Last Friday saw the release of Fury EP (Air), the final chapter in Mha Iri’s Four Elements project. The Scottish-born and Melbourne-shaped producer closes this series with three tracks that mark a clear shift in her sound. The result feels faster, heavier and more direct, a snapshot of where she stands as an artist right now.
We spoke with her a few weeks ago, right after Amsterdam Dance Event, as the countdown to the release was underway. “Fury is the perfect example of a breakthrough into a harder, faster sound that I’m transitioning to and experimenting with,” she explained. The project has allowed her to explore new ground without overthinking how it might fit within any label or trend.
Air represents both freedom and movement, and the EP captures that sense of release. “It’s been truly liberating to just write the music I really want to without worrying that it’s too leftfield or unusual for a specific label,” she told us. Fury EP (Air) closes an ambitious journey that started two years ago and now leads her into a new phase of creativity.
You just played Club Train, which leaves from Amsterdam’s iconic Centraal Station at midnight and flies around the Dutch countryside. How was that experience?
It was super fun and unique but very hectic. The carriage I played in was packed, and when people were moving through the carriage, there were a few very close encounters with elbows and my USB that was plugged into the CDJ. Luckily, my manager was guarding the decks to make sure that the music didn’t get stopped by a straying limb! I always enjoy sweaty, intimate gigs, and this really lived up to that.
You’ve got more than ten shows lined up before the end of the year across Europe and the Americas. How do you find balance between touring nonstop and keeping your creative energy alive?
I’m very fortunate that performing and being constantly exposed to music is what feeds my creative juices, so when I come back home, I’m ready to smash the studio. I don’t tend to work on music while I’m away, which means I get excited to return home and get back into my creative flow again.
Your latest Instagram post announcing Fury EP (Air) felt emotional: “the final instalment of the Elements series and represents Air.” How did it feel to finally share that moment with your followers after such a long journey?
It was really special for me because I’ve been deeply involved with the project from the beginning and had full creative control when it came to the imagery, storytelling, and music. I was nervous about embarking on such an ambitious project with my team, but it’s been truly liberating to just write the music I really want to without worrying that it’s too leftfield or unusual for a specific label. It’s made me realise that the best results come when I take a leap of faith and believe in myself.
Fury EP (Air) feels powerful and deeply cathartic. What was going through your mind when you realised this would be the last chapter in your elemental story?
I always had the plan that the four elements would be mapped out into four three-track EPs, so it felt natural and right. It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m so excited for the final release, as my sound has evolved over the last few months, and I’m going a bit faster and harder. It breathed fresh air into my creative energy as I explored and experimented with a new sound palette. I feel truly excited to move on to the next chapter while closing this one.
The idea of translating the four elements into techno is both poetic and conceptual. When did that idea first come to you, and how did you make it sound authentic instead of symbolic? When you were producing Fury, did you already sense a shift towards a harder, faster sound, or did it emerge naturally from your live sets?
It came to me during a brainstorming session with my management when we were starting to hash out the project. I wanted to create something that had chapters or sections, and this combined my love of nature and beautiful imagery with my music. I also saw massive potential for inspiration when thinking about what each element represents and how I could try to demonstrate that in my music.
Yes, I have already released a few harder songs on Filth On Acid in the past few years, and for the past year, I’ve slowly been shifting away from techno peak time, as I was finding that I wasn’t getting so excited about the current music that was coming out in that genre. My sets were becoming much harder organically, and I found I was much more inspired by a harder sound, so I decided to just go for it, and Fury was born.
Yes, I have already released a few harder songs on Filth On Acid in the past few years, and for the past year, I’ve slowly been shifting away from techno peak time, as I was finding that I wasn’t getting so excited about the current music that was coming out in that genre. My sets were becoming much harder organically, and I found I was much more inspired by a harder sound, so I decided to just go for it, and Fury was born.
Acid and My Zone hit with raw, kinetic force. Do you see this EP as a reflection of how your sound has evolved through touring and performing on larger stages?
Yes, my sound has definitely evolved from performing on stage, as I started curating my sets with harder music, and I came to a crossroads where I realised that most of my set was a lot harder than the current sound I’d been previously associated with.
Air represents freedom and elevation; movement, breath, and space. Do those ideas resonate with you personally, or were they more of a sonic exploration?
Yes, they do. I envisioned a tornado when creating Fury, as I wanted to transmit a chaotic energy that feels unstoppable.
Each element in your 4 Elements project—Water, Earth, Fire, and Air—carries a distinct emotional and rhythmic world. How did you maintain the concept’s cohesion while allowing each release to evolve naturally?
Ultimately, each element is very subjective and can represent a number of moods. So for me it wasn’t difficult to tie the elements into each track, as I could always find a link, such as the grounding deep bass like earth or the intense burning energy in a track like fire.
Your upcoming 4 Elements LP unites the entire project into one vinyl edition. What does it mean to you to have this series physically preserved?
It’s a real milestone for me, and I’m so happy to see something I’ve dreamed of come to life. I can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands.
Was it always your plan to close this cycle with a vinyl release, or did that decision feel like a final reward to yourself and your listeners?
No, it wasn’t, but as the project evolved, my team and I wanted to celebrate the finalisation of the project with something really special. We then decided together that this would be a really beautiful way to do it, and since it’s being released before Christmas, it will be a lovely Christmas present to me and my fans.
You’ve often included your own vocals in your tracks. What drives you to maintain the human element in such a high-intensity genre as techno?
I started out as a singer-songwriter, so it was always my intention to have my vocals in my tracks. It’s helped me convey messages or explore themes in my tracks and also gives my tracks a signature that allows the listener to connect with my voice and realise it’s my track.
From Tomorrowland and Awakenings to Hï Ibiza and Fabrik, you’ve performed at some of the world’s most iconic venues. How do those massive stages influence the music you make in the studio?
I wouldn’t say the stage impacts the music I make—it’s more the music I play as part of my sets that’s not my own. I get really inspired by artists who are doing something fresh and unique, and I love referencing music that inspires me and creating something new with that inspiration.
You started out singing in bars in Edinburgh before discovering Melbourne’s underground. How do those two worlds, organic performance and club culture, coexist within you today?
I started going to illegal raves at fifteen in Scotland, so I was immersed in the underground in Edinburgh from a young age. Singing was always something I did too, writing songs from the age of ten or eleven. I have diaries full of them and still remember the melodies. It always made sense to me personally that I could do both, but techno had a strong pull on me, and eventually that became my full focus, whilst still incorporating my vocals in most of my tracks.
After years of touring across continents, do you still feel connected to the same spark that first drew you to the rave scene?
Definitely. I spent years on the other side of the dancefloor, and now I get the chance to give back the energy to clubbers and festivalgoers when they see me play. I absolutely love it, and I’m so thankful that I get to do it week in and week out.
Looking at your packed schedule for the rest of 2025, from Berlin to Miami and Costa Rica, what’s been the most surreal or transformative moment onstage this year?
Playing in Argentina was very special for me. I played at a private afterparty directly after my set at an incredible club, and it was just so much fun—it reminded me of when I started my journey playing at house parties for free. It was a surreal moment where I reflected on how far I’ve come and yet how much I love what I do, no matter the size of the stage or crowd.
And now that Fury EP (Air) completes the cycle, what comes after the storm? Are you already imagining the next chapter?
It’s really all systems go. I’m not very good at relaxing (laughs)! I won’t be giving anything away, but just expect there to be a lot of exciting things happening from January onwards.
