Rice, Chicken & Ramen
This article is part of Chinese Noise, a living archive exploring Chinese identity, underground music and cultural memory through 25 years of Hong Kong Violence.
For this edition, we sat down with Mordekaiser, producer, DJ and one of the driving forces behind Cartel+.
His introduction to HKV did not begin through a record or a festival. It started during a vinyl expo at Skateland Rotterdam, where To-Wa introduced him to Kin, Bruce and the rest of the HKV crew.
Strangely enough, one of the first things he remembers is having a long conversation with Kin about different ways to prepare rice and chicken. Not exactly the most predictable first topic, but somehow it felt natural.
After that they went out for dinner at a ramen place, where Mordekaiser had to eat ramen with chopsticks for the first time while being watched by a group of Chinese people. Intimidating at the moment, but funny looking back.
What stood out to him most was that it instantly felt like family. There was no forced networking, no fake scene talk — just real people with a real passion.
That first meeting eventually led to deeper involvement with HKV, PhonkCartel and Cartel+, and opened the door to collaborations and friendships that continue to this day.
On July 18, Mordekaiser returns to the HKV Stage at Dominator Festival 2026 alongside Speedfolter for their first ever B2B performance.
What stood out to him most was that it instantly felt like family. There was no forced networking vibe, no fake scene talk — just real people with a real passion.
From that moment on he started getting more involved on the merch side, which later also led to creating Cartel+ together with HKV and Maarten from OTM.
The first track that comes to mind is Nukom – Fuck Bass.
Besides that, his own first release on HKV — Speedfolter & Mordekaiser – No Competition — will always have a special place for him. It was the first collaboration with Speedfolter after knowing each other for more than ten years, both growing up in Zeeland and sharing the same taste for the rougher side of hardcore. Releasing that track on HKV made it feel like everything came full circle.
This one feels special, because it will be the first time the two stand behind the decks together. They have been looking for the right opportunity to do this for years.
People can expect a set with a lot of cuts, fast transitions and that rougher hardcore sound you normally do not hear on the bigger festival stages.
The new generation is carrying that same mindset forward, but in their own way. They keep producing and supporting music that is not made for the weak, not made to be easy, and not made to fit perfectly into what the mainstream hardcore crowd expects.
That is exactly what keeps HKV alive.
For him, HKV is more than just a label. It is a platform that creates opportunities for producers and artists who make music that does not necessarily fit the usual hardcore crowd. It gives space to people who choose their own path instead of adjusting themselves to become more accessible.
At the time, he was still part of the This is Madness organization, which was a very special period for him. Now that he is transitioning more into the HKV, PhonkCartel and Cartel+ side of things, that shirt feels like a bridge between two important worlds in his journey.
That word fits because HKV does not soften itself to become more accessible. It does not try to please everyone, follow trends or polish away the rough edges. It carries an attitude that says: this is what it is, take it or leave it.
This article is part of Chinese Noise — a growing archive of stories, memories and voices connected to Hong Kong Violence.
Chinese Noise is a collaboration between SinoHaven and HKV.
Become a Phonkcartel Member to get access to exclusive interviews, archive material, behind the scenes stories and member only content.
Because hardcore isn’t just the music. It’s the people, the stories and the culture that keep it alive.