Ying-Li Hooi

Melbourne producer YL Hooi's sought-after cassette finally gets the vinyl reissue it deserves. Originally a limited run on Altered States Tapes in 2019, this 2021 Efficient Space pressing brings proper weight to a record that's been quietly circulating among the knowing. Dub, experimental, post-punk - the kind of deep-cut instrumentals that reward repeated listens.

Hooi works in shadowy, textural spaces. These tracks strip back to skeletal dub frameworks, then layer in strange electronics, pitched vocals, and production choices that sit just off-centre. There's a restraint here that marks out serious listening from trend-chasing. Post-punk influence runs through the rhythmic foundation, but this is no band-music redux - it's about atmosphere, space, and the friction between elements.

Efficient Space has built a reputation for patient, uncompromising releases from the Australian underground. This reissue reflects that sensibility: an artist worth your attention, a record worth your time.