HOUSE
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Thirty years behind the decks cannot be simulated. For DJ Ryan Ash, selector culture isn’t a digital preset—it’s an art form rooted in three decades of tactile vinyl culture, relentless crate-digging, and non-stop sonic evolution.
Ryan’s journey began in South Africa, where he maxed out his first credit card on a pair of belt-driven turntables and a 12-bit sampler mixer, teaching himself to beatmatch raw jungle vinyl by ear. That raw underground discipline followed him to Hong Kong 18 years ago, where he rapidly became a fixture of the regional scene—playing top clubs across Guangzhou, Singapore, and Myanmar, while headlining Hong Kong’s most iconic nightlife venues including Volar, Drop, and Fly.
While house and driving techno form the core of his current sets, Ryan’s versatility stretches far beyond a single subgenre. Drawing from deep roots in drum & bass, broken beat, nu-jazz, and 80s gems, he curates anti-commercial, mood-driven soundscapes that seamlessly adapt to any environment—from high-energy bar rooms and peak-hour clubs to sleek corporate showcases for clients like Tesla and BMW.
True legacy craftsmanship, flawless crate selection, and 30 years of floor intuition.
Press, testimonials & more.
Myanmore · February 2014
Tell us about youI have been DJing for around fifteen years and have been through numerous electronic music genres including Drum & Bass, House, Indie Dance, Techno, etc to the point now where I like mixing it all together in one crazy night of musical fun for everyone. I have residencies at FLY, Honi Honi, W Hotel and other venues in Hong Kong.
Have you been to Yangon before?Nope – first time.
Where do you get your inspirations?I don’t wanna sound like a complete cliche, but I’d have to say everywhere. But if you had to press me, I would say that my greatest inspiration comes from movies and just listening to music. I once accidentally left the voice recorder on my phone turned on when I went to watch Tron at the cinema. Some months later when I was rock climbing in France, I found this voice memo on my phone. I sat under a tree and listened to the whole thing, not knowing where it was originally from. It’s an amazing thing to listen to a movie without the actual visuals “distracting” you – and a very inspiring experience. I highly recommend it.
What do you do during your downtime?I spend most of my time either making music or watching movies. But I also enjoy cooking and yoga.
Best party you’ve ever been to?I’m all for the “intimate” experience, so the big rave thing isn’t really my thing. Having said that, one of the most memorable party experiences I’ve ever had was when I went to see Faithless and they played “We Come One”. The crowd went absolutely berserk. It was awesome!!!
If you can invite anyone in the world to your party, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you play?I would invite all the people I have ever known – all my friends, past and present, dead and alive. All my ex-girlfriends, lovers, teachers, enemies, family – absolutely everyone I have ever known and had more than just a casual acquaintance with and I’d play whatever the f*** I want. Hehehe.
Hospitality Leader · LinkedIn
Some DJs play music. Others craft moments. DJ Ryan Ash was firmly in the second category.
We first met back in 2010, in the early days of my time in Hong Kong, when Ryan was spinning at Le Boudoir. Even then, it was clear he had something special — an instinct for the room, a sixth sense for what the night needed before anyone else knew it themselves.
When I opened Honi Honi, there was never any question about who I wanted behind the decks. Ryan became a resident, and in many ways, the heartbeat of the place. Honi Honi was known for its atmosphere, its music, and its cocktails — and Ryan was a huge part of that magic. Night after night, he read the crowd with effortless precision, dropping the perfect tune at the perfect moment, building the energy, easing it back, and always keeping the room exactly where it wanted to be.
He went on to play at Mahalo, my second venue, and brought that same energy, taste, and professionalism with him. Over roughly a decade, on and off — but mostly as a trusted resident — Ryan was more than a DJ. He was part of the family, part of the story of those bars, and part of countless unforgettable nights.
His music was amazing, always ideal for the crowd. But what truly set him apart was his ability to read a room — that rare gift of knowing when to lift people up and when to let a moment breathe. Great DJs play great songs. Ryan created great nights.
Thank you, Ryan, for the years of incredible music, for the memories, and for helping make those venues what they were. You’ll always be part of the story.
July 2010
Ryan Ashton aka DJ Ryan AshWanted to be a stock broker, but now spins minimal tech house, although he feels himself going into a breakbeat/ dirty disco stage.
This South African won Tivo’s “Quest for DJ” competition last year, and has been entertaining the Tivo crowd ever since, as well as Aqua Spirit in TST: “Awesome view, great cocktails and nice staff.” And he’s also uber-excited about that debut party: “Look out for it! I’m having my debut party at the end of August to showcase my talents. It’s gonna be unique—DJing, VJing, live vocals and instrumentation—all done by me!” Obnoxious drunk drama: “Once I played a New Year’s Eve gig at a restaurant back in South Africa and this really drunk guy kept bitching about my music. I turned around to look through my CD collection, and he whips out his you-know-what and tries to stick it into the player and pee in it.” Check Ryan out at www.djryanash.com