Slow-moving finger-picked ambient folk straddling the synthetic and organic divide – that is "The Ending Was A Typical Part", the first album by the Zurich-based duo Gūsū. It combines the tradition of playing the guzheng with electronic instruments, allowing different yet harmonious worlds to collide.

The collaboration between Xueyan Chen and Nicolas Balmer alias Gūsū was born out of their shared musical explorations in 2022 and has evolved into a dialogue of sound. Chen's guzheng, an instrument deeply linked to Chinese history, resonates with improvised and self-composed melodies, freeing its pentatonic scale from its traditional bounds. Her playing is underscored with the cryptic hum of Balmer's modular synthesizers, the deep bass and layered textures that combine the organic with the electronic. Together they create a sonorous exploration of identity, displacement and unity.

Xueyan Chen has been playing the Guzheng since her early childhood. With her moving to Zurich, Switzerland she started reimagining its historical identity through improvisation and self-composed melodies. With this approach, Chen emancipates the instrument from its classical heritage, weaving a contemporary and deeply personal narrative. Nicolas Balmer meanwhile brings a contrasting yet complementary dimension with modular synthesizers, bass guitar, and electronic textures. His layered soundscapes amplify and distort the Guzheng's pentatonic timbres, enveloping them in mysterious tones and expansive harmonics.

Gūsū is a transcultural music project born from the confluence of two distinct artistic voices: Xueyan Chen and Nicolas Balmer. Together, they create a complex dialogue of sound that bridges the ancient and the modern, exploring the liminal spaces between tradition and experimentation. Gūsū's inception was serendipitous, sparked by a shared stage in late 2022. What began as spontaneous improvisations has since evolved into a profound collaboration. The duo has performed under various monikers, finding their ultimate identity in the name Gūsū, a nod to both heritage and transformation.

www.subjecttorestrictions.ch
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Written and Composed by Xueyan Chen & Nicolas Balmer
Produced by Nicolas Balmer
Vocals and Lyrics by Xueyan Chen
Mastered and Lacquer Cut by Isabel Schröer at Scape Mastering
Graphics by Emilie Meyer
A&R by Dominik André
Unterstützt von Stadt Zürich Kultur
Original Release by Subject To Restrictions Discs
Copyright 2025

The Ending Was A Typical Part

Gūsū - 镜子后面的幽灵

Lick Quid Gold w/ Bitzer Mal 22/02/25

Emma Caers live from the Microwave studio at JAM Hotel, Brussels.

Microwave is a community-based, audiovisual webradio. We aim to provide a platform for a wide variety of upcoming artists through digital and real-life media.

Tune in at microwave.live.


30.03.2025 Emma Caers | Microwave studio

With 30 years of djing in numerous countries, Ron Like Hell has no intention of doing anything else in their lifetime. They produce queer centered events in NYC both solo and as part of the dj duo Wrecked. Ron’s support of young artists in the music industry is unquestionably genuine as they have shared their spotlight with djs in their radio show and parties. Hard to pin as dj of one particular genre is not a concern to Ron. With 26+ years of record store experience their excitement for music goes deep appreciating many genres which provide infinite inspiration. They still love programming their music for a single genre dance party. Indulging such events is in no way an obstacle or compromise. For Ron, it is similar to painting with oil instead of acrylic. There is no intention of being the greatest dj championing specific one or two genres as they prefer to be known as an eclectic dj that reads the room as best they can. Being so eclectic doesn't seem to prohibit their appeal from techno, disco and house music forward bookings..if anything it has increased their recognition and respect from some of the world's best parties and venues. A few of the most notable spaces are Panorama Bar, Lab.oratory and Ost (Berlin), Dekmantel Selectors, Draaimolen (Netherlands), Sustain-Release, Honcho Campout and residencies at Basement and Nowadays in the NYC area. Their creativity has even been immortalized on physical media with a dj mix on a one-sided vinyl accompaniment to Baxter Dury’s 2024 album, “I Thought I was Better Than You” and a mixtape for Mister Saturday Night Records MSN Tape series Their role in the industry is undeniably unique and influential.


Online features and words about Ron Like Hell


Via mistersaturdaynight records:
“Up next in our cassette DJ mix series is our neighbor, friend and beloved hometown hero Ron Like Hell. Eclectic is an overused word in dance music circles but in this instance it is an apt and deserving description of an artist whose years working in record stores and 26 plus years behind the decks afford him a musical knowledge and emotional understanding of a dancefloor for which there is no shortcut. This is mastery at work. Ron delivers two complimentary mixes, a home recording on side A and a recording from the booth at Nowadays from an all-night set on Halloween night 2024. Very limited run on this one so do not hesitate.”


Via Draaimolen Island: 

“Brooklyn’s Aurora Halal is rooted in the underground DIY scene of her city. Her shadowy and metallic DJ sets are sensual and forward thinking. Next to playing and making music, she is also the founder of festival Sustain-Release and co-host of this years (2024) Draaimolen Island. Ron Like Hell plays eclectic, assemblage-style sets with an obscure mix of techno, house, acid and disco. Both are no strangers to each other. In fact, the two have played quite a few times since 2018. With all this experience this back to back will set the dancefloor on fire for sure. Think psychedelic landscapes and long build-ups.”


Via TRUANTS Truancy dj mix series:
Interview & feature

Nowadays Sustain-Release Nonstop description on Resident Advisor:
“Sustain-Release founder Aurora Halal and WRECKED founder and local sweetheart Ron Like Hell come back together for another extended back-to-back set – a pairing that has stirred the cauldron on dancefloors ranging from a previous Nonstop, to Brooklyn rave MERGE, to Draaimolen Festival x Sustain-Release.”


Links to mixes and more:


Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/ronlikehell/tracks

Resident Advisor - https://ra.co/dj/ronlikehell


Mixcloud - https://www.mixcloud.com/ronlikehell/


Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ronlikehell/#


Bandcamp music collection - https://bandcamp.com/ronlikehell



RNR - Ron Like Hell

Mia Duni is a Berlin-based DJ, curator and performing artist from Rijeka. She is a member of the queer*feminist collective POSSY from Hamburg, as well as a resident at Manual Club and Radio Roža in her hometown. Her sound is nurtured by an abundance of different musical interests. For the KIOSK RADIO she wants focus on a deep, experimental electro, breakbeat and IDM sound in its many different characteristics.

Mia Duni @ Kiosk Radio 21.04.2025

interview

RIOCAST15 Sacha Mambo - The Escape To Nowhere Mix

🌐 Refuge Worldwide is a radio station and community space based in Berlin-Neukölln.
➡️ More info, more music: www.refugeworldwide.com

Support us by becoming a member on Patreon for just 3€ a month: www.patreon.com/refugeworldwide

pi pi pi  - deep creep - 23 Apr 2025

Enjoy listening to the live recording of Thomas Lea Clarke's DJ set at 90mil. An eclectic mix that fuses the downtempo spheres of post punk, tribal and acid.
@mrtcmusic

SAVE THE DATE -> 08.08 - 10.08 -> Listen Listen Sommerfest (100 kilometers northwest of Berlin)

Listen Listen - 90mil - Thomas Lea Clarke

o•rbyss aims to help soothe the queer spectrum and focus on the well-being of the community. Queer DJs are invited to submit a mix to showcase an alternative side to their music library outside of a rave and take us on a meditative journey. ✨

Notes on the mix:

"I recorded this mix in the early days of Spring in Berlin. Sunlight poured through my window, dancing off the blossoming branches in the courtyard. Birds were singing, the air was cool and fresh — the kind that makes you want to slow down and breathe a little deeper.
I lit some incense, sifted through my collection, and picked out tracks and records that felt right in the moment. Then I hit play — one take, all heart.
This set is made for quiet moments: lying back at home, wandering through a park, or melting into a post-party cuddle session. Over the past few years, I’ve been diving deeper into the ambient and downtempo side of music, and I’m so excited to keep exploring and sharing this softer, slower space."

Rooted in the queer party scene, 131bpm is a dancefloor troublemaker known for stirring up energy wherever he plays. With a constantly evolving sound, he's carving out a reputation as both DJ and producer, celebrated for his passion for digging and his eclectic love for music. He is a resident for Body Language in Berlin and Vitamina in Milan. @bpm131bpm

o•rbyss - 131bpm

Buy at Bandcamp

Part 01

wieder samstag, wieder morgens, wieder sphere breakfast show. SAM, pio & depp blatter versüßen euch für zwei Stunden das Aufwachen. 

Tracklist folgt

Sphere Breakfast Show - 26.04.2025

Be away from the edge. Steep slope.
https://links.subjecttorestrictions.ch



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Distribution: Bordello A Parigi
Licensing: licensing@subjecttorestrictions.ch

Gūsū - 镜子后面的幽灵

Subject To Restrictions Discs

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