Juheun on Hardware and the Phoenix Techno Scene

Juheun, the Korean-American producer born in Orange County and raised in Albuquerque, has built a reputation for blending raw, mechanical energy with a cinematic, sci-fi aesthetic. His sound, heard on Octopus, Unity, and now Tronic Records, culminates in his latest release, Exhale, out this November.

But Juheun’s story begins far from the European club capitals where techno often takes root. His upbringing – split between Southwestern America and a traditional Korean home – quietly shaped his ear for contrast. “Growing up in Albuquerque, I was surrounded by Hispanic and Southwestern culture. At home, it was all Korean,” he recalls. “That mix taught me to think differently – to always ask, ‘what if?’ What if I blend those worlds?”

That instinct for fusion extends back to his first encounters with music. His parents’ love for karaoke and vinyl – along with his father’s secret past as a DJ in Korea – formed a foundation of rhythm and curiosity. “It made sense later,” Juheun laughs. “His obsession with vinyl wasn’t random. Music was always there.”

By high school, Juheun had moved from listener to selector, discovering DJing through a “DJ in a box” kit. “I’d hang out by the stereo at parties instead of drinking,” he says. “Eventually people started asking me to play their songs. Then I saw a real DJ at a rave for the first time – and it clicked.”

For over a decade, he performed under the alias DJ Tranzit, becoming a fixture in the American house scene. But as the 2000s shifted toward bottle-service culture and commercial EDM, he felt disconnected. “I was playing tracks I didn’t even like, just to keep tables happy. I missed the underground,” he explains. “Going back to techno wasn’t a trend – it was a return.”

Juheun’s current sound fuses the melodic sense honed during his house years with the hypnotic precision of techno, underscored by his love of science fiction. “Electronic music has always sounded futuristic to me,” he says. “I’m constantly trying to make a track sound like it’s from another time – without losing the soul.”

Hardware is central to his process. “Each machine has its own personality, almost like a robot,” he says. From his Native Instruments Maschine to Moog’s Sub 37, the tactile nature of analog equipment mirrors his other obsession – cars. “Building cars gives me that physical satisfaction that software can’t. It’s the same energy: working with your hands, fine-tuning something until it feels alive.”

That meticulous mindset extends beyond the studio. In Phoenix, where he’s based, Juheun and partner Michelle Sparks co-founded Circuit, a techno collective and event series that has transformed Arizona’s underground landscape since 2010. “We came back from ADE and Movement Detroit asking, ‘Why doesn’t this exist in Phoenix?’” he recalls. “So we built it ourselves – literally. Venues weren’t ready for the sound or the culture, so we had to curate every detail: the space, the system, the lighting, the atmosphere. It took eight years before people really got it.”

Today, Circuit is a cornerstone for global techno artists touring the U.S., with warehouse nights that embody what Juheun calls “that witching-hour magic.” “There’s this moment when everything locks in – the sound, the crowd, the visuals – and you realize why you do it,” he says.

That feedback loop – between artist, machine, and audience – fuels his performances. While his DJ sets remain fluid, his live shows are deliberately sculpted. “It’s a journey through my own catalogue. Every knob, every trigger is live. Sometimes it’s imperfect – but that’s the point.”

His forthcoming Tronic single Exhale continues this dialogue between human energy and machine control, accompanied by a remix from Belgian techno stalwart Frank Biazzi. Another track, Let’s Dance, remains unreleased, reserved for Juheun’s live shows. “I wrote it after seeing people on dancefloors filming instead of dancing,” he says. “It’s a reminder of what we’re here for.”

Outside the booth, Juheun remains focused on evolution rather than hype. “Techno’s bigger than ever, but that means it’s at a peak,” he says. “Once the bubble bursts, we’ll see who’s left for the right reasons.” His prediction: a return to raw, stripped-back sounds and authentic community.

As he expands his studio and eyes the new Roland TR-1000, Juheun remains anchored in curiosity and craft. Whether tuning a synth, a car engine, or the pulse of a crowd, he’s guided by the same principle that shaped him between two cultures and two worlds – balance through creation.

Juheun’s “Exhale” is out November 21 on Tronic Records.