Some of the best talent in bass music is found internationally.Herbalistek is a true testament to that statement.
Herbalistek is the production and DJ duo project stemming from the brains of Yota and Noa. The Tokyo-based project made its production debut back in 2019 and has been on a steady rise ever since. Their music is widely focused on intentional, hypnotic soundscapes, along with dark and psychedelic low-ends and smooth grooves. Their catalogue is impressively diverse while keeping those core elements alive, as displayed in their recent Untitled #909 mix.
Having performed just a few times in the US, they’ve already garnered an unholy amount of hype surrounding their innovative production techniques and mesmeric sound design. After a huge debut in the states at Suwannee’s Rendezvous in 2024, they were called back to action at Infrasound Equinox that same year, and then again to shift brains and tempos at Tipper’s Gorge weekend just this past July, though we’ve been wanting more ever since.
2025 proved to be a huge year for Yota and Noa. Notable performances included a b2b set with fellow Japan-based sonic-scientist and professional brain scrambler, Allen Mock, supporting Peekaboo for Beginning’s 11th Anniversary show in Tokyo, Brightness Music & Art Festival in Kawasaki, and Tipper and Friends at The Gorge over here stateside in Washington.
They also blessed us with quite a bit of music, including their Inner Surface andTropism EPs, as well as a few mixes along the way. They were even able to pleasantly surprise fans in Tokyo by bringing back their curated event series, SECTOR (named after the mix series), for its fourth installment after a two-year hiatus.
Luckily for those of us waiting and itching for the next official release, she’s finally landed on Observatory Records as of this past Tuesday. Observatory Records is home to releases by the likes of Sortof Vague, crawdad sniper, Detox Unit, and now they welcome Herbalistek to the family with the first release of the new year for both the label and the production-power-duo, the 52 Blue EP.
“Our motto at Observatory is Future Sound → and we feel that this Herbalistek release perfectly encapsulates that mentality. When we were introduced to them a few years ago we knew right away that we’d like to feature their music on the label, so kicking off 2026 with the release of ’52 Blue’ feels extra special. This release is a deep-dive into a world of rhythm, percussion and sound design that is punctuated by reverb and spatial effects. Anyone who is familiar with Herbalistek knows that they have a knack for creating a narrative with their music that draws the listener in and leaves them wanting more. If you’re unfamiliar with their music then this release is a perfect place to start. The third track on the release is a remix by none other than Ferrofluid, who has provided a hard-hitting dancefloor interpretation of the title track that brings the whole EP together quite nicely.”– Observatory Records
52 Blue EP Cover Art by Apricour
52 Blue encapsulates everything that we know and love when it comes to Herbalistek. Foley-ridden soundscapes, dark and heavy groove, tight percussion, eclectic sound design, and the mindful atmospheric indulgence that comes along with listening to it all, tied together beautifully with a nice Ableton bow.
“The EP is only three tracks, but it represents a really important turning point for us, actually.”– Herbalistek
The first of three tracks on the EP is the title track, “52 Blue.” “52 Blue” begins with a very thoughtful introductory soundscape and slow-building beat surrounded by the echoes of unknown sound. About halfway through, we enter the murkier side of the track, filled with low-end sound design and heavy-head nods at a slow and steady tempo.
“52 Blue” was the first track where we discovered a particular whale-ish mid low-end sound design that’s since become a core part of our sound. So this track really marked the moment where things really clicked for us sonically, so it still feels very personal. We’ve played it both at our debut shows in the U.S. and at home, and the reaction has always been special to us. It’s just a crazy blast of visceral sound design, and maybe the only time we’ve used it so unsparingly.“– Herbalistek
Next on the EP is “Surface Tension.” This one lifts the energy up quite a bit while adding some more groove to the agenda. Crunchy and devious sound designs flow cleanly throughout the lows and mids, while the percussion slices clean-through like a hot knife and butter.
“’Surface Tension’ pushes that energy further. It’s more driving and physical, and groovy. But it represents this sound in a similar way.”– Herbalistek
Capping off the EP is Ferrofluid’s remix of the title track, “52 Blue.” Ferrofluid is another incredibly talented artist deserving of all the recognition. To take an Herbalistek track and be able to twist it in a way that’s your own, while keeping the original cadence alive, is truly impressive. Ferrofluid does just that on this remix, where we hear bits and pieces of the original sound design woven through like silk and needle with Ferrofluid’s charged bass lines.
“The EP is rounded out with a remix by Ferrofluid, who is one of our favorite producers ever. We massively respect him, so having him reinterpret one of our tracks meant a lot to us, and he brought a completely new perspective that really elevated it. Truly underrated talent.”– Herbalistek
While there currently isn’t anything on the public radar for Herbalistek’s fans to look forward to as far as live events go, I’m sure that there’s plenty of planning going on in the shadows for us to anticipate. The hype for them to come back to the States is at an all-time high, and 52 Blue is only going to elevate that. That said, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing some more news sooner than later from these mad lads.
“Altogether, the EP feels like a snapshot of where we were, at that moment, and the foundation for what followed. Hope you enjoy it!”– Herbalistek
Some of the best talent in bass music is found internationally. Herbalistek is a true testament to that statement.
Herbalistek is the production and DJ duo project stemming from the brains of Yota and Noa. The Tokyo-based project made its production debut back in 2019 and has been on a steady rise ever since. Their music is widely focused on intentional, hypnotic soundscapes, along with dark and psychedelic low-ends and smooth grooves. Their catalogue is impressively diverse while keeping those core elements alive, as displayed in their recent Untitled #909 mix.
Having performed just a few times in the US, they’ve already garnered an unholy amount of hype surrounding their innovative production techniques and mesmeric sound design. After a huge debut in the states at Suwannee’s Rendezvous in 2024, they were called back to action at Infrasound Equinox that same year, and then again to shift brains and tempos at Tipper’s Gorge weekend just this past July, though we’ve been wanting more ever since.
2025 proved to be a huge year for Yota and Noa. Notable performances included a b2b set with fellow Japan-based sonic-scientist and professional brain scrambler, Allen Mock, supporting Peekaboo for Beginning’s 11th Anniversary show in Tokyo, Brightness Music & Art Festival in Kawasaki, and Tipper and Friends at The Gorge over here stateside in Washington.
They also blessed us with quite a bit of music, including their Inner Surface and Tropism EPs, as well as a few mixes along the way. They were even able to pleasantly surprise fans in Tokyo by bringing back their curated event series, SECTOR (named after the mix series), for its fourth installment after a two-year hiatus.
Luckily for those of us waiting and itching for the next official release, she’s finally landed on Observatory Records as of this past Tuesday. Observatory Records is home to releases by the likes of Sortof Vague, crawdad sniper, Detox Unit, and now they welcome Herbalistek to the family with the first release of the new year for both the label and the production-power-duo, the 52 Blue EP.
52 Blue encapsulates everything that we know and love when it comes to Herbalistek. Foley-ridden soundscapes, dark and heavy groove, tight percussion, eclectic sound design, and the mindful atmospheric indulgence that comes along with listening to it all, tied together beautifully with a nice Ableton bow.
The first of three tracks on the EP is the title track, “52 Blue.” “52 Blue” begins with a very thoughtful introductory soundscape and slow-building beat surrounded by the echoes of unknown sound. About halfway through, we enter the murkier side of the track, filled with low-end sound design and heavy-head nods at a slow and steady tempo.
Next on the EP is “Surface Tension.” This one lifts the energy up quite a bit while adding some more groove to the agenda. Crunchy and devious sound designs flow cleanly throughout the lows and mids, while the percussion slices clean-through like a hot knife and butter.
Capping off the EP is Ferrofluid’s remix of the title track, “52 Blue.” Ferrofluid is another incredibly talented artist deserving of all the recognition. To take an Herbalistek track and be able to twist it in a way that’s your own, while keeping the original cadence alive, is truly impressive. Ferrofluid does just that on this remix, where we hear bits and pieces of the original sound design woven through like silk and needle with Ferrofluid’s charged bass lines.
While there currently isn’t anything on the public radar for Herbalistek’s fans to look forward to as far as live events go, I’m sure that there’s plenty of planning going on in the shadows for us to anticipate. The hype for them to come back to the States is at an all-time high, and 52 Blue is only going to elevate that. That said, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing some more news sooner than later from these mad lads.
Follow Herbalistek:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Bandcamp | Spotify | Soundcloud
Follow Observatory Records:
Instagram | Bandcamp | Soundcloud
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