dj sniff

At the core of dj sniff’s live setup is Cut ’n’ Play, a software sampler he originally built in Max/MSP in 2007. Since then, he has continued developing custom tools and instruments that extend the fundamental characteristics of the turntable and DJ mixer. The tactical relationship between the musician and instrument, which guitarist Derek Bailey once described as the “instrumental impulse”, becomes the primary source of sniff’s improvisational performance.

dj sniff (Takuro Mizuta Lippit) (Tokyo) is a musician and curator in the field of experimental electronic arts and improvised music. His musical work builds upon a distinct practice that combines DJing, instrument design, and free improvisation. At the core of his live setup is Cut ’n’ Play, a software sampler he originally built in Max/MSP in 2007. Since then, he has continued developing custom tools and instruments that extend what Derek Bailey called the “instrumental impulse” — the tactile, responsive relationship between musician and machine that becomes the central inspiration for improvisation. His collaborations include Evan Parker, Otomo Yoshihide, Koichi Makigami, Jaap Blonk, ErikM, Paul Hubweber, Tarek Atoui, Ken Ueno, and Senyawa. Recent audio-based works include Turntable Solos (2025), Previously Owned (2025), Transformer (2023), The Inverted Listening of Explosive Enemy Aircraft Sounds (2023), and Parallel Traces of the Jewel Voice (2022).