Stones Taro on Twisted Rhythms & the “Off-Centre” Sound of UKG | Faux Poly Interviews

Kyoto isn’t London or Berlin - and that’s exactly why Stones Taro’s take on 2-step and dubstep sounds different. Surrounded by a scene that favours deep, immersive sound over aggression, he’s built a production style that layers “otherworldly” FX onto solid, modern drum programming. In this conversation, Taro traces his journey from university hardcore bands and Warp Records rabbit holes to a Rinse FM residency, reveals why Reaktor’s randomization broke him out of a creative rut, and explains how he’s designing club tracks that work for techno DJs and bass purists.

Q: Hey Stones Taro, can you give us a bit of background on where you’re from and how you first got into music?

A: I was born in Wakayama, a coastal prefecture in Japan. I truly became immersed in music during my university years, playing guitar in hardcore and post-punk cover bands. Fugazi was a major influence back then, and they're still on my rotation today. Around the time I graduated, I started gravitating toward electronic music through the Warp Records circle, which eventually led me to the local club scenes in Osaka and Kyoto.

Q: How has being based in Kyoto shaped your sound and perspective as an artist?

A: While Kyoto is a major tourist hub, it isn’t an overwhelming metropolis; life here moves at a relatively relaxed pace. I’ve always felt that the local music scene leans toward deep, immersive sounds rather than anything too aggressive. This environment has naturally shaped my
production I’ve consciously integrated more organic textures from genres like deep house and dub into my dance music.

Q: What first drew you to UK-rooted sounds like garage, jungle and dubstep?

A: A lot of the local artists in Osaka and Kyoto were heavily influenced by UK bass music. Coming from a background in hardcore bands and then moving into electronic music via labels like Warp, UK-rooted sounds felt far more accessible and high-energy to me techno or house. As
part of the post-YouTube generation, once I found that spark, I was completely hooked and it was just endless, obsessive digging from there.

Q: As a Rinse FM resident, how has that platform influenced your development?

A: I feel incredibly proud to have a residency on a station I’ve admired and listened to for so long. A monthly residency is a unique opportunity - there’s no other platform quite like it for communicating my current interests to a global audience. I find myself buying certain tracks specifically for the radio, music that might not fit a club or festival set but works in that special broadcast space. It’s definitely helped expand my musicality and range.

Q: You describe it as a modern reinterpretation of 2-step, speed garage and dubstep - what does that mean to you in practice?

A: It’s a bit difficult to explain, but with this EP, I was aiming for a sound that exists within those genres but sits slightly "off-center". I wanted to find a way to bring the rhythms of UKG and dubstep into the sets of DJs who usually play techno or experimental music. In practice, this means keeping the grooves traditional while programming drum beats that feel more solid and modern, then layering in "otherworldly" FX to create a unique atmosphere.

Q: Are you mostly working in the box, or do you use hardware as well?

A: I recently added a Digitone 2 to my setup, but for the most part, I work entirely "in the box." Since I’m often traveling, I prefer a workflow that allows me to produce whenever and wherever inspiration strikes. Portability is key for me.

Q: You used Reaktor sound generators on ‘Physics’ and ‘Hold On, Math’ - what drew you to that approach?

A: I was starting to feel a bit bored with the sample packs and synth plugins I’d been using, so I was looking for fresh inspiration. I came across Reaktor's sound generators and was fascinated by how the randomization functions could generate these FX. I bounced those sessions and found several motifs that eventually became the foundation for "Physics" and "Hold On, Math."

Q: What’s exciting you most in electronic music right now?

A: Lately, I’ve been having a lot of fun incorporating non-straight rhythms, like dubstep, into my sets. I have a deep interest in how the body moves in response to rhythm, my Master's thesis was actually a participant observation study on hardcore mosh pits in Japan.

When I drop a twisted beat like deep or early dubstep into a floor that’s been moving in a minimal, techno-oriented way, the crowd's movement shifts. It becomes more undulating, more three-dimensional. The sets where I can trigger that excitement through that kind of rhythmic disruption are always my favorites.

Q: What’s next for Stones Taro - anything you can tell us about what’s coming up?

A: I launched my self-release series, Foglore, earlier this year and the response has been incredible. I’m already working on the second installment. Alongside that, I have a new album in the works and several EPs scheduled for release on different labels. It’s shaping up to be a very creative and busy year.

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