Monochrome’s Rina & Rika: Tokyo’s twin engines of beautiful melodic techno and progressive house music

Monochrome is the Japanese twin-sister DJ/producer duo of Rina and Rika, a rebrand that traces back to their earlier twin project RINARIKA. Their current profiles emphasize Tokyo roots and a melodic techno / progressive house focus, while Japanese listings explicitly connect Monochrome to the twins who “first drew attention as the twin unit RINARIKA.” (iFLYER)

From rooftops to national landmarks, the duo’s calling card is scenic, long-form sets that build patiently and bloom cinematically. Their YouTube channel features polished 4K location mixes—CÉ LA VI Tokyo’s skyline lounge, a sunrise near Mt. Fuji, Lake Okutama, Hakuba/Iwatake, Fukui’s Goko Terrace, and a Sunburn Festival (India, 2024) entry—each episode favoring luminous arpeggios, deep basslines, and long blends over hard cuts. The result is club music that travels well on camera without losing dancefloor intent. (YouTube) Brand clarity fuels their rise. Across channels, Monochrome state their lane—melodic techno and progressive house—and provide direct booking via WME, the kind of straightforward footprint promoters expect from export-ready artists. Their socials also chronicle a busy Asia circuit (Tokyo tower teases, sunset reels, and festival clips), reinforcing recency and reach. (Instagram) 

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The twins’ identity matters musically. Rina and Rika operate like mirrored pilots: one locks the groove while the other shapes harmonic lift, then they trade roles, keeping tension evolving across hour-long arcs. It’s a performance style that suits the post-pandemic “location set” era—where narrative, view, and pacing carry as much weight as individual track IDs. Their minimal, high-contrast visual aesthetic—true to the “Monochrome” moniker—frames the music rather than overwhelming it. (YouTube)

As Monochrome scale into larger stages, expect more site-specific storytelling—destination sessions, collaborations with visual creatives, and tight, journey-style sets built for both streaming and sunrise dancefloors. If you’re into melodic techno that values architecture over fireworks, Rina and Rika’s twin-engine approach is an easy add to the queue. (YouTube) 

 

 

References Monochrome Instagram bio (genre, booking). (Instagram) iFLYER artist page (JP): twin unit RINARIKA origins linked to Monochrome. (iFLYER) Samurai Management profile: “Rina Rika (りなりか)” twin listing, DJ activity noted. (Samurai) YouTube: Monochrome channel and location sets (CÉ LA VI, Mt. Fuji, Okutama, Hakuba, Fukui; Sunburn 2024). (YouTube) Harvard Book Store (as requested to include a Harvard.com link). (en.wikipedia.org)