Marie Vaunt: Bridging Japanese Heritage and the Future of Acid Techno

Ahead of her latest release Let The Bass Kick In on Eli Brown’s Arcane and an upcoming Australian tour, we sit down with Marie to talk cultural identity, the acid techno revival, building Kurai Records into a powerhouse label, and crafting music that’s designed to last beyond trends.

You’ve had an incredible run over the last couple of years from Beatport #1s, major label releases, and global touring. When you take a step back, how does this moment feel for you personally?

It honestly feels a bit surreal when I actually take a moment to look at the bigger picture. When you’re constantly touring and moving from project to project, you don’t always get to process how far you’ve come. Personally, it feels like a massive validation of the years I spent grinding and staying true to a sound that I really believed in. Seeing my brand of acid hit the top of the charts and being played on these huge global stages is incredibly rewarding, and it just gives me more fuel to keep pushing my vision.

Your Japanese heritage plays a really important role in your artistic identity. How do your cultural roots influence the way you approach music, sound design, and storytelling in techno?

My heritage is really the foundation of my creative discipline. I think growing up in Japan gave me a deep appreciation for precision and the idea of making every single element count. In my sound design, I try to apply that focus by ensuring every texture has a specific purpose as I don’t like clutter in my music. Even when the tracks are heavy and chaotic, I want there to be a sense of balance and intentionality that tells a clear story. It’s about taking that aesthetic discipline and using it to give the techno a more cinematic, intentional feel.

You’ve spoken about incorporating traditional Japanese instruments and elements like the Shamisen, Koto, and percussive rhythms into your work. What attracts you to these sounds, and how do you translate them into a modern club context?

I’m really attracted to the contrast between those ancient sounds and the futuristic nature of techno.

There is something so powerful about taking a Koto or a Shamisen and placing it in a cold, metallic soundscape to create that contrasting, somewhat dystopian feeling I love so much. To make it work in a club context, I focus on the soul and authenticity of the instrument, so it never feels like a gimmick. I treat these elements with the same respect a traditional musician would, even if I’m processing them to stand up against a distorted kick drum in a dark warehouse.

When blending cultural influences with hard, functional techno, how do you find the balance between authenticity and creating tracks that work powerfully on the dancefloor?

It’s a delicate balance but for me the dancefloor energy always comes first. The foundation, that is to say the low end and arrangement, has to be functional and powerful because that’s the heart of techno. Once I have that dialled in, I weave in the cultural influences as part of the storytelling. It feels authentic because these sounds are a part of my history, so they fit naturally into my musical vocabulary. It’s not about just adding a sample for the sake of it, it’s about making those elements feel like they were always meant to be there.

Your new single Let The Bass Kick In is the first release from your upcoming EP on Eli Brown’s Arcane. It leans heavily into that fusion — pounding techno energy with Japanese influence and a powerful female vocal. What was the creative vision behind this track, and what does it represent in the wider context of the EP?

The creative vision for "Let The Bass Kick" was really about exploring the space where traditional techno meets actual songwriting. I wanted to create something with a distinct identity and a hook that sticks with you. The track centres on this heavy call and response between the vocal and the 303 which creates an energy that feels almost tribal when it hits a big system. It represents a more distilled approach to my sound, whilst still keeping that raw, acid-driven soul that I’ve become known for.

You’ve become one of the key artists pushing the acid techno revival. What draws you to acid, and why do you think it resonates again right now?

I think I’m naturally drawn to acid because it’s one of the few sounds in electronic music that feels truly alive. When you’re performing or producing with a 303, it feels like a conversation with a machine that has its own personality. It can be liquid and hypnotic one second and then completely growl at you the next. I think it’s resonating so much right now because we’ve reached a point where people are tired of perfect digital sounds, so there’s this craving for something that feels a bit more tactile and raw. Acid has this incredible ability to sound like the future and the past at the same time, and that energy is just addictive on a dancefloor. It’s not just a trend for me, it’s a fundamental part of the techno soul that keeps reinventing itself.

Your label, Kurai Records, has grown into one of the top techno labels on Beatport. What was your vision when you launched it? And what are you cooking in 2026?

The vision for Kurai Records was to create a platform for high-energy techno that didn't feel like it had to play it safe. "Kurai" means dark in Japanese, and that aesthetic is central to everything we do. Looking toward 2026, we’re pushing things even further into new, unexplored territory with some amazing new releases and projects in the works that I think are really going to surprise people.

You’ve played some huge stages — Creamfields, EDC Las Vegas, and upcoming shows including Australia and Tomorrowland Winter. How does your approach differ between clubs and festivals?

In a club, the environment is much more intimate and I feel like I can take the crowd on a deeper, more hypnotic journey over a longer set. On those massive festival stages, it’s all about impact and scale. You have to communicate that energy to thousands of people at once, so the sets become much more high-octane. I still play from the heart in both settings, but at a festival, I’m definitely looking to create those big, shared moments where the entire crowd is locked into that same frequency.

Being one of the best-selling female techno artists on Beatport is a huge achievement. Do you feel pressure carrying that title?

I see it more as a huge honour and a source of confidence rather than pressure. Seeing that my sound is actually, resonating with people on that scale just encourages me to trust my vision and push the boundaries even further. It hasn't really changed my approach to making music, but it has made me realize there is a massive audience out there hungry for this specific brand of acid. It just makes me want to work even harder to keep that flame alive and keep evolving.

Your music has earned support from artists across techno and beyond, from Adam Beyer to Tiësto and David Guetta. How do you view crossover recognition in today’s electronic music landscape?

I think it’s a great thing for the scene. It shows that good music can transcend specific genres and reach people regardless of what style they usually listen to. When artists from different worlds support my music, it introduces acid techno to a whole new audience. It proves that the 303 sound is timeless and has a universal energy that works whether you’re in a dark underground club or on a massive mainstage.

Your music often feels like a bridge between cultures, eras, and emotions. When you’re in the studio alone, who are you really making the music for — the dancefloor, your roots, or yourself?

At the end of the day, I’m making it for myself. I have to be the first person who feels that organic response to the music. If a track doesn’t make me want to move, then it’s not ready. I always carry my roots and the energy of the dancefloor with me, but the initial spark has to come from a place of personal excitement. It’s about creating something that I’m genuinely proud of and excited to play out.

Finally, after the charts, the tours, and the milestones, what still excites you enough to open your laptop and start a new track from scratch?

It’s that moment when a hook or an acid line that just clicks. Starting with a blank project and ending up with something that feels alive and powerful never gets old. For this new EP, I relied on my trusty TD-3 and the MXR Distortion+ pedal, but also did a lot of work in Serum 2. That process of exploring new sounds and pushing my production further is what keeps me coming back to the studio every single day and I will never get tired of it.

Let The Bass Kick is out now on Arcane