YokoO Drops Two-Track Ortus EP on Revived Toka Musik Label

French-born and now Lisbon-based, Julien Beltzung, who records as YokoO, dropped the Ortus EP on March 18, 2026, marking the third catalog entry on the revived Dubai-rooted imprint Toka Musik. The release is a compact, two-track minimal/deep-tech statement that doubles as a soft relaunch for the label, with YokoO serving as A&R for Toka Musik, further extending his role as a curator and tastemaker within the scene.

"Stepping in as lead A&R of Toka Musik, YokoO reignites the label's flame with 'Ortus', a two-track EP that sets a clear and confident tone for the chapter ahead," as When We Dip put it at the premiere. Toka Musik launched its own record label in September of 2023, and with catalog 003 now slotted in, Ortus arrives at a formative moment for an imprint that began as a DJ guest mix series in Beirut before swiftly evolving into a preeminent platform for electronic music in the MENA region.

The EP's two tracks cover distinct emotional ground. The title cut, Ortus (Original Mix), runs 7:37 at 128 BPM in D minor and sits firmly in the Minimal/Deep Tech bracket. "Exploring nuanced shades of deep & minimal house through his signature warmth and grooves, the release balances intensity with introspection. The title track, 'Ortus', is functional and punchy, dark and haunting at moments, crafted with small rooms and peak-time pressure in mind."

The second cut, En Route to Tembaïne (Original Mix), steps back from the club pressure and into something more cinematic. Clocking in at 7:56 at 125 BPM in B minor, it was tagged Deep House by Electrobuzz and carries the mood to match. Its origins are about as far from a studio as you can get: "'En Route to Tembaïne' was conceived while traveling through Tunisia, written on a bus crossing deep into the Sahara Desert with a freeing sense of vastness woven into its core." The result, as described at the premiere, is a track that "leans into a more reflective space, unfolding like an early morning or late-night story, subtle and immersive."

For DJs, the EP presents a tight BPM window of 125 to 128, with Camelot codes 7A and 10A covering both tracks and giving clean harmonic entry points whether you're opening or pushing into peak hour. Both originals are available in MP3, FLAC, and AIFF, making the lossless formats option easy for anyone building a high-resolution library.

YokoO has spent more than two decades immersed in the deeper edges of house and techno, evolving from a teenage record collector in France to an internationally touring DJ and producer. After relocating to Australia in his early twenties, he quickly embedded himself in the underground scene, playing professionally while gaining hands-on experience across event promotion, club programming, artist booking and label operations. Beyond his YokoO alias, his moniker Life Less Ordinary also sits in his discography, and his catalogue spans labels including All Day I Dream, Kindisch, and Rebellion. Based primarily in Lisbon, he holds a monthly residency at Rūmu, where his sets unfold through deep, minimal and hypnotic soundscapes.

"With 'Ortus', YokoO not only marks a new beginning for Toka Musik, but defines the atmosphere of what's to come." With catalog 003 carrying that kind of weight, the next entry on Toka Musik is already worth watching.