midnightcity mix 002: zensei ゼンセー
photo: Brandon Artis
midnightcity is proud to present the Artist Mix Series—a curated space for forward-thinking sounds and emerging artists. For our second instalment, we linked up with our long time friend and Vancouver producer zensei ゼンセー. This exclusive mix is a sonic journey through the unexpected, sure to earn a spot in your summer rotation.
Q&A with zensei ゼンセー
Q: What inspired the vibe and ID selection for your midnightcity mix? I wanted the mix to feel like a long drive through a rainy sleeping city—moody, a little nostalgic, but hopeful too. I dug into IDs and tracks that capture that hazy space between night and morning, where everything feels a bit more chill. A lot of the selections are tunes from friends or my own tracks
Q: Your music often feels deeply personal - was there a specific memory or emotion you were channeling in this mix? Yeah, actually. A lot of it was me processing chapters of my sound as zensei—destination heartbreak, lucid, even parts of deep waters. The mix became a kind of journal for that quiet in-between time. There’s sadness in there, but also peace and a feeling of forward momentum!
Q: You’ve released a lot of new music recently! What’s next for you in terms of releases? I’ve got a couple collaborations in the works that I’m really excited about—one of them leans more into progressive house with emotional vocal chops, and another is more old school house and trance. I'm also slowly building toward an LP that tells a bigger story of me and just having fun along the way!
Q: Can you share a bit about your creative process - how do you usually start a track? It usually starts with a texture or atmosphere—something small like a field recording, a reverb tail, or even just a pad that feels cinematic. I’ll build the emotional core first before worrying about structure. Lyrics and drums often come later once I understand what the track wants to be. It usually sounds pretty bad until I'm about 70% done, then everything just clicks all at once!
Q: What’s something you’re currently experimenting with in your sound or production style? I’ve been diving more into granular synthesis and trying to blur the line between organic and digital. Also playing with halftime rhythms in tracks that you wouldn’t expect—it adds a cool tension and contrast to more melodic sections. I'm trying to mesh genres together that usually don't belong.
Q: What are you most excited about in the music world right now - either in your own work or the scene in general? I love how blurred the genre lines are getting. There’s so much room for emotion in electronic music now—whether it’s in dance floors, games, or lo-fi even playlists. I’m also seeing more community-driven labels and artists building worlds around their music, which is super inspiring. Seeking Blue and Monstercat have really given me full creative control of my music and I'm so thankful I can move like that.
Q: If you could soundtrack any film or video game, what would it be and why? Honestly, Severance or Euphoria. I love projects that explore borrowed chords and resampling vocals. I think my sound would complement the introspective and slightly surreal vibe those shows carry. I would also love to make something for Valorant since I play it almost every night.
Q: What’s one non-musical thing that’s been inspiring you lately - books, food, places, anything? Lately, I’ve been really inspired by Daoism—specifically the Dao De Jing. It’s helped me slow down and approach life and creativity with more softness and flow. There’s something powerful about embracing stillness.
Follow zensei ゼンセー on Instagram + Soundcloud + Spotify + Apple Music
