JAMBORIDE, the genre-crossing DJ unit formed by artists and music producers BANVOX and SEKITOVA, has reunited after three years and is confirmed to perform at "NIGHT HIKE 2026 in Makuhari." Ahead of that appearance, they will also host a JAMBORIDE-curated event at clubasia on Saturday, August 15.
Here at Deep Cuts, we conducted an email interview with JAMBORIDE.
They took the time to talk in depth about everything from the story behind the unit's formation and their musicality when playing together, to the concepts and thoughts poured into this upcoming party.

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— For those seeing JAMBORIDE for the first time, could you tell us what kind of unit JAMBORIDE is?

SEKITOVA: Originally, it didn't start with any grand ambitions to make something happen; a few of us just hung out on Skype based on shared vibes. We had this friendship where we'd leave the call on all day, chatting aimlessly, making silly tracks to play for each other, and laughing our heads off.
It was basically like a Discord server without a host.

I guess that was around 2010. Banbo-chan was in Tokyo and I was in Osaka, so we were far apart and had never even met. Our tastes were different back then too (Electro was probably the only clear common ground?), but I had an intuitive feeling that our sense of what we liked and how we viewed things were similar. Since we were both pretty competitive, I feel like that helped us become close friends really fast.

I started playing in clubs before he did, mainly because Banbo-chan really didn't want to step out in public back then.
Seeing the crazy speed at which he produced music, how insanely fast his quality was improving, and the sheer ambition behind it all, I thought it was a total waste for him to stay hidden. So I practically dragged him out to play as a B2B unit at a MOGRA party I had been booked for—that was our very first time.
I remember it was a Christmas party, and we were asked to prepare a mix CD as a present for the attendees. We made it together, but I remember we had a massive fight over it. (laughs)
So yeah, at the end of the day, we're friends. Just good friends.

BANVOX: SEKITOVA was one of the friends I used to trade tracks with on Skype and mess around making music together with.
Among that group, both of us were from Kansai and loved Electro, plus we shared a lot in common when it came to our philosophy on music and how we perceived things.
We were friends, but there was also this sense of mutual awareness, like rivals, and we were the closest among everyone.

From there, SEKITOVA suggested, "Let's form a unit," and that was the start of JAMBORIDE.
At the time, my mindset was just, "Sounds fun, why not!" But back then, I was going through a phase where just meeting people in person felt exhausting.
In the middle of all that, I was suddenly thrust onto a club stage, and before I knew it, it took the shape it has today. (laughs)
Looking back, though, music is ultimately the only way I know how to live, so I'm deeply grateful to him for dragging me out into the world.

That's why I think the best way to describe JAMBORIDE isn't as a unit formed with a clear agenda or shared goal from day one, but rather as two friends with matching sensibilities who happened to align their timing purely by chance, letting things start naturally.
Wait, did we fight when we made that mix CD? (laughs)

— Both of you are very successful in your solo careers, but when you DJ together as "JAMBORIDE," what kind of musicality and worldview do you create?

BANVOX: In the early days, we ran with this heavy "We can do whatever we want and it'll work!" kind of vibe. (laughs)
Within that, we'd make suggestions like, "Hey, why don't we play the kind of Techno or Electro that we love but usually don't play in our solo sets?"
Or, on the flip side, we'd think, "In certain contexts, playing a classic, mainstream anthem might be seen as lame, but wouldn't it be hilarious and dope if the two of us dropped it totally seriously?"
By stacking ideas like that on top of each other, we gradually built JAMBORIDE's world.

Nowadays, we've pushed that thinking even further, often building our sets around the question: "What can we do precisely because it's the two of us?"
We throw ideas back and forth like "Let's do this" or "Let's do that," making custom edits and mashups for JAMBORIDE. Creating a special show that you could never witness during our respective solo gigs is our main pillar now.

Rather than deciding on genres or rules beforehand, we both dive full-throttle into things that make us think, "This is interesting!" That's not something we consciously try to align on; it's an instinct that has probably been inside both of us from the start.

Still, we do pretty much whatever we want at every event, so there are times when it ends and we look at each other like, "Wait, what the hell was that set even about?" (laughs)
Honestly, though, I think that unpredictability is part of what makes JAMBORIDE so fun.

SEKITOVA: Early on, the style was basically blending in techno classics or hard techno—stuff I couldn't really drop in my own style back then—between the tracks Banbo-chan wanted to play.
When we played at LIQUID LOFT, I think I was even mixing in vinyl, maybe playing Devilfish's "Manalive"... Looking back, managing the sound pressure difference must have been tough, but whenever we found those moments where tracks aligned naturally—like Joakim's remix of Simian Mobile Disco's "Hustler" or Alter Ego's "Rocker"—I was thrilled.

Well, because of how we started out, at first it was completely driven by that "we got this" energy, alongside my simple wish for Banbo-chan to have a good time.

Though at that legendary gig in Fukuoka where the promoter bailed two days before the show, things got way too chaotic overall, and I ended up taking over the spotlight too much—which got me chewed out big time on Skype later. (laughs)

Today, unlike in the past, genre crossovers and converging from different scenes have become much more casual, so the nature of that "we got this" vibe has changed significantly.
Back then, beneath that confidence, there was this desperate, almost painful hunger that came from the feeling that we had no other way to survive except through music. Now, it feels much more naturally like two friends hanging out.

Musical synergy is the same way. People casually interact, knock out a quick session, and release it like a diary entry.
This was something we often said in our Skype calls back then, but whether something is "dope" or not might still be the most crucial compass for both of us. Not in the dictionary sense, but strictly based on our own personal intuition.
When we first started playing together, out of our youth, it felt like there weren't many people around us directly aiming for massive success, so taking that head-on felt dope to us. Back when opening YouTube barely yielded any useful production tips, being the first to put out a sound that nobody else could make was what was dope to us.

Now that we both have well-defined individual territories, I think dragging out aspects of each other that remain hidden during our solo work, and staying true friends regardless of titles or formalities, is what's truly dope.

Back then, when he completely reproduced the drop of "Pon De Floor" on a synth by ear, it was so mind-blowing that I couldn't stop laughing.

— Around when did you officially start your activities as JAMBORIDE? Also, could you share how the unit came together or any memorable episodes from that time?

BANVOX: We had been interacting since around 2010, and I think we started operating as JAMBORIDE around 2011. The trigger itself was very simple: out of nowhere, SEKITOVA invited me, and we just rolled with it.

At the time, I felt SEKITOVA was running a few steps ahead of me, and I respected him musically, so I was genuinely happy when he reached out.
In that sense, I think SEKITOVA was steering the ship to some extent during JAMBORIDE's early days.
However, I've always had intense convictions and stubbornness when it comes to music, so even while SEKITOVA was carefully charting a course for us, I have memories of leaning over and wrenching the wheel sideways like, "No, wouldn't this way be way better?" (laughs)
I think from the very beginning, rather than one person leading the other, we were a unit where we smashed our ideas together to shape the sound.

SEKITOVA: I pretty much answered that in the first question! (laughs)

— What was the background and catalyst behind deciding to host this upcoming event?

BANVOX: Looking at the background, as our careers progressed over the years, we both established ourselves in our respective fields in a good way, which meant fewer opportunities to cross paths than before.
Amidst that, I was planning to relocate my base to the United States, so with the thought of "Let's do JAMBORIDE one more time before that," we held our first JAMBORIDE-hosted party in about nine years at clubasia in 2023.
From there, while basing myself in the US, various circumstances overlapped, and it ended up with me constantly going back and forth between Japan and America. Even though it was a strategic choice, the situation turned out a bit different from what I had envisioned, and there was a period where I was feeling pretty down mentally.

Right around that time, SEKITOVA approached me with the offer from NIGHT HIKE, telling me, "I want to do this as JAMBORIDE."
Hearing that, I purely thought, "That sounds really fun, let's do it!" and that led straight into hosting this event.

Looking back, JAMBORIDE isn't a unit that starts through meticulous planning; it naturally kicks into gear whenever our lives and career timelines happen to intersect.

SEKITOVA: That previous asia gig in 2023 was our first JAMBORIDE in nine years, right? Since BANVOX was temporarily moving to the US, we threw that party as a sort of farewell send-off, but after that, as he mentioned, his plans for life in the US shifted a bit and he was definitely feeling down. Having sent him off with such fanfare, I wanted to show him that everything was going to be fine.
That said, it's not the kind of project we can just casually boot up anytime, so while I was pondering what to do, an offer from NIGHT HIKE came directly to me as a solo artist.
I thought it would be infinitely more interesting to play it with BANVOX. And if we did that, we could use it as an opportunity to turn the lingering energy from our last party into something even more exciting.

Things don't always go ideally for either of us, but I think we share this innate instinct to find any opening to make our current situation more interesting.
When you're alone, you might stop at just thinking it without taking that first step, but when the two of us are together, it turns into "we can definitely pull this off."
Once that was decided, there was no choice but to do it at clubasia, who had supported us so warmly last time. We intended to pay asia back, but it looks like we're leaning on their generosity once again... (laughs)

(Flyer for "JAMBORIDE" held on 2023/9/29)

— This time, the lineup is exceptionally broad, spanning from the cutting edge of internet culture to artists active in Tokyo's underground scene. Could you tell us about the intentions, themes, or considerations behind this booking?

SEKITOVA: Last time, by pairing up with the people currently at the forefront of Tokyo, my goal—which we discussed and shaped together—was for everyone to witness both the "dope" side of BANVOX that I've known personally for years and the classic, undeniably brilliant BANVOX that everyone expects before he headed to the States. But this time, I practically begged him, saying, "I'll handle everything, just leave it to me," and put the lineup together while consulting with Su-san.

To begin with, he's someone who rarely delegates control to others, so while I'm sure he had his anxieties, I was so glad he embraced it positively, and I curated the lineup fully determined to live up to that trust.

Starting from a place where we had very few peers around us, more than ten years have passed, and we've met so many people. I realized there are already so many incredible artists out there, even if they aren't always immediately visible.
Plus, with tons of people nowadays who don't even know that we ever worked together, I felt it wouldn't mean anything if people just said, "Classic JAMBORIDE." It needed to make people say, "The performers, the staff, literally everything about that floor was insane."

Above all, I was so happy seeing BANVOX genuinely enjoying himself while watching the other acts last time.
Because he's always charging down his own solitary path, people tend to misunderstand him, but he genuinely loves that kind of environment. He's dope, but he's definitely not cold.
If he were a truly cold person, he wouldn't get so ridiculously hyped up during a DJ set that he tears a ligament, right? (laughs)

Taking all that into account, rather than having seasoned artists who communicate via unspoken cues cleanly setting the stage for us throughout the night like last time, I thought everyone would enjoy it more if we turned the whole event into an all-out brawl like Super Smash Bros., where we take massive hits and get blown away by the energy too.

So, while carrying over the flavor of the previous party, we packed the roster without any opening filler acts—ranging from our respected seniors who watched over us back in the day, to the next generation carrying the exact energy we once yearned for.

The main floor kicks off with a flying start from Waipa-san, moving into the mental intersection of Suisoh-san and valknee-san from their respective territories, with JUBEE-san—joining as a DJ this time—overlapping his presence in the minds of everyone partying. Maybe Reiji-kun will help people realize the subtle things picked up along the way, while over in the lounge, Maezawa-kun, who's surely brought back all kinds of inspiration from Bo-Kawa x CCS, will hijack the whole room, all enveloped by the veterans and the essence of asia...
Sorry, I could go on and on about the fascinating chemistry among everyone, and there were even more artists I genuinely wanted to invite...
Still, if it turns into a night where, even for a fleeting moment, everyone can catch a glimpse of that "dopeness" we used to treat as our keyword back then, I'd be beyond happy!

BANVOX: This time, SEKITOVA started off by saying, "Let me take the wheel on this one." (laughs)
I had heard about the context connecting from NIGHT HIKE and the theme he wanted to craft for this event, so I left the fundamental direction to him.
That said, when there were artists I personally felt strongly about having on the bill, I went and asked them directly myself.
Even so, instead of simply listing the people I wanted to invite alongside the people SEKITOVA wanted to invite, we calibrated everything using whether they fit the event's core theme as our guiding criterion.

As a result, I think we arrived at a lineup that doesn't feel entirely like a typical BANVOX event or a SEKITOVA event, leaning too heavily toward neither of our individual colors.

Even if the scenes and contexts everyone usually navigates are completely different, there's this thrill of wondering, "What's going to happen when these people collide in the same space?"
In that sense, rather than neatly demarcating genres or scenes, having people who usually exist in separate worlds intersect through JAMBORIDE is, I think, one of the primary themes of this booking.

— Do you have any future challenges or visions for JAMBORIDE?

BANVOX: First and foremost is making sure this party right in front of us at clubasia is an undeniable success.
Building on that, I hope we can clearly convey the significance of doing JAMBORIDE on a massive scale like Makuhari, as well as our intentions behind "why JAMBORIDE, and why now?"

Personally, no matter how famous I become or if I turn into a global superstar, I want to keep JAMBORIDE going periodically.
As long as we both keep moving forward individually, the scale of what we can accomplish whenever we cross paths again will naturally grow bigger.

Someday, whether it's in outer space, on the Moon, or on Mars, if the timing lines up, I'd love to play as JAMBORIDE. I hope it remains a unit that continues indefinitely, constantly evolving into forms that can only be realized in that specific era and place.
To make that happen, we're currently moving forward with all kinds of preparations behind the scenes.

SEKITOVA: First off, I want to make the party at asia the absolute best it can be, and then head all the way to Makuhari alongside everyone who came out to party with us.
Our moves might be limited, but I want to sprint at full speed until we reach that point.

Beyond that, I believe everything works only when we're both doing our absolute best in our day-to-day careers, so that's where the focus is.
If I'm in trouble, I want to rely on him, and if he's in trouble, I want him to rely on me.
I don't know how much help I can be, but we're friends.
Setting aside advantages, disadvantages, profit, or loss—if we maintain that kind of relationship, I know we'll be able to create an insanely fun JAMBORIDE again at the exact right moment.
It'd be great if we both tour independently whenever we want, and whenever our destinations happen to overlap, we meet up and mess around.

I've been saying forever that I want to go to space in the future, and Banbo-chan was the only person who replied, "Same here."
If that's the case, our only option is to meet up on the Moon.

— We hear that a new track under the JAMBORIDE name is currently in production. What kind of work can we expect?

BANVOX: I naturally love the act of producing music, and my production speed is relatively fast, so this time I took the steering wheel on the production side.
SEKITOVA determined the overarching theme and direction; based on that, I wrote the track, received parts from him, and shaped them together.
From there, I tore things apart and reconstructed them, accommodating his requests while refusing to bend my own intensely stubborn musical convictions (laughs), explaining why certain things were necessary and making sure he was on board as we produced it.

So, the end result might be slightly different from what everyone imagines when they think, "This is what a track made by SEKITOVA and BANVOX together would sound like."
Even so, I think it turned out to be something that genuinely reflects what JAMBORIDE is today.

By the way, there was also a "high-speed Bon Odori version" that we ultimately scrapped. (laughs)
I'm planning to play that as a BANVOX VIP edit at my own shows.

On top of that, there are several tracks in progress that we couldn't finish in time for this, so I think those will take shape and surface when the timing is right.
I hope everyone looks forward to that as well.

SEKITOVA: Since I got to be pretty demanding and selfish when it came to the party side of things, BANVOX covered the vast majority of the track production.

Time-wise, it wasn't like we could churn out dozens of tracks, so we initially agreed to pour our entire souls into one definitive track, but in the end, it just drifted toward whatever made the two of us laugh the hardest.
No matter how many times I told him to take out sounds that were just temporary placeholders, he refused to remove them.
He'd insist, "No, this is absolutely essential." Even while thinking "There's no way we need this," the whole dynamic was so hilarious that I ended up rolling with it.

As those who know me know, I'm the type of producer who takes far too long to finish anything, so I also realized, "Yeah, I definitely can't leave this to myself." (laughs)
Through it all, he was working hard producing the track even while I was out playing gigs, which I was super grateful for.

As for the track's vibe... well, it's running at full sprint the whole way through! Personally, I feel like it turned out to have a massive summer feel.
Right near the deadline, there was a moment where BANVOX pushed himself so hard that the track started sounding like a high-speed Bon Odori dance, which cracked me up, but he managed to extract that raw, spontaneous burst of energy beautifully and polish it up. We couldn't finish it in time, but there's another half-finished track too.
It'll be cool if we can drop that one whenever the timing is right.

— Finally, do you have a message for the listeners and guests coming out to the party?

BANVOX: With JAMBORIDE, even we go into it every time wondering, "How is this going to turn out?" (laughs), so I'd love it if you could come check it out without too many preconceptions.

It's distinct from what BANVOX and SEKITOVA do in our respective solo lanes; the two of us put our heads together seriously to create something that can only be done on that specific day, in that specific space, and at that exact moment.
For this upcoming event, including all the participating artists, I hope you come experience the moment where elements that wouldn't normally cross paths collide in a single space.

We don't even know how far we can keep pushing and evolving JAMBORIDE going forward, so we'd love for you to witness each of these moments with us.
For now, don't overthink it—just come through and party. I guarantee it's going to be wild. (laughs)

SEKITOVA: The previous event was so much fun, and it deeply reminded me that this really isn't just about the two of us—it's built by the performers, their respective fans, and every single person who finds excitement in what we're doing.
With so many events happening out there, to everyone choosing ours and showing interest, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

We curated this with a heavy focus on the thrilling energy generated when everyone intersects, so it would make me insanely happy if you could stick around and enjoy the party just a bit longer outside of your must-see time slots.

Thanks to Su-san's passionate shout of empathy—"Parties are popping up everywhere these days, it's tough on the partygoers' wallets!"—we pushed the entrance fee down as low as humanly possible, so everyone except typhoons is more than welcome! Please let the weather be clear!

[JAMBORIDE Profile]
A DJ unit formed by DJs, trackmakers, and producers BANVOX and SEKITOVA. In 2023, the duo reunited after nine years to host a party at clubasia. In 2026, they are launching a limited reboot as JAMBORIDE once again.

[BANVOX Profile]
An artist and music producer who earned worldwide acclaim in his teens, armed with a distinctive hybrid sound rooted in LA.
Generating an overwhelming output of around 500 tracks a year, his sound—reflecting an otherworldly sound pressure and a global worldview—has garnered high praise from figures like David Guetta, Avicii, and Skrillex, transcending linguistic and cultural barriers.
Surpassing 30 million total views, his tracks "New Style" and "Watch Me," featured in Google Android TV commercials in which he personally appeared, became nationwide sensations in Japan and were even used during the Tokyo Olympics, creating a global buzz.
His record of simultaneously hitting #1 on iTunes, Shazam, and Beatport charts remains unbroken, exerting a massive influence on the music scene as a one-of-a-kind artist. In addition to major international festivals like EDC, ULTRA KOREA, and ULTRA EUROPE, he has appeared at numerous premier Japanese festivals including FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, COUNTDOWN JAPAN, and ROCK IN JAPAN.
His US tour spanned seven cities including LA, Chicago, Dallas, and Las Vegas, leading to additional dates. His production catalog is vast, ranging from Umeda Cypher's "OOKAMI" to commercial music for TOYOTA, RECRUIT, and Tokyo Mode Gakuen, as well as a special collaboration with PlayStation.
His co-starring appearance with Kazuyoshi Miura in a commercial for Taisho Pharmaceutical's Lipovitan D also sparked widespread conversation.

[SEKITOVA Profile]
Garnering widespread attention with his first album released at age 17 in 2012, he has graced massive stages as a DJ, including Big Beach Festival, Ultra Japan, EDC, Boiler Room, Summer Sonic, and Fuji Rock Festival.
His production work spans diverse realms, including collaborations with Chisato Moritaka, contributions to video game and visual media soundtracks, and corporate sound logo design.
After moving from Osaka to Tokyo in 2022, he served as a radio navigator for the program TOKYO M.A.A.D SPIN on FM station J-Wave.
Grounded in techno and house, he weaves nighttime narratives through sets that channel subtle nuances across a broad spectrum of musical styles.


Release News


It has been announced that "JAMBORIDE," the unit formed by BANVOX and SEKITOVA—two artists active in their respective genres as DJs, trackmakers, and producers—will release their first new track in 13 years, "COSMIC TIDE," on Friday, August 14, 2026.

Fully showcasing the exceptional production prowess of both artists, the track pairs an aggressive drum and bass rhythm with expansive, shimmering ambience, making it a true contemporary anthem.

Furthermore, to celebrate the release of "COSMIC TIDE," a release party will be held at clubasia in Tokyo on Saturday, August 15.

https://lnk.to/COSMICTIDE