Given its name, putting completely mismatched elements together kind of suits Sushi Robot. We wouldn’t go so far as to presume that there aren’t sushi-serving robots out there (in fact, we’d place a sizeable bet on their existence somewhere in Japan), but it’s not exactly your most common of marriages. So it’s all rather fitting that the Hong Kong electronic duo are taking that catchy mis-matching concept and applying it to their tunes.

Since 2009, Sushi Robot, consisting of Simon Griffin and Claudio Canzonetta, have been producing original drum’n’bass and breakbeat tunes that veer toward the darker sounds of life. But rather than playing in clubs where most electronic dance music resides, they’ve been far more active in the live scene, playing shows alongside punk bands, hardcore rockers, folk outfits and singer-songwriters in the pubs and live houses around town. Filling this sparsely occupied niche between live music and DJs, it was only a matter of time before a project like Sushi Robot’s 1.0 HKRMX – Session 1 was born.

“We came up with the idea at the beginning of the year, to promote these bands to different areas and fan bases – to open it up,” says Griffin of the duo’s first remix album. “We just wanted to get a lot of the local Hong Kong bands and just do remix versions of their songs. [A lot of bands] have probably got a certain base that like their music. So if you open it up, I think it opens up another fan group.”

The album takes six bands from the Bauhinian Collective – a local group of musicians, artists and show organisers – that reflect six vastly varying styles, and applies the Sushi Robot d’n’b-and-breakbeats remix treatment. The hardcore of Qui Hong’s Night turns into a driving spy-thriller, Luke Chow’s Stand Up gets a danceable high-BPM overhaul, Logo’s Love Hotel gets some grimy beats added to its sparse atmosphere and, perhaps most intriguingly, Milkteeth’s freak-folk turns into an almost unrecognisable mix of d’n’b and fiddles. “With Milkteeth, we sort of like really ripped that one apart. Really ripped apart,” says Griffin. He says that the approach to the album also reflects the way the Bauhinian Collective, which celebrates its first anniversary this fortnight with a series of shows, has approached gigs since its founding. “The Bauhinian Collective have managed to do cross over gigs. You might see Heather Lowe [folk artist] playing with Defiant Scum [a metal hardcore band]. Normally, you would never get that sort of thing. I like the idea that you can do whatever you want, and still get on the bill.”

With this first remix album just out – a process that he says took nine months – Griffin is cautiously thinking about another volume – perhaps with a mix of styles or potentially a purely hardcore collection. And while there are no immediate plans for other DJs or electronic artists to get involved, Griffin sees the potential for expansion in the future. “We haven’t approached anybody yet. If it takes off and other people show interest, then maybe we can make it a regular thing and get a lot of people involved.” At least, let’s hope Hong Kong sees the next album before we see an actual sushi robot – which, with the amount of Japanese restaurants opening recently, may not be too far off.

Bauhinian Collective Anniversary Parties. October 27-29 Swindlers, The Wanch, Xperience. 1.0 HKRMX – Session 1 is available for free at www.imusicbox.hk.

Mark Tjhung