到一些突然的切换，但是把握的特别好。对我来说上海的场景充斥的学习的机会。
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These three crowds are incredibly exciting, rewarding, and challenging for a DJ in different ways. I have to say they all scream quite a lot, however reacting to very different things in my experience.
Beijing crowd is extremely patient. I feel like I don’t have to be so attention-seeking and always rushing to switch things up or try to make the track more interesting than it already is. I feel like we are in it savoring this music together. They can also tolerate some of the less accessible things in the set well. Regarding long-lastingness of ravers, I believe Beijing and Chengdu have to battle it out, ravers from these two regions always seem to stay the latest.
Chengdu crowd demands the DJ to deliver for the dancefloor, I almost feel like I’m taking a DJ exam. A closing set, would also be a PE exam. A good reaction almost makes me feel like, maybe I can finally call myself a raver-turned-DJ.
Shenzhen crowd is absolutely heart melting, just like its heart meltingly pleasant subtropical weather. There I feel like it’s ok for me to exaggerate emotions and experience that together with the crowd. Closing in Shenzhen or the closing sets from Shenzhen DJs I always look forward to because they are all so relaxed, emotional and conclusive, no judgement at all, plus rice noodles in the morning. Perfect finish to a night.
What makes Shanghai's scene special?
Shanghai is very demanding, cut throat in a way. I guess that’s a natural aspect with a big cosmopolitan city like here, and this aspect isn’t only in the nightlife.
It’s incredibly humbling to be in this scene, listening and witnessing so much talent. It really motivates you to become better, and I really appreciate the abundance of learning opportunities available here.
Unlike a lot of places, Shanghai’s crowd can handle sudden changes in a set very well, it can even inject another stream of energy to the dancefloor. Who do you respect or look up to in the local music community?
First of all, I really respect and am thankful for my partners Cheryl and Mengki. They make me feel very supported from work to life, and I’m always inspired to become a kinder person because of them. Secondly, I hold great respect for everyone who are putting efforts into maintaining the scene here, and creating more space for other people to participate. There are so many of them here.
What was your most memorable night in Shanghai behind the decks, and on the other side of the booth as a dancer?
This interview would be a book to go down the list so I would like to highlight two nights that happened this year. Both of them were incredible for me as a dancer and a DJ.
The first night was when HTTP did a mini tour with Chilldo from Chengdu, and Ji Tu Tong Long from Beijing. We did our second stop on the first day of 2021 at Elevator. OFFSKII and I did our first b2b to open the night. OOPS2 played after us and she just absolutely brought this party to life. ENEMA STONE’s performance was stunning and mesmerizing as always. Slowcook’s set then, with such a fabulous and fun selection, continued to build on such a good energy we already had and then here came HU1Z1T. They just completely slammed this basement to a whole other level of madness. Then matlab95 drove it to a perfect end. I loved the progression of the music so much. Everyone was so skillful in not only the technical aspects of DJing, but in writing a dialogue with the crowd and storytelling using their music.
The second night I would like to highlight is when Seafood came to Shanghai with HAO from Chengdu, YKK from Beijing, and SULK from Shenzhen. I actually went fully under with general anesthesia just in that morning for a gastroscope so I was physically not in a good condition for my set. However, although my head is spinning and I feel like I couldn’t engage in in-depth dialogues, I felt so relaxed during my set after YKK, before SULK and HAO. I wasn’t over thinking at all. That has got to be one of my favorite sets that I have ever played. Mau Mau came up to me after and asked, can we put “surgery” on your rider next time? Everyone else’s sets were also so enjoyable that even though I had no energy at all and had some lingering stomach pain I couldn’t really pull myself away from the dancefloor. But pls ravers do take care of ur body so u can be sustainable with nightlife!!
Has the scene in Shanghai / China shaped your music? If so, how?
It’s really opened my eyes to a variety of music. Before moving back to shanghai, the places I went had events organized with a specific type of music and were geared towards a very specific crowd. As a result, you might only hear one type of music in one night. However, in Shanghai, not even mentioning the variety of genres and moods you can experience in one night, let’s just talk about the variety of them in one set. Also, a lot DJs take risks and try something one completely wouldn’t expect. I respect that a lot.
Y: 真的吗？谢谢 U w U
我觉得心情对每个人都很重要？我在心情不好的时候会发挥得不错。因为那是我最需要音乐的时候，并且对音乐的感受更加直接。那时候也没有多余的精力去为那些我可能会或者不会收到的意见感到焦虑。因此当我开始放歌的时候，我只是在那里放歌，而不是边放歌边想那些有的没的。在这种情况下，我经常会放一些有治愈感的音乐，但不会过于戏剧化。反倒当我心情愉快时，就会想狂放这种音乐哈哈，导致效果反而没有那么好。
E: 这个混音代表了什么？
Y: 这个混音是受到苏格兰Shoot Your Shot主理人Bonzai Bonner邀请为Clyde Radio录的。Kaishandao和OFFSKII也各自录了一个小时，你可以在Clyde上面听到。这段音乐代表了HTTP的舞池里的感觉。
E: 能选出3首曲目，帮助我们了解你这些年来的音乐品味吗? (从早期的涉猎或影响到如今的最爱?)
Y: 3首单曲可能不够，我可以选6首吗…
小时候，我很喜欢边做作业边听收音机里的古典广播电台。古典音乐可以很友好的作为让你全神贯注的背景音乐，也可以有充满戏剧性的时刻让你完全沉迷并尽情享受。
我想跳过初中的时候在去春/秋游的校车上，头靠在窗边，露出emo侧脸的这段时间。周杰伦的彩虹在翻盖手机里大声播放。
刚开始DJ时，我非常喜欢那些放出来会让我感觉自己肱二头肌很大的音乐。
我可以不说现在的音乐品味吗哈哈哈不知道怎么形容。。。不过最近很喜欢这三首！
E: 在音乐旅途中遇到的最大的挑战是？
Y: 我的记忆力特别不好，有的时候真的怀疑自己的大脑是不是只装了2GB的内存。所以在放歌的时候，我经常脑海里面会想起一首歌会特别适合当时的进程，但却想不起来那首歌叫什么或者放在哪里了。。所以，当我好不容易花了好几分钟（这还算是好的情况，有的时候根本就找不到）找到那首歌的时候，就会混的特别匆忙，反倒没有脑海里面想象的效果了。现在我在家会做一些记忆训练，但我也希望rekordbox下一个更新可以有一个能让我在歌单里划重点，和注释的功能。
E: 你演出后会有一段时间的情绪低潮吗？如果是，你是怎么处理的？
Y: 会有这种经历的。我平时是一个很慢热的人，但是放歌的时候对我来说是一个非常敞开心扉的过程。当你扯下所有的心理防线并渴望真实交流的时候会有很脆弱的瞬间。在一个好的演出后，体内的血清素也差不多用完了，所以就会有些沮丧的感觉。这种情况下我会看一些能够让我想起当晚演出的照片或者视频，让我为能够拥有这样的一次经历心存感激。当然阳光和运动也会补充体内的血清素和多巴胺！
但是，如果是因为放的太差而难过，我就会让自己难过，因为这完全是自己的锅。让难过成为激励自己进步的动力。。。
E: 如果有一个可以满足你所有演出前的要求的魔法愿望清单，你会往上填些什么?
Y: 浴缸
脚底按摩仪
冻柠茶
备用甲油
E: 如何在精神上准备你的演出？
Y: 通常，我会吃一顿营养丰富的晚餐，多吃一些蛋白质，尽量少吃大量的高血糖指数的碳水化合物。我会喝一些含有咖啡因的饮料让自己精神些，但不要喝太多而不能自己地亢奋。另外，我不会听太多遍自己准备的最爱，因为我想保持新鲜感并且让那些歌在俱乐部的音响中公放出来时能够对我产生新的刺激。我喜欢骑自行车去演出，这让我很放松。
E: 如果你可以时间旅行，并给过去的刚开始自己提两个建议，你会提什么?
Y: 多花时间思考自己想表达的音乐，而不是想太多有的没的。你的音乐不能取悦所有人。
E: 挑选三位你梦想中的阵容在电梯演出，你会挑选谁？时间表是什么样的？假设你拥有无限的预算和预订艺人的能力，包括时间旅行把过去的音乐人带到21世纪！
Y: 如果我有无限的预算，我真的会请好多好多人。。我感觉其实还可以想更多的版本并把它变成一个小型音乐节，但是被催稿了所以只有时间想了一晚上。希望这个阵容能让大家忘了高峰时间的概念！每个小时都是高峰时间。
Nina Simone (live) 900-930
Jill Scott (live) 845-930
Folamour 930-1100
Kylie Minogue (live) 1100-1130
Peach 1130-1230
郑秀文 （live）1230-100
Amadeezy 100-200
Salome 200-300
Robert Hood 300-430
Hyperaktivist 430-???
E: 电梯对你意味着什么？她对你来说是个什么样的地方？
Y: 电梯是我的培养皿
E: 我们听说你真的很喜欢物理？你喜欢它的什么，它与你的音乐生活有联系吗？
Y: 是的，我非常喜欢学习以及研究物理。我猜物理和乐理之间的共同点是它们都是应用数学？哈哈（这是个不好笑的物理笑话）我也很喜欢研究化学，因为化学像好玩的拼图！
我觉得生活中充满了各种各样的声音：旋律也好，节奏也好，还是背景音乐或者噪音之类的。有时我的脑海中会不断听到一些声音，吵得我睡不着觉。
但是，物理是我唯一的安静时刻。周围的一切都噤声了，我非常享受这种宁静。
E: 我们如何在数字世界中找到你？
Y: @justyinan
www.soundcloud.com/djdonerbox
我还在试图注册一个抖音账户，但是我每次注册的时候app就会闪退。。希望有一天我也可以拥有抖音账户
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Do I? Thank u.
I have a feeling that mood is important to everyone? I feel like I play better when I’m in a very sad and depressed mood, because that’s when I cling on to music the most, and I become very intuitive with it in a way. I also have no energy to overthink every other opinion I may or may not receive, so I just deliver. Under these conditions I will often involve some therapeutic sounds, but not in an overly dramatic way, which sometimes can happen when I’m in a very cheerful mood.
What does this mix represent?
This mix is a recording for Clyde Radio. OFFSKII, Kaishandao, and I were invited by Bonzai Bonner who runs Shoot Your Shot in Scotland, and this is one hour of what it might sound like on an HTTP dancefloor.
Could you pick 3 tracks that gives us a sense of your taste in music over the years? (from early discoveries or influences, to a current favorite?)
3 tracks is not enough, may I pick 5…
When I was little, I liked to listen to classical music on the radio while doing my homework. It can be studying friendly, but also have dramatic and emotional moments that you can indulge in.
Ysaye / Sherban Lupu - Ysaye Sonata #3
We are going to respectfully skip the period where on a field trip school bus I would be putting my head against the window and display my emotional and deeply reflective side profile hoping that my crush might see it. Jay Chou’s Rainbow is blasting through my headphones.
Jay Chou - Rainbow
When I first started DJing I liked collecting and playing techno tracks that make me feel like I had huge biceps. I also liked, and still really like hypnotic sounding things.
Regis - Keep Planning
Can I not say my music taste now as a marketing scheme for y’all to listen to my mix and come to my set…. But here are some examples..
Vorbi - Fulfilled
Loreng - Abyssixsixsix
Carl Falk - Make Me
What were the biggest challenges you've faced on your musical journey?
My brain has the memory of a 2GB usb, so it’s hard to remember a track’s name or locate it in the middle of my set when I am in a good flow and suddenly have this one sound in my brain. Or you spend 2 minutes locating this one track and then mixing it in finally it becomes very rushed. I’m doing some memory training at home so I can become better at this. That’s why I really wish the next updates for rekordbox there would be an annotation tool bar so I can add side notes, or highlight tracks in a set, like a pdf app.
Do you experience after gig blue? If so, how do you deal with it?
Yes. Normally I’m very slow in opening myself up to people however when you are playing you are open in a different way. This openness then becomes a vulnerability, plus all the serotonin rush from a good set (ideally). If that is how I got after gig blue I try to look at the footage, or other things that remind me of that night, and be grateful. I also use sunlight (with spf, very important) and exercise to get the dopamine and serotonin back.
However, if the blue is from playing a trash garbage set, then it will be a deeply introspective time. Being sad because I did not deliver, and trying to use that blue as a motivation to be better.
How do you prepare for your gigs spiritually?
Usually, I would get a nutritious meal with good proteins and not a lot of carbs with a high glycemic index that spike up your blood sugar. I will get pumped with some caffeine but not too pumped. I will relax a wee bit with some alcohol but not pounding it. Also, I won’t listen to the pumpers I prepared too much because I don’t want to over stimulate myself and be nonchalant towards these pumpers when they are played in the club. I really like to bike to my gig when the weather allows. That makes me very relaxed.
What would you put on your magic hospitality rider where every wish can be granted?
A bathtub..?Foot massager Hongkong style ice lemon teaBackup nail polish thx
If you could time travel and give yourself two pieces of advice when you were just starting out, what would they be?
Don’t over think things. Think about what you want to deliver more. You can’t please everyone.
Pick three artists for your dream line-up of a night at Elevator. What's the time table? Assume you have unlimited budget and booking powers, including reincarnating past talents to take the decks again.
Hmm if I have unlimited budget I would really stack this lineup and make it an ultra long party starting with a day party and then migrating into the night. This is this one version I have in my head.. a loud, festive, and emotional journey, and let’s forget about the peak time concept.. hopefully every hour is a peak time but so many other combination possibilities as well!
Nina Simone (live) 900-930
Jill Scott (live) 845-930
Folamour 930-1100
Kylie Minogue (live) 1100-1130
Peach 1130-1230
郑秀文 （live）1230-100
Amadeezy 100-200
Salome 200-300
Robert Hood 300-430
Hyperaktivist 430-???
What does elevator mean to you? What kind of place is it to you?
Elevator is my petri dish (insert bacteria in the lab meme)
We heard you're really into physics? What do you like about that, and does it have any relation to your musical life?
Yes, I am very much into physics. I guess one common thing between physics and music theory is that they are all applied math? Haha (bad physics joke here)
I feel like life is very saturated with different kind of sounds. Sometimes I would keep hearing something in my head to the point that I couldn’t sleep at all.
However, physics is my only moment of silence. Everything is muted, and I enjoy this serenity a lot.
How do we find you in the digital world?
@justyinanwww.soundcloud.com/djdonerboxim also trying to get a tiktok account but my app keeps quitting on me when I try to register, so hopefully soon