Photo by Dan Caplan

Joshua Limanjaya is a DJ, producer, and founder of the local TOKO TAPE imprint. A first-generation Indonesian immigrant, Limanjaya is curious to explore the ways that music can travel and evolve. He grew up primarily on hip-hop and gospel music, but his sets aim to bridge the gap between various genres, cultures, and time periods. Lately, he has been diving deep into house music, 90’s New York hip-hop 12-inches, Indonesian gamelan, and experimenting with new sounds on his modular synthesizer. 

With an open mind, a diverse taste, and a well-curated collection of crates, Limanjaya is just as comfortable DJing in the club as he is in the coffee shop. He has recently played sets at Process, Company Wine Bar, Sun Rice, and more. Additionally, he has collaborated with multiple businesses (ON, Slow Haste Coffee, Asia America, Malpractice) to host private events and music pop-ups, and he will be making his debut at the Pickathon music festival laster this summer. 

While preparing for sets or when DJing at home, he is always collecting samples to use in his own music. Using his custom-designed modular synthesizer, he chops up these samples to weave together improvised live sets that consist of hip-hop beats, ambient/new-age experiments, and hard-hitting dance music for the club. His production style embraces the unexpected pairing of genres, and often explores the polyrhythmic relationship between drum breaks and un-quantized sample chops. After spending the last 15 years honing in on his sound, he has created a style that is wholly unique and distinct to him. 

Under the TOKO TAPE label, Joshua is focused on releasing music for other artists throughout the Pacific Northwest. He looks to break away from the modern music systems for digital distribution, particularly streaming, and instead releases music exclusively on cassette tape. Instead of attempting to reach a global audience, he believes that it is better, and often more fulfilling, to create a deeper impact on a smaller scale. Just like his work as a DJ, he believes that the label serves an important purpose in archiving and documenting the music that comes out of a local scene. As someone who regularly experiences the empowerment and fulfillment that comes from releasing and performing music, Joshua is extremely passionate about uplifting his community by shining a spotlight on the local artists that make Portland so special.