Based in New York but originally from Taiwan, An Chen a DJ or sound artist, is a force, creating multisensory experiences that live somewhere between ritual and rave.
With roots in classical music and a fearless commitment to pushing boundaries, she’s carving out a space where raw emotion meets razor-sharp sound design.
In this interview, we explore the ideas behind her concept of rave futurism, the emotional charge of her performances, and how she’s turning the dancefloor into a space of shared resonance. With her Berlin debut at our KEYI Magazine x ELSE event happening soon, An talks to us about what drives her, what grounds her, and how she’s reimagining rave culture, one high-frequency pulse at a time.
Hey An Chen, we’re so happy to have you on board with our KEYI community! Could you introduce yourself?
Hi! Thanks so much for the opportunity! I’m super excited to be part of the KEYI community.
I’m An Chen, a Taiwanese artist currently based in New York. My background is in contemporary classical music and multisensory sonic art, which still influences how I think and create. But lately, I’m more focused on rave music — mixing Techno, Trance, Breaks, and other sounds to create high-energy, immersive vibes.
You’re Taiwanese but currently based in New York—could you tell us about that transition and how it has influenced you personally or artistically?
I’ve always been sensitive to how time and culture shape my feelings — how changing environments affect me emotionally. A lot of my creative work grows from that emotional response.
I moved to New York about three years ago. Before that, I was deeply rooted in Taiwan, so moving here was a big change. It expanded my perspective—not just about the world, but also about myself. It pushed me to break through some personal limits.
New York moves super fast. Every day feels like a new scene. Different cultures, art forms, and businesses collide constantly, and that energy really inspires me. It made me more fearless about mixing sounds and emotions, seeing what fresh things can emerge.
It’s a lot like performing… every set is unique, with the crowd, the space, the vibe all shifting. I try to translate my feelings into sound and connect deeply with the people there.
There’s something raw and alive about New York. It can be chaotic, but it’s full of life—and that keeps me creating!
You’ve described your current work as rooted in rave futurism. What does that term mean to you? What are your influences?
“All art constantly aspires to the state of ecstasy.” That’s the heart of what I do.
Rave started as people gathering to let loose and share intense energy. Over time, it evolved, blending new tech and modern artistic ideas, bringing experimental, cross-disciplinary elements. It’s not just raw energy anymore. Today’s rave embraces multimedia art like audiovisual work, sonic installations, and genres like ambient, IDM, and noise.
I believe the future of rave will reconnect the body’s senses with natural sounds. Technology will blend with nature to help us feel music and the world in new ways. For me, rave futurism is about linking personal sensory experience and creating immersive, flowing vibes through sound and tech.
Electronic music is basically tech-created natural sound. Moving forward, rave and electronic music scenes will focus more on the resonance between environment and crowd, creating powerful, high-energy experiences, while traditional rave forms become less central.
What have been some of the most unexpected or rewarding outcomes of working with music?
I used to work a lot with sonic and audiovisual art and collaborated with contemporary dance on composing music. That opened my eyes to how sound can be more than just something you hear — it can be a sensory bridge between body, space, and emotion. It was my first step toward thinking about sound as a way to create a collective sensory connection.
One of the most unexpected and rewarding things happened when I started doing live sets. I realized the crowd could actually feel my emotions and imagination through sound on a deep level. That emotional exchange, and the shared energy in the room, was something I didn’t get as directly in my experimental sonic artwork.
I especially love 360° dancefloors where the crowd is close around me. There’s something powerful about creating a collective emotional peak in those moments, like real-time resonance between me and everyone there.
That raw energy and emotional connection keep pulling me back.
Are there particular visual artists or futurist thinkers who inspire your approach if it comes to your performance?
Yes. I’ve always admired 20th-century contemporary composers, especially John Cage. He was a pioneer in electronic music and pushed the boundaries of what music could be, focusing more on conceptual art than traditional forms. Then there’s Ryoji Ikeda, who influenced me early on with multisensory art. His work showed me how sound, light, visuals, data, and space can combine precisely to create powerful physical and emotional experiences. That completely changed how I think about immersive work, not just music, but full environments you can feel with your whole body.
How has your Taiwanese heritage influenced your approach to sound and rhythm?
A lot of my sound work comes from personal experiences and emotions in the moment. After years of contemporary classical piano training, I’ve become really fascinated by how abstract sounds and melodies can come together to express emotional tension, especially in the contrast between slow and fast tempos.
I think of each set as telling a story — a flow of emotions. I love blending natural sounds with dance rhythms since I grew up surrounded by nature. Also, classic hits or sounds and a folk or ritual vibe, like certain vocal loops with a ritual feel, often find their way into my mixes. Sometimes these just come to me naturally and become part of the work.
I’m not sure if Taiwan has directly shaped my style, but one thing’s for sure: Taiwan is a place with a lot of cultural openness and creative freedom. That freedom and open spirit help me stay relaxed and open-minded when I encounter different cultures and sounds. I think that’s why I’m able to comfortably explore and play with different media and genres today.
You’ll be performing at our summer special event at ELSE on May 29th, alongside legends like DJ Hell and Umwelt. It’s also your debut in Berlin—how are you feeling about it?”
Very excited! I’m really grateful for the chance to perform alongside such experienced and talented producers. This show means a lot to me—it feels like a big milestone for stepping into the European scene. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the Berlin crowd and vibe will inspire my music and creativity.
How do you see your work evolving the rave culture of the past into something new for future audiences?
Rave used to be all about high energy and collective release, mostly as party culture and performances. In my work, whether through sound art, live shows, or curating events, I’m exploring how to turn that into a more sensory, immersive experience for the future.
I especially focus on creating a strong sense of space and crowd vibe — building a “sensory space” that goes beyond reality. In that space, bodies, senses, and people connect and flow together, with music acting as the medium for energy exchange between individuals and the crowd.
To me, that’s the core of “rave futurism”: blending digital aesthetics with nature, using sound and music as a bridge to reshape how we relate to space, our senses, and each other, creating collective experiences that future audiences can truly feel and resonate with.
Looking ahead, what can we expect from An Chen in the coming months? Are there any exciting projects or plans you can share with us?
Yes! On June 8, I’ll be performing at a music festival in Bordeaux, France. I’m also organizing some New York-based events focused on rave futurism, which I’m really excited about. Later this year, I’m planning an Asia tour, returning to Taiwan and performing in nearby countries. Lots of exciting things coming up, and I can’t wait to share more as they unfold!
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Don’t miss An Chen’s immersive and high-energy DJ set at our KEYI Magazine x ELSE event on May 29th
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