AUDIO RIOT : THE SONIC CULT SHAPING ASIA’S UNDERGROUND

Somewhere between a music collective, a guerrilla art movement, and a full-scale sonic rebellion, AUDIO RIOT refuses easy definitions. Founded by director, visual artist, and DJ Yuen Hsieh, this underground force is rewriting the rules of Asia’s club scene.

GUSH Magazine dives into the mind of Yuen Hsieh to explore the origins of AUDIO RIOT, the future of underground club culture in Asia, and why the best nights always feel like they might spin completely out of control.

Let’s start with the basics—Self introductions and all that stuff

I’m Yuen Hsieh director, visual artist, DJ, and all-around chaos conductor. My work is all about fusing digital creation, AI, subcultures, and electronic music into this wild, neo-futuristic, cyber-dystopian universe.

I spent my time in London studying at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, where I sharpened my storytelling and visual approach. Fast forward, I’ve been working as a creative director at DAZED, constantly pushing the limits of fashion and digital culture. I’ve also teamed up with brands like AMBUSH, FENDI, NIKE, ADIDAS and BALENCIAGA, blending high fashion with tech and underground aesthetics to shake things up.

On top of that, I run AUDIO RIOT, an underground guerrilla collective that’s all about music, visuals, and community—basically turning the scene into a full-blown sensory riot. It’s not just about throwing parties; it’s about disrupting the norm, building new realities, and making sure the underground never gets too comfortable.

Is AUDIO RIOT a music collective, a cultural rebellion, or something we haven’t even found the right word for yet?

It’s definitely something we haven’t fully pinned down yet—and honestly, that’s the point. AUDIO RIOT is part music collective, part cultural rebellion, and part uncharted territory. It’s always shifting, evolving, and resisting definitions. The moment you think you have it figured out, we’ll already be somewhere else, cooking up something new.

What was the spark that ignited AUDIO RIOT? Was there a moment when you thought, “Okay, we have to do this”?

AUDIO RIOT ignited from a spontaneous birthday bash I threw with friends. We gathered a mix of young talents—DIY artists, drag queens, musicians—in a friend’s warehouse connected to a photo studio. We handled everything ourselves, from drinks to decor, and over 300 people showed up. The energy was raw, electric—so much so that the police came along and shut it down at 3 AM. But even after the party was over, the spirit never died. Friends pushed us to make it a regular thing, and that’s how AUDIO RIOT was born—a community built on collaboration, celebration, and keeping the underground spirit alive. And to this day, that energy still goes on.

Taiwan’s underground music scene has its own pulse—how has it shaped AUDIO RIOT? And how does community fuel your events?

Taiwan and Shanghai’s underground scenes each have their own distinct energy, but what connects them—and what has shaped AUDIO RIOT—is their raw, DIY spirit and the way people come together to build something from the ground up.

Taiwan’s scene is super diverse and experimental, with a strong sense of community. There’s this fearless attitude toward pushing new sounds and ideas, whether it’s through queer parties, noise music, or underground techno. The openness and support within the community have definitely influenced how AUDIO RIOT embraces all kinds of artists and subcultures.

Shanghai, on the other hand, has this hyper-fast, futuristic edge. It’s a city that constantly reinvents itself, and that energy feeds into the underground. The scene is always evolving, always adapting, with a mix of international influences and local flavors. There’s also this unspoken understanding that you have to be resourceful—venues come and go, rules shift, but the culture finds a way to thrive. That sense of urgency and resilience is something that fuels AUDIO RIOT too.

At the core of it all, community is everything. AUDIO RIOT isn’t just about the music—it’s about the people who show up, bring their own energy, and shape what it becomes. It’s an open space for collaboration, where artists, DJs, and creatives can come together and break the usual club or party formats. Every event is unpredictable because it’s driven by the crowd—by the people who make it what it is. That’s what keeps it alive.

Throwing underground parties in Asia must come with its own set of challenges. Any war stories? And how do you keep the chaos under control?

Throwing underground parties in Asia is always a game of risk and adaptation. There are constant challenges—whether it’s authorities shutting things down, venues backing out last minute, or just the unpredictability of running something outside the system. But that’s exactly what makes it so thrilling.

One night in Shanghai, we had everything locked in—a warehouse-style venue, the sound, the visuals, the artists—all set. But just two hours before the party was supposed to end, someone got too drunk, pulled the plug, and started shouting with a camera on, causing total chaos. For a moment, it felt like things could spiral out of control. But somehow, by midnight, the energy shifted, and the place was packed again—like nothing had ever gone wrong.

At the end of the day, AUDIO RIOT thrives on unpredictability. The best nights are the ones that feel like they’re on the edge of chaos—but instead of falling apart, they explode into something unforgettable.

Fashion and music are like bass and distortion—they just belong together. Where does merch fit into AUDIO RIOT?

Merch isn’t just an afterthought for AUDIO RIOT—it’s an extension of the movement, another way to amplify the energy beyond the party itself. It’s not about slapping a logo on a T-shirt; it’s about creating wearable artifacts from the night, pieces that carry the chaos, the memories, and the underground spirit with them.

Fashion and music aren’t separate in the AUDIO RIOT world—they feed off each other. Just like how the soundscapes at our events are unpredictable, the merch has to reflect that same raw, DIY, high-tech/low-tech clash. It needs to capture the spirit of youth culture, where underground parties become a space for self-liberation, rebellion, and the release of frustration. I want to create pieces that evolve, that feel like they belong in the club scene, materials that degrade over time like a transient memory, just like the nights that inspire them.

AUDIO RIOT is about ephemeral experiences—once a party is over, it’s gone. The same goes for the merch. No mass production, no restocks—just exclusive, limited drops connected to each event. If you were there, you get a piece of it. If you missed it, well… you had to be there.

Each city has its own underground pulse—the way its youth carves out space for themselves in the system, how the local culture fuels rebellion, and how the underground becomes a form of resistance. I want AUDIO RIOT merch to reflect those different subterranean cultures, from Taipei’s queer rave scene to Shanghai’s hidden techno bunkers, from Tokyo’s cyber-industrial parties to Berlin’s raw warehouse energy. The designs won’t just be merch; they’ll be a way of mapping out how youth and nightlife intersect in different cities, turning fashion into a living archive of those moments.

In your opinion, where is underground club culture headed in Asia? 

Underground club culture in Asia is at a turning point—it’s evolving, mutating, and adapting faster than ever. Unlike the Western underground scenes that have established histories and institutions, Asia’s underground is still fluid, constantly reinventing itself, and that’s what makes it so exciting.

Asian club culture is becoming both more hyper-local and more globally connected at the same time. Cities like Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Seoul are developing their own distinct sounds and aesthetics—whether it’s Taiwan’s queer rave scene, China’s industrial club movement, or Japan’s hybrid of cyber and noise culture. Yet, these scenes are also more connected than ever, thanks to collectives, independent labels, and underground platforms linking artists across borders. This is creating a new kind of underground—one that isn’t just defined by geography but by a shared energy and vision.

What’s next on the AUDIO RIOT agenda? Any parties, unexpected collabs, or world domination plans we should know about?

This summer, we’re taking AUDIO RIOT on the road again for an Asia mini tour, just like last year. We’re bringing the energy to new cities, new spaces, and new underground scenes—and Seoul might be one of our next stops. Stay tuned haha.

If someone stumbles into their first AUDIO RIOT event, what’s the one feeling, moment, or memory you hope they walk away with?

I want them to walk away with the feeling that they just experienced something they weren’t supposed to—like they stepped into a world that exists outside the system, outside of rules, outside of reality for a few hours.

But beyond the chaos and euphoria, AUDIO RIOT is a gathering place for musicians, creatives, and artists—a space where ideas collide, where collaborations are born in the middle of the night, and where creative expression flows without boundaries. It’s an environment where you can feel completely free to create, share, and experience without constraints.

FOLLOW AUDIO RIOT & Yuen Hsieh
ALL IMAGES BELONG TO AUDIO RIOT

INTERVIEW BY : disabeer