Boxes are restrictive. Genres and labels, as useful as they can be to describe something, can also limit you from expressing your true self. This is a central idea behind the *LOOP COLLECTIVE, a Saigon-born team of DJs and producers intent on doing what they want. “Our goal is to create a space where we can be ourselves, express ourselves, grow, and connect,” says Kỳ Mỹ, one of the crew’s five members, which also includes dOnüt, Smoothie Boiz, Phát Paris, and Lil Toilet. “We’re all different—in background, taste, views—but that’s exactly what creates our shared identity. We want to create a space where DJs feel free to be themselves, where listeners feel at home, and where everyone is connected through music.” Whether that’s underground rave sounds, global club beats, or Vietnamese references; it all gets piled into one big vibe. As long as it hits, it’s fair game. And they throw themselves into it fully. “We’re always playing with all we’ve got,” adds Smoothie Boiz.
*LOOP COLLECTIVE will be playing at Rover on Sat, MAY 17 along with local guests Soup snakeS and Sriracha Czaddy.
*LOOP is the most recent iteration of a few collectives before it. Three of the members—dOnüt, Phát Paris, and Smoothie Boiz—started together as a techno collective called Good Apple Saigon. When the club they were based at closed down, they leaned into another movement of theirs—a queer collective named Bung Lon, which is still very active to this day. And then when they met Kỳ Mỹ and Lil Toilet, they created *LOOP to be a place where everyone and anyone can feel free to be whatever it is that they want to be. As a diverse collective with multiple personalities and identities, “openness and mutual respect naturally form the way we journey together,” Kỳ Mỹ explains.
While their members are from all over Vietnam, it’s very much a product of Saigon. “This is where we found each other, started DJing, threw our first parties, and eventually came together to form *LOOP,” says Smoothie. “Saigon thrives on freshness and high energy—it’s the spirit of youth in full force,” Paris chimes in. “That’s what drives us to keep evolving every day. We want the world to feel what we feel here: that Saigon is vibrant, alive, and undeniably fun.”
The collective builds on their differences, whether that’s musical tastes, identity, or regional roots. “That’s exactly what creates our shared identity. We found each other by chance, and it kinda it felt like destiny. Music is our second language, and it’s also how we found each other and bonded,” says Kỳ Mỹ. “We chose to walk this path together because we all share the same passion for music and the desire to give what we have, to each other, to the people, and to the community.”
Vietnam also looms large in *LOOP’s musical output. As much as they’re inspired by global dance sounds like Latin music, rap, and techno, the music of their home is always present. “It’s our roots—it comes naturally, proudly, and undeniably in every sound we produce,” says Lil Toilet. Vinahouse, traditional Vietnamese elements, and Viet rap are fused into everything they do. “It’s something that lives within us, like blood running through our veins,” Kỳ Mỹ says. “We’re not nostalgic in how we play, but if we can turn a piece of Vietnamese culture into something new and fresh, we’re always down to explore it.”
They call their sound Vinadance, which reflects their vibe and identity. “We want to help push the scene forward,” says Smoothie. “That’s why we’re focused on creating our own sound to play at our events.” And it’s something they want to share with the world, including Bangkok. “I want to introduce the vibrant and distinctive sounds of Vietnamese music to our international friends—to show them how joyful and culturally rich our music can be,” Paris adds. “I truly believe that the more people get involved, the more fun it becomes. The more we support each other, the stronger our community grows. We move forward together.”
